Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter and Senator Negrete McLeod in conjunction with the City of Rialto have joined forces for an HIV/AIDS Leadership Forum to arm community leaders and elected officials with resources to deal with this growing health crisis.

Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod

Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter

The forum will be Saturday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Rialto Senior Center, 1411 S. Riverside Avenue, Rialto.

Kurt Wilson, representing San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris, will moderate a panel of experts to discuss the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. Participants will be provided information on what to do and where to go if a member of their constituency, congregation or organization comes to them for help.

Jacqueline Sheffield will give the real life experience of a woman living with AIDS, Joseph Terrill and Deya Smith-Starks, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, will discuss legislation dealing with HIV/AIDS.

Other panelists include Dr. Becky Nanyonjo, DrPH; Marshare Penny, MPH with San Bernardino County Department of Public Health; Kathaleen Collins, Planned Parenthood Health Education; Rev. Dr. Robert Fairley, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church; Deborah Morales, with Beinestar Health Services; Patricia Green-Lee, executive director of Brothers and Sisters in Action (BASIA); and Faith Bolton, First Chance Youth Community Health Outreach Workers (Y-CHOW).

For more information on the HIV/AIDS forum, call (909) 820-5008 or (909) 381-3832.