The San Francisco AIDS Foundation will host a forum, "Exploring What's Positive in Gay Men's Health" on Tuesday, July 10 at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. Focusing on gay men's health beyond HIV and AIDS, the forum will assess community resources and examine much-needed strategies for improving gay men's health overall.

"In San Francisco, HIV has disproportionately affected gay men's lives and gay men's conversation for more than 25 years," said Mark Cloutier, Executive Director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. "But our health transcends the important advances we've made together against HIV and it demands our full attention and our resources."

As the initial forum in the Foundation's HIVision series, "Exploring What's Positive in Gay Men's Health" will bring together experts in clinical care, behavioral and social research with community leaders to begin the dialogue that has always been a part of local community organizing. Panelists include Dr. Rafael Diaz from San Francisco State University; Steve Gibson, Director of Magnet; Dr. Ron Stall from the University of Pittsburgh; Dr. Steven Tierney from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Dr. John Williams from the University of California, Los Angeles. The Foundation's Dr. Judith Auerbach will moderate.

According to Steven Tierney, the Foundation's Deputy Executive Director for Programs and Services, health begins with the creation of a community. "One of the best things we could do is empower and engage men in the community. People who feel involved in a community where they feel connected and cared for, tend to take better care of their health."

The forum begins at 4:00 p.m. Following the opening panel, the floor will be open for discussion. A reception will follow.

HIVision is a forum series bringing research and evidence to bear on timely policy and program issues, providing a safe venue to engage community discussion on potentially controversial topics. For more information, please visit www.sfaf.org/hivision