Revolución Con Don P Reaches a New Audience

The ubiquity of social media has created duality in health promotion. Raising awareness through traditional tabling methods remains crucial, but no campaign is complete without a visible online presence. Social media allows healthcare providers to overcome barriers in disseminating information to patients, and can also drive patient uptake for organizations like Fenway Health. Fenway Health is a healthcare, research, education and advocacy organization in Boston, Massachusetts whose mission includes serving the LGBTQ community. As social media grows more integrated in daily life, some providers have evolved their digital strategy to reach new audiences. Ricardo Holguin, the Bilingual Outreach Navigator at Fenway Health, has revolutionized outreach to the Latinx MSM (Men that have Sex with Men) population by developing an approachable persona on Snapchat.

Holguin built his campaign with a federally funded grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The grant’s name is “Llegando a Cero,” which translates to “Getting to Zero” in English. This project was awarded to Fenway Health to enhance targeted outreach, social media marketing, and on-the-ground navigation services in order to help increase awareness of HIV and substance abuse prevention services, in part through the creation of Holguin’s current position as Bilingual Outreach Navigator. “Many campaigns adopt a very serious tone which can scare people away,” Holguin notes. “I asked myself how I could best engage with 18-24-year-old Latinx MSM.” Holguin knew that the best way to spread information is through social media, but he wanted to create something different. After weeks of deliberation, Holguin had a genius idea: Revolución con Don P. “Condom in Spanish translates to condón,” Holguin explains, “I separated the word and realized it translates to ‘with Don.’ In Spanish, Don is the male form of a courtesy title placed before the first name of someone as a way of showing respect. The name Don P is a play on words. Revolución Con Don P means ‘Revolution With Condoms.’” The “P” in Don P is variable, it can mean prevention, precaution, or even PrEP.

Don P is the face of Holguin’s social media campaign, which spans across Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and dating apps such as Grindr. The persona primarily targets young Latinx MSM , a population that’s disproportionately affected by HIV. Research from the CDC projects that “one in four Latino gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetimes.” Holguin’s goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV while providing them with links to needed services. The anonymity and transience on Snapchat provides Holguin’s followers with a sense of privacy and freedom, emboldening them to ask questions they may otherwise feel uncomfortable asking.

Holguin acquires followers through word of mouth, but he also spreads awareness of Revolución con Don P by attending outreach events in person. As he began attending more events, Holguin realized he needed a memorable way to stay in touch with people. Fenway Health already provides safe sex kits, but Holguin needed something that included information about where people can get tested.  Holguin says that “as I began researching potential options, I found Say It With A Condom! It was exactly what I was looking for.”

After enlisting their services, Say It With A Condom connected Holguin with Gilberto Perez, the manager of the company’s graphic design team. “What I like about Ricardo is that he knows exactly how to approach the target demographic,” says Perez, “I found that his Snapchat campaign is a great way to interact with young people.” Benjamin Sherman, the founder and CEO of Say It With A Condom, remarked that “We’ve worked on a lot of campaigns, but this one is something that’s really special and what I hope will be very successful. It’s a lot different than everything else that has come to us or that we’ve designed.” The design, which includes Don P’s snapcode image on the back of the trifold, makes it easier for Holguin to gain followers.

“If people don’t want to give me their information, I have them follow Don P on Snapchat and let them know that they can always speak to him confidentially,” says Holguin, “Once that happens, I can build rapport with them and gain their trust. The more I start posting, the more people relate to the content.”

Add Don P on Snapchat by Using this Snapcode

The Don P condoms have already helped drive patient uptake. “People love the engagement,” says Holguin, “I get lots of people asking where they can get tested. Fenway Health has already had an influx of Latinos aged 18-24 coming in for testing since we launched the campaign.” Holguin hopes that by providing a space for people to engage his health expertise anonymously, he’ll be able to prevent risky behavior. Additionally, the campaign was created to bring more resources to the large population of Spanish speakers throughout Boston. By providing culturally sensitive care, Don P is able to confidentially connect more people from the Latinx MSM community to the resources that they need to protect their sexual health.

The post Fenway Health Maximizes Outreach with Custom Condoms appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Below is a lightly edited transcription of an interview we did with Brett:

What exactly is WeHo Life?

