DEBI Trainings & S. Williams

Today, I completed DEBI (Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions) training on MPowerment (www.mpowerment.org) Program at Bienestar (www.bienestar.com). What with the complex requirements of contracts LA County AIDS Service Oranizations are subject to, a serious question of fidelity raises its head. My astute college Pato pointed out that Mpowerment is not "traditional AIDS education, HIV prevention outreach, safer sex workshops or AIDS prevention public service announcements". The structure of OAPP's (Office of AIDS Programs & Policy) contract and Scope of Work is pretty "traditional". With this apparent contradiction, local HIV/AIDS organzations are challenged to navigate fulfilling both their contracts to maintain funding & good standing and the Mpowerment Project's structure to (purportedly) ensure the effectiveness of their Interventions with Gay & Bi youth.

Facilitators of the training were at a loss fielding questions by attendees of the training & indeed admitted the unique challenge that LA County/OAPP presents. Ultimately, it will be the agency's responsibility to talior the highly modified Mpowerment structure to its needs & hope to decrease rates of unsafe/unprotected sex among this population.

SERENA WILLIAMS suffers 'worst loss' in Rome.

Tennis marvel Serena Willams lost in the 1st round of the Rome Masters.



The Rome Masters, a tuneup to the French Open, represented Serena's worst lost ever.
Serena had this to offer: "I think everyone in their career has their worst loss and this is probably it for me - for sure.
"And the last. It won't be happening again."

This further fuels the 'on fire' comeback of Justine Henin-Hardenne who has won her past 3 torunaments & partically - due to the Williams sisters lackluster play and the recent injury of Kim Clisters - makes her the favorite to win the French.