The ONE Campaign has started a petition in attempt to make sure the fight against extreme poverty is an important part of the platforms of both the Democratic and Republican parties when they are unveiled at their respective conventions later this month and early next month.

The petition reads as follows:

As a proud American, I urge you to make ending extreme poverty and global disease in the developing world a core part of your 2008 platform by including commitments to:

• Fight AIDS, TB and malaria and improve basic health services, particularly for mothers and young children


• Ensure access to clean water, basic sanitation and sufficient food supplies


• Spur economic growth through equitable trade and investment policies


• Modernize and increase development assistance, focusing on partnership, transparency and accountability Achieve universal primary education

You can get involved and sign the petition by going here and filling out the form on the right.

ht: the ONE blog

Labels: activism, africa, aids, injustice, water

Yesterday, May 7, 2008, was the 7th World AIDS Orphans Day.

World AIDS Orphans Day is a grassroots campaign to draw attention to and advocate on behalf of the over 15 million children orphaned by AIDS, founded by FXB International and supported by a network of partners.

At Visio Dei we have partnered up with the Africa Hope Center to try to do our part to help a handful of AIDS orphans in Kenya.

What are you doing to care for orphans?

Labels: activism, aids, orphans

Saturday was the big day. It was the day of the 2008 AIDS Walk+Ride. The walk and ride is an annual fundraising event for the Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolinas and ten other organizations that serve the HIV/AIDS community.

This year the Visio Dei team rocked it. We had eight people show up for the ride. Five people did the 30 mile ride, one guy did about 60 miles before his legs cramped up, and Scott and I did the entire 100 mile ride. We had about 25 people come out to do the walk, some of which had already participated in the ride earlier in the day. All of our walkers took part in the three mile walk, even Joye who was walking with a boot on her foot.

Our team not only rocked it in participation, we also brought the cha-ching. We came in third in overall team fundraising. We only trailed to the Alliance team1 and the St. John's MCC team2. Those two teams are traditionally the front runners in fundraising. We had set a goal of raising $5,000 and when it is all said and done, we will have raised just over $6,000. Next year, we aim to take out the big dogs and raise the most money out of any team.

For me, it was a very long day. The 100 mile ride took us about nine and half hours to complete. We were on the bike for seven hours and forty-two minutes of that time. The remainder of the time was spent at the seven rest stops, where we refueled with snacks, refilled water bottles and stretched.

It was a great time. I look forward to doing it again next year. Go ahead and mark your calendars for the first Saturday in May 2009 and start training for that 100 mile ride.

1. back The team from the organizing organization.


2. back The MCC is a primary outreach to the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender community.

Labels: activism, aids, sports

This Sunday, you have another chance to put your mouth and stomach to work for the AAS-C. This Sunday, March 9, the Moe’s at Cameron Village will be hosting a fundraiser for the AAS-C and the AIDS WALK+RIDE. Between noon and 3PM, if you present the flyer below at the register, 10% of your purchase will be donated.

If you can't make it out for lunch, you can still donate to the AIDS Walk+Ride by going here and making a donation to help me reach my goal of raising $1,000. Thus far, I have raised 16.5% of my goal. Every $10 gets me 1% closer. I need your help. Please consider donating.

NOTE: Click on the image to open it in another window for easier printing.

Labels: activism, aids, food

Tonight, Kim and I went out for dinner at NoFo with a few friends1. This was not your run of the mill Tuesday night on the town for the Smith family. Tonight, NoFo was donating a percentage of their sales to the Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolinas, i.e. AAS-C or "the Alliance".

The Alliance is a local organization that serves people living with HIV/AIDS in the Triangle. Our home group and Visio Dei as a whole have been working with the Alliance for a little over a year now. We provide volunteers that serve in practical ways. We've moved furniture, painted, and hung shelves, among other things. Going out to eat tonight was just another thing we could do to help them out.

They have a few events coming up that I'd like to invite you all to take part in.

The first is on Saturday, March 8, when the Alliance will be hosting their latest installment of Drag Bingo. No. You don't have to dress in drag to come. Though I'm sure they would let you in if you did. The event is hosted by Mary K-Mart and the BVDs. If you follow their links, I'm sure you will be able to figure out where the event gets its name. We plan to attend on March 8. You should come with.

The second event that is coming up is the 2008 AIDS Walk+Ride on Saturday, May 3. I've mentioned it before, and I'll probably mention it again. I'm still looking for people to sign up to walk and ride on our team. We are up to 17 people, but I'm a little disappointed that they are all connected to our home group. It's free to sign up to walk. So, even if it turns out that you can't make it, you haven't lost anything by signing up.

If you know you can't make it to walk or ride, e.g. you live on the other side of the country or planet, you can always participate by donating your hard earned money. I've set a lofty personal goal of raising $1,000. Last year I raised just over $700. So far, I've met 3% of my goal. So, needless to say, I need your help. Help a brotha out. Please consider donating. Every $10 bumps me up 1%.

1. back The Smiths, Bernie, and Jenny

Labels: activism, aids, food

Registration is now open for the 2008 AIDS Walk+Ride. Last year we had about 25 people participate and we raised just over $3,000. This year we have set our sights higher. I want to get 50 people to sign up and raise at least $5,000.

Here are a few details...
Date: May 3, 2007
Time: Ride-7:30AM, Walk-4:00PM
Location: NC Capitol, Down Town Raleigh
Fees: Walk-Free, Ride-$20 ($45 after April 1)

So, go sign up and join team visio dei. You can sign up for the ride (30, 60, or 101.5 miles) or the walk (1 or 3 miles). I plan to do both. Kim and Palmer will be doing the walk with me.

Even if you can't be here to participate, please consider supporting us. You can donate to me, Kim, Palmer, or make a donation to the visio dei team.

Labels: activism, aids