WeHo Life is a program that is specifically targeted to gay men’s and transgender women’s health.

The overall organization targets much more than that, but it is divided up into specific branches in order to implement the most effective strategies in advocating for LGBT rights. The entire program is actually funded by the city of West Hollywood, and they are very proactive in making sure that everyone is receiving the proper care they need.

What are some services offered by the center?

The program offers services for testing, PrEP, mental health services, programs targeting homeless youth, transgender services, and more.

This organization really is all encompassing. WeHo life specifically also offer strip surveys, which is a unique and fun way to interact with the program. For every question on the survey someone answers, a porn star takes off one article of clothing. Who wouldn’t want to participate in that?

How has this organization influenced the West Hollywood area?

People have learned to become more accepting to this culture. The gay population in WeHo is a very prominent one, and being able to advocate for them has allowed people to become more open-minded and accepting to this community.

Our online programs have reached people in all fifty states, and even different countries. People in Russia are watching our videos, and it’s incredible because gay men there don’t have a safe haven like this, but we can give them that through our online program. It’s amazing what technology can do nowadays!

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while working with the Los Angeles LGBT Center?

West Hollywood is not a very diverse area. It consists of mostly caucasian people, and the majority of the gay population here is muscular, white males. However, there is a latino population as well, and they do not receive the proper attention that they need due to their background.

The LGBT Latino population between the ages of 19-25 still has a disproportionately higher rate of HIV, but it is something that the Los Angeles LGBT Center is actively working to change!

How did your partnership with Say It With A Condom help enhance the delivery of your message?

The customized condom foils provided by Say It With A Condom are terrific and actually very popular. People want to take them because of the creative packaging. And that accomplishes our goal of making sure people have access to and are making use of these tools.

Where do you see the program going in the future?

I am focusing on pushing the use of condoms despite the introduction of PrEP. I also want to make sure that there is a continued sense of awareness surrounding the LGBT community and HIV. People need to stay informed so that they don’t feel ashamed. Inclusion is key, especially in West Hollywood considering the discrimination people face due to their body type or ethnicity.

The post Getting People On PrEP With Brett Holland of the LA LGBT Center appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Elizabeth Schedl is the Deputy Director of the Hudson Pride Connections Center located in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her organization partnered with Say It With A Condom to spread awareness on PrEP as part of their preventative service program. The Hudson Pride Connections Center caters to the LGBT community within Hudson County, and gives this community a home and a voice. Hudson Pride Connections Center has made some major changes to Hudson County, so read on to learn a bit more about what they do!

Elizabeth Schedl

Condoms Designed by Say It With A Condom

What types of services does the Hudson Pride Connections Center offer?

“We offer so much, but some of our most popular services are peer led social support groups, public events such as the youth prom and holiday dinners, drug and alcohol preventative services and workshops, residential housing, and HIV and PrEP services.”

We can see why so many people consider the Hudson Pride Connections Center a second home.

Luckily enough, this center also has a very good relationship with the police department. The police department offers their time and services at no cost to accompany employees when they do their ‘Ryan White’ HIV late night outreach program. “We’re lucky to have such a good relationship with the police. It makes us feel more safe when we’re doing our work, and considering many of our clients are from the inner-city, they feel a lot more comfortable too. They feel as if they are being accepted.”

How did you get started in this line of work?

“It’s something i’ve been interested in for quite a long time. I actually started the first ever LGBT organization on my college campus, and it received major support. We ended up winning an ‘organization of the year’ award within the first year. Then I worked for the Victory Fund in D.C. before moving back to Jersey. I’ve been working at the Hudson Pride Connections Center since then, and I’ve worked my way up to where I am now.”

It’s great to see that the employees at this center have a comprehensive background and are really devoted to their work.

What have been some major obstacles your organization has faced?

“Thankfully, Hudson County is very accepting of the LGBT community. However, it is very frustrating to see that there are still people out there today that will not acknowledge this community, or do not even know that they exist.”

We agree Elizabeth, especially with technology being at our fingertips every second of the way. Google.com is a beautiful thing.

How did your partnership with Say It With A Condom help enhance the delivery of your message?

“People love the PrEP condoms created by Say It With A Condom. They’re very informative, and I think it’s extremely important that people are being handed a direct solution to some of these issues we’re trying to combat.”

We’re happy to hear that our PrEP condoms are raising awareness and starting important conversations.

What do you hope to see happen in the future?

“I would love to see more awareness regarding PrEP. It is fairly new, but not new enough that people shouldn’t know what it is. People need to get educated and know their options.” Elizabeth also talked about how topics such as bullying and HIV need more attention.

“People still have a 1980’s understanding of HIV, but we’ve come so far since then.”

We cannot wait to see what new campaigns we can launch with the Hudson Pride Connections Center and other LGBT organizations in the future. Stay protected, and Say It With A Condom!

The post Say It With A Condom & Hudson Pride Connections Center On PrEP appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

It’s finally summer which means endless beach days, tan skin, and a whole lot of adventure. Whether you’re trotting the globe and experiencing new cultures or staying in the comfort of your home country, there still so much to see and even more to do. We’ve made a hand picked list of motivational LGBTQ+ travel vloggers to help you get inspired and on the path to planning your next journey. Don’t forget to check out their blogs for some fun tips, tricks, and unbelievable stories!

Melissa Langley Lez Backpack

Melissa Langley is a woman of many talents. Aside from inspiring other women all around the world, she is also a world traveler and writer. Her blog features everything from her own personal stories from her expeditions, lifestyle blog posts that contain anything from relationships to fashion to being homosexual, travel posts for various types of adventures (ie. Couple Travel, Queer Travel, Luxury Travel, etc) and much more. And, if you can’t figure out what beautiful land you want to explore next, check out all the pictures she’s taken to start you off. Check out Melissa’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with her adventures!

Jose Harvey My Normal Gay Life

Jose, creator of the gay travel blog ‘My Normal Gay Life’ lives a life that is far from the norm. He is an educated, gay male from Raleigh, NC, but instead of choosing to find a job with his two master’s degrees, he has decided to travel the world and show people what it means to be gay and what it’s like being married to another male. So yes, he lives anything but a mundane life, yet he gets to share his lifestyle with people all over the globe while also showcasing that there is no such thing as one “normal” seeing as it is extremely subjective. He’s inspired all of us at Say It With A Condom to pursue our passions, and we can’t wait to see where his next journey takes him. Get inspired by checking out his Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Meg Cale Dopes on the Road

Meg is a social media enthusiast and renowned travel blogger. She’s always loved pushing herself to see what challenges she can overcome, and this is how her love for LGBT travel blogging came to be. Meg was able to combine two things she loves, LGBT advocacy and the desire to adventure, to create her successful blog that gives queer travelers a place to find resources for their own travel needs. She’s living her dream, and we can’t wait to keep up with her next adventure. Don’t forget to check out her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to help plan your next vacation.

Ben Lambert High Society Hobo

Have you ever wanted to live in famous cities all over the world, try exotic cuisines, and visit some of the world’s most aesthetic locations while also having a successful career on the side? Meet Ben Lambert, lawyer and gay travel blogger. This man has lived in all corners of the Earth and has had experiences that people can only dream of. Ben shows us that it’s possible to achieve your dreams as long as you have determination and a goal in mind. The first time he stepped foot outside of the United States was in 2008 when he visited Costa Rica, and he’s accomplished so much more since then. So next time you think you can’t take that dream vacation, think again. Check out his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for some tips and unique stories.   

Ligeia and Mindy Postoff Bounding Over Our Steps

There’s no better dream team than Ligeia and Mindy, a married lesbian couple and the perfect adventure duo. These two have already traveled to many countries around the world, and they’ve made it their goal to visit all 193 of them. They believe that there is no better way to live than to experience the foods, cultures and aesthetics that this vast world has to offer, and we couldn’t agree more. Oh, and for all you vegan travelers, they’ve got you covered with all the details on how to stick with your diet anywhere in the world. Check out all their adventures, misadventures, and amazing stories out here: Facebook, Youtube and Twitter!

Stefan and Sebastien Nomadic Boys

Stefan and Sebastien are a gay couple from London who in 2014, packed up their lives at home to travel the world. After meeting and falling in love in 2009, they created a great life together, but if you visit their blog, you’ll learn that these two are too adventurous to live the typical, ‘comfortable’ lifestyle. They wanted to do something different, and so they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. The couple now travels to exotic lands all over the globe in search of unique experiences, new cultural cuisines, romantic dates, and fellow gay friends. Check out the Nomadic Boys and all their upcoming adventures on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube!

These individuals and couples really do have wanderlust, and their adventures have inspired us to seek out our own. Take the next step and make your summer exciting by creating your own journey. Stay adventurous, and Say It With A Condom!

The post July 2017: Our Summer Travel Inspirations appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Now that Pride Month has just come to an end, we wanted to give a little shoutout to influential LGBT leaders that we have been following for the past month. Here’s a list of a few of our current favorite advocates! Don’t forget to check out their blogs/websites and social media accounts to keep up with all the great work they are doing.

Ravi Roth Ravi Round The World

Ravi is an adventurous, gay male from New York City. He has a big heart and an open mind, especially because he has dedicated his life to traveling the globe and learning about the LGBTQ culture and history in various cities and countries. Ravi gets to try new cuisines, visit important landmarks, attend cool events, and start unforgettable friendships with locals while also advocating for the LGBTQ+ community all over the world. He is living the dream, and we couldn’t be more excited to see where his next adventure takes him. Check out his Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, & Youtube!

Diana Scholl We Are the Youth

Diana is the co-founder and journalist for the photographic journalism project, We Are the Youth. This project was created in an attempt to tell the life stories of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout America. Diana’s passion for this community has allowed her to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth where they can share what they are going through with people that will respect who they are. Check out her organization here: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr! Oh, and here’s her private Twitter so you can stay up to date on all the cool things this amazing woman is up to.

Laurel Golio We Are the Youth

Laurel is the co-founder and photographer for We Are the Youth. She partnered up with Diana, her fellow Brooklyn-based childhood friend. The two have created magic together, speaking at events and shows all around the nation. Laurel’s talents have allowed her to contribute to respectable works such as The New York Times and the British Journal of Photography, along with many others, but her skills have also allowed her to be help make We Are the Youth as successful as it is. Her contributions to the LGBTQ+ youth community are critical, so check out all the great work this duo does here: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr. And for all you photography fans, make sure to visit her website here!

Shane Ortega Shane Speaking

Shane Ortega is a retired combat veteran who transitioned into his male self in 2009, while he was actively serving in the military. His transition has been a major accomplishment for the LGBT military community and he has been and will continue to be a hero for his strength. It’s a huge step in the right direction for equality. Today, Shane continues to work for various not-for-profit organizations aimed at advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. Shane Ortega is still fighting for what he believes in, and is a dedicated hero and role model for people all over the world. And this man knows how to properly balance work with fun. He’s also a competitive bodybuilder for the National Physique Committee! Check out his Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram here to see what else he’s up to.

Mike Marcotte Give Me The Mike

Mike Marcotte is an openly gay Minnesotan, and on top of his full time career working at a television station, he is very passionate about travel. This inspired him to start his travel blog, and he caters it to the LGBT community (but don’t worry, it’s just as interesting for the heterosexual folks reading it). He also loves to volunteer his time to events and galas, helping raise money for important causes. Despite Mike’s challenging childhood and young adult years, he has managed to move forward and become a leader. To learn more about his story and what he’s currently working on, check out his Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Arielle Scarcella Vlogs

Arielle is a famous Youtuber who is known for her conversations surrounding LGBT culture, sex, relationships, and just life in general. She takes a fun, casual approach to topics that can be seen as controversial or nerve wracking to talk about normally. She has all sorts of fun videos on her channel and they are not only engaging, but hilarious as well at times! We need more people like Arielle; people who aren’t afraid to speak their mind while having a blast doing it. She stands up for what she believes in and advocates for it in a way that connects with people. Check out her Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube Channel (linked above).

It’s important that people stand up for what they believe in and start important conversations to educate and engage their communities. Say It With A Condom believes that these people deserve recognition, so this is a thank you to all of you that continue to put yourselves out there everyday. Stay amazing, and Say It With A Condom!

The post June 2017: Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Leaders appeared first on Say It With A Condom.