Submitted on: October 28, 1993
               
Leaders discuss AIDS crisis in the Hispanic community

By CYNTHIA LITTLETON
   LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Hispanic community leaders held a forum Wednesday to 
discuss culturally sensitive methods emphasizing education and prevention to 
stem the rising tide of AIDS among Los Angeles County's Hispanic population.
   One out of every three people with AIDS in Los Angeles County is Hispanic, 
state senator Art Torres, D-Los Angeles, said in his opening remarks at the Los 
Angeles County Intergovernmental Hearing on HIV/AIDS in the Latino Community.
   Hispanics constitute the fastest growing segment of newly diagnosed AIDS 
cases, with a 95 percent increase among Hispanic males reported over the last 
year.
   "Without a proper Latino/Latina strategy in place, we have every reason to 
believe these numbers will increase," Torres said.
   Myths about the disease and its victims permeates the community, forum 
participants agreed.
   In addition to addressing cultural and religious barriers to safe-sex 
preventative measures, a network of low-cost clinics for AIDS victims needs to 
be established in East Los Angeles and other largely Hispanic areas of the 
county, forum participants said.
   "It's time for us to develop a consensus on strategy. A strategy that comes 
from the community will bring long-lasting benefits to that community," said 
state Assemblyman Richard Polanco, D-Los Angeles.
   Forum participants heard testimony about the difficulties of living with 
AIDS from HIV positive Hispanics, such as Carmen, an undocumented worker with 
four children whose husband died of AIDS last year. 
   HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
   Also attending the forum were representatives from the county Board of 
Supervisors, the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Mayor Richard Riordan's 
newly formed human relations commission, health care workers from local 
hospitals, clinics and the Los Angeles Unified School District.