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Our last day in Mexico was certainly star studded!! The day began with an interview with Annie Lennox.  She is such an inspiring person fighting on behalf of women and children.  Annie is an ambassador for OxFam, and really knows her stuff!  This isn't something she does because it makes her look good - this is something she does because she is a true activist.  I really think that if she were not a famous singer/songwriter, she would still be a famous activist.

After meeting Annie, I went to hear Bill Clinton address co...

Something important just happened - and you need to know about it.

This weekend, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) released the results of a study on HIV.  All of the people who do HIV prevention or treatment work everyday had been waiting on pins and needles to hear the results of this really important study.

So why was it so important?  This new study is an estimate (but a very scientific one!) about the number of new incidences of HIV in the United States.  This is different from the number of positive tests; it is virtually impossible to know all new infections because some people think they are not at risk so they do not get tested, some people are too scared to be tested, and so on.

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Today was incredible, and it's not over yet!  We started out back at the pre-conference, where we saw a performance by Dance4Life.  This is an international group that inspires, mobilizes, and unites young people to push back against AIDS.  They started in three countries, and are now present in more than twenty countries around the world.  Using satellites, groups can dance together live from all different corners of the globe.  Check out the video, because the dance is awesome!

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So far, Mexico City is awesome!  If you watched the video about the first day, you know that I met people from all over the world.  These people are young activists working everyday to lessen the stigma against HIV in their country, to advocate for medication, and encouraging people to know their status.

Today we visited a health center that does HIV testing and other health care for young people in Mexico City.  It was really neat to see a facility that is so different from what we see in the US, and yet so similar at the same time.  This clinic is focused on young people specifically; all of the rooms, waiting areas, posters, etc. are geared toward young people.  All of the staff is young too, so young people feel extra comfortable coming to the clinic.

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We have arrived safe and sound in Mexico City without too much trouble! The MTV staff here is great... they have so many neat ideas about how we will bring this experience back to everyone at home. 

I am really looking forward to tomorrow - in the morning we´re going to hear from international activists who are doing HIV prevention work in their own countries.  The coolest part? All of these people are our age!  What a reminder that we don´t need to wait to start making change happen.

Stay tuned for updates from tomorrow.  It might even include some video footage!

 Reporting From The 2008 International AIDS Conference

Think MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation have selected me to cover the 2008 International AIDS Youth Summit and Conference in Mexico City and I could not be more honored. From July 31st through August 4th, I will be bringing you daily reports from the 2008 International AIDS Conference in  Mexico City.

This event is one of the most important events of this year, and it is crucial that we, as young Americans, be aware of the issue of HIV/AIDS and its relevance to our daily lives. 

HIV has touched my life personally...