Rice Students Donate to Legacy’s Positive Organizing Project

By Venita Ray, Public Policy Manager

Several months ago, Rice University students got in touch with Legacy’s Positive Organizing Project (POP+) about how to get involved in HIV advocacy. The students were part of Alternative Spring Break trips sponsored by the Rice Center for Civic Leadership. The program brings together a group of students to study a social issue in –depth, including practical experience in the Houston community with experts in the field.  This year’s class chose to tackle how stigma affects a person living with a disease.

Over the weekend, POP+ met with the students at Legacy to discuss HIV and the stigma associated with it – either by itself or in conjunction with being LGBT, a person of color, in poverty or wrestling with substance use. POP+ members spoke to the class about their personal stories, the HIV epidemic in Houston, stigma and the types of advocacy work being done. The students were so impressed by the work being done by POP+ advocates, they donated $300 to the program. We thank this great group of students.

Click here to learn more about Ending the HIV Epidemic in Houston