I'm a university student and I am setting up an evening of awareness and fundraising for HIV/AIDS in my local community and on our college campus. What is so suprising about the college town of Iowa City is that while is has a large emphasis on medicine and health, there isn't a lot of talk about HIV/AIDS. It is my hope that I can change this. The event will take place on the National AIDS Day, Dec 1st, 2007. This night is meant to empower men and women of all ages and backgrounds and to help connect our local community in Iowa City, IA to our global family: the people of the world. A lot of people have never met someone with HIV/AIDS or think that it only happens in people in "strange" places of the world. As our world becomes more connected, it is integral to educate people that they have a direct impact on people with HIV/AIDS even if they live in a different town or country. And also that they can get it. It will also help stop stimitizing the whole topic of HIV/AIDS in general and open up people's ethocentric ideas. Money raised will benefit people with AIDS/HIV in Africa. The reason I am applying for the grant is so that we have some money to get the things we need for the event so that the money we raise from people who come to the event can go directly to people with HIV/AIDS.