Kristine W Headlines HIV Organization Gala Tonight

Dance anthem-generator and gay icon Kristine W is set to pop into town tonight, performing as the headliner of the Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN)'s annual Aware Affair gala, the organization's premier fall fundraising event. The event could not be better timed for TPAN, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of people living with HIV. News emerged earlier this week that three HIV/AIDS research-focused Chicago health centers' would receive a $3.75 million grant from the National Institute of Health. The grant will jump-start the city's position as an "epicenter for AIDS research" according to reports.

The news is especially promising following the release of a grim report on a new, in-depth study conducted by the city's Department of Public Health earlier this summer. The study estimated nearly 20 percent of men who have sex with (MSM) in Chicago are HIV positive - and half of them do not know it. The infection rate for black MSM (30 percent) was even more alarming in comparison to the rates for Latino and white MSM (between 11-12 percent).

Based on the numbers alone, clearly not everyone is aware of the following: HIV remains a real problem, not just for the LGBT community, but for everyone as a public health crisis. Get tested, spread the word and donate if you are so able. HIV/AIDS service providers need help more than ever in this not-so-non-profit-friendly economic environment, so if you're looking for an opportunity to look snappy plus earn plenty of feel-good points, here's your chance.

Ravenswood Event Center, Saturday, September 12, VIP at 6:30 PM, dinner at 7:30 p.m., tickets start at $150

Post By Joseph Erbentraut