Metro TeenAIDS youth and staff are not intimidated by the February cold. No, indeed, they are energizing the community with a series of creative, health-advocating, community-unifying activities.

Dust off your dancing shoes, sharpen your literary pencil and create a piece to share and celebrate health. Here’s a sampling of our creative community outreach events:

February 1, 2014 — Hyper Bole at George Mason University, a regional youth poetry festival from 6–9pm. MTA is supporting a regional youth poetry slam featuring teams and individuals from Maryland, DC and Virginia for an evening of poetry, socializing and being inspired. The event features dozens of teams and performers sharing their creative work. MTA will have youth performers and provide healthy information and resources for healthy living.

February 5, 2014 — For the Love of You is the Annual Youth talent show and arts showcase in commemoration of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and Valentines Day. The event will take place at the Anacostia Library 1800 Good Hope Road SE from 5–8pm. LeeAngelo “Lo” Henson, an MTA Youth and Urban Allies alumni and emerging community leader will serve as the host and emcee of the event.

MTA is always honored to partner with community and city partners to create a space for youth to share their talent. Thanks to the Anacostia Library (and all DC Libraries). In addition, Will Rap 4 Food and the DC Youth Poetry Slam Teams will be there. These two groups, in addition to MTA youth, are re-defining spoken work and speaking about social justice issues.

For the Love of You, during the coldest time of the year is designed around love: self-love, love of others and love of your community. Our youth are always looking for opportunities to support each other and their community. This work continues to inspire me everyday.

— Dwayne Lawson Brown, Community Outreach Coordinator

The event will feature HIV and STI testing, a selection of healthy foods and chances to win date packages including movie dinner gift certificates, movie passes and metro cards!

February 15, 2014 — Passion Over Poverty: Domestic Violence Wears Many Tags. This talent showcase features youth from 7-24 years old and will raise awareness around the many faces and looks of domestic violence. As the title suggests, domestic violence can wear any outfit, any brand, any style. The event will take place at the Solomon Brown Community Center in the Salvation Army at 2300 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE. We are especially pleased to see opportunities for children who also have so much to say and share, creatively.

For more information about any of these events, contact Raul Posas.