18 days to Liberian DED Expiration! Join LiWIM this Sunday in appealing to President Obama.

By Yeamah (yeamyah)

What began 20 years ago is due to end once and for all on March 31st, 2009. Liberian refugees who came to the United States with the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) were supposed to be deported 18 months ago. President Bush “gracefully” approved of the Deferred Enforced Departure 18 months ago, which will officially expire in 18 days: March 31st, 2009. Before leaving office, Bush did not sign on to another 18 months extension, nor did legislation that would allow Liberians on TPS/DED to become Permanent Residents pass during the last session. 

So, with 18 days left, President Obama’s signature allowing for another extension of DED is the only hope for approximately 4,000 (a conservative estimate) Liberians with this status, and frankly, the entire Liberian-American community!

LiWIM IS TAKING ACTION!

HIV & Male Circumcision: More to consider during this week of Awareness.

The article below was sent out on World AIDS Day. Also, you can listen to minneAfrican writer Yeamah on last Saturday’s African Roots Connection radioshow talking about AWAD and HIV awareness.

Circumcision Cuts HIV Infection in African Men: Are there implications for the U.S.?
By Wynfred Russell (wynfred@umn.edu)

For well over two decades, Sub-Saharan Africans have been fighting the insidious spread of HIV with everything from latex condoms and faith-based programs to an array of drug cocktails, yet the disease has continued unabated. Now, an unorthodox prevention method shows promise. Health care providers and HIV experts are putting their hopes in a mundane and low cost, but powerful weapon against new infections: male circumcision.

“Stop AIDS, keep the PROMISE.”

Image taken from www.poz.com

By Yeamah

Two VERY important anniversaries will be taking place next week, as the month of December begins: the (big) 20th commemoration of World AIDS Day and the 5th annual African World AIDS Day event.

In 1988, the World Health Organization and the U.N. General Assembly first declared December 1 as “World AIDS Day.” So, 20 years later, on 12-01-2008, will be a day of rememberence; we will be reminded that we are still living amidst a global epidemic.  An epidemic that seems to perpetually be hitting the African continent the worst.