Some of the most important research presented at last year’s annual Poz Seminar Day suggested that there is a change in the air.

The introduction of several new ways of treating HIV, including entirely new classes of drugs, like entry inhibitors and integrase inhibitors, has allowed people living with HIV and the medical professionals who treat them with a robust and diverse pipeline of treatment options.

Empowering those who are HIV-positive to take advantage of such options – 27 years since the discovery of HIV/AIDS – is the basis for the theme of the 2008 Poz Day, which takes place on Friday, June 20, at The San Diego LGBT Community Center.

“It is exciting to be able to bring together providers and community members for this one-day educational event” said Rick Braatz, Positive Action Coordinator for The Center. “Poz Day gives HIV-positive San Diegans a chance to connect with other positive individuals, which is invaluable because it reduces the feeling that you are all alone.” The theme of this year’s event is “Empowerment.”

While statistics show that HIV prevention programs are working, there’s a new trend nationally to make the focus of the programs wider and more comprehensive. In San Diego, for instance, the county-funded program called Positive Action, which puts on the annual Poz Day, not only educates positives about condom use, it also provides support in individual and group settings, designs and promotes social marketing and education events, and conducts outreach.

Dana Toppel, a licensed clinical social worker and assistant director of programs at The Center, said the major focus of this year’s event will be to empower HIV-positive San Diegans by providing workshops, panels and resources that provide education and promote access to resources.

“Workshops and panel discussions will cover a variety of important topics, including accessing essential resources, stress reduction, medications, sexual health and disclosure,” Toppel said. “The panels will provide honest discussion with a diverse group of HIV-positive community members.”

More than 20 community agencies, community clinics and pharmacies will participate in a resource fair at the event, providing information for those newly diagnosed, as well those who have been living with HIV for years, the organizers said.

The Poz Day Planning Committee, a group of community members, met weekly to create the one-day educational event.

“Poz Day would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the Poz Day planning board,” said Braatz. “I was continually impressed with the knowledge of this group.”

The event will focus not only on the HIV-positive GLBT community, but also the HIV-positive African American Asian Pacific Islander Latino/a communities.

All attendees will have the opportunity to interact and learn from each other, while taking part in educational workshops and holistic services, and find out more about the services and resources available to them in San Diego.

“We’re trying to promote the physical health of people living with HIV/AIDS, but also the mental and emotional health,” said a health educator from Family Health Centers of San Diego, who will be on hand for the event. “We know that a person doesn’t make a decision to do a risky behavior or a less risky behavior based on whether or not they know what a condom is or how to use a condom. Several factors play into a persons risk behaviors, including feelings of isolation and loneliness, the influence of drugs and alcohol, as well as reservations one may have about disclosing their status.”

Poz Day organizers, said however, while some may still have such reservations about disclosing their status they hope to help eliminate such barriers through the empowering message of the day.

“Reservations at the event or for the event are not necessary. It is only important to be there to learn the latest in positive education surrounding HIV/AIDS,” Braatz said.

Poz Day kicks off at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 20, at The Center and closes with an entertainment drag show by performers from Lips San Diego at 6 p.m. The event is free and lunch will be served.

For more information, contact Rick Braatz at 619-692-2077 or e-mail rbraatz@thecentersd.org.