Baltimore, MD--For the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day, local artists will paint Baltimore red on Saturday, December 1st as they showcase their artwork highlighting the AIDS epidemic impacting communities.

Organized by Authentic Art Consulting and the ThickArt Collaborative, the opening ceremony will be held at Peace and a Cup of Joe Cafe at 713 W. Pratt Street starting from 3-7pm.

Just this week, DC Department of Health released its first report on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the DC region. The DC Dept of Health provides a listing of events and free HIV testing and treatment services.

"With a passion to bring awareness and action on public health issues, I founded a DC-based nonprofit, Creative Cause, to develop creative campaigns for change to engage the community to become a part of a movement," stated Tambra Stevenson, artist and founder of Creative Cause.

So for HIV/AIDS awareness, the campaign is called Plant HOPE, which stands for HIV Outreach is a Pathway to Empowerment.

At the event, Creative Cause will have materials for visitors to make their own artistic postcards of hope in memory of a loved one to become a part of Plant HOPE.

"Initially when I created Plant HOPE it began with the focus of planting hope in ourselves and then in the community," said Stevenson. "So to me, hope has many meanings such as helping other people everyday. I dedicated Plant HOPE to my dad who was a humanitarian and always helping people as a firefighter."

Stevenson, a self-proclaimed suppressed artist now emerging, has recognized for her artwork highlighting health and environmental issues since a teen in Oklahoma. She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine/Emerson College joint program in Health Communication program and is the creator of Postcards from Katrina.

Support and learn more about Creative Cause at www.creativecause.org and Plant HOPE at www.planthope.org. Email questions and comments to info@creativecause.org.

THE EXHIBIT: RED
Artists Lifting One Voice in One Common Thread
December 1, 2007 - January 11, 2008

RED is a visual exhibition of original artwork expressing the hopes, fears, experiences dreams about the struggle with HIV/AIDS epidemic in this country and around the world. A portion of the sales of artwork for this event will be donated to CARE' s I AM POWERFUL Campaign's HIV/AIDS Program and the Art Therapy program at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The exhibition will feature art from over 20 local artists who were invited to visually express through original artwork their hopes, fears, experiences and dreams about the struggle with HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States and around the world. All artwork is available for sale. Patients in the Art Therapy program at the Institute of Human Virology have been invited to display their art as well

The opening reception will also feature an opportunity for guests to make their own postcards to express their thoughts, hopes, dreams about HIV/AIDS or to honor a loved one who may have died from AIDS, courtesy of Creative Cause, a DC-based organization that creates campaigns for causes that change communities for good.

Participating Artists include:

Lola Akinmade
Prudence Bonds
Sharon J. Burton
Kiesha Carroll
Patsy Cline
Cynthia Johnson
Ebony Johnson
Jennifer Judelsohn
Tina Lassiter
Paul Longanbach
Michelle d. Parrish
Marina Reiter
Aurora Rosselli
Michael Stebbins
Luba Sterlikova
Nora Stinley
Schonda Sweeney
Tanekeya Word

Creative Cause recognized to local emerging leaders in public health, Maranda Ward, MPH and Maceo Thomas, MPH for their HIV/AIDS community outreach in Washington, DC during the 135th American Public Health Association annual meeting. Formerly a HRSA Scholar, Ward received her public health training from Tulane University while Thomas is alumnus of UNC-Chapel Hill. Both work at the National Children's Medical Center. Ward, a good representative of Generation Y, has spoken internationally and locally on hip hop ad sexual health. Thomas has been organizing local nonprofit happy hours at a popular venue, JoJo's Restaurant, off U Street NW. Stop by this Tuesday to check it out.

Held at the headquarters of Africare, the networking reception among the two 'causecreators' were recognized among a packed-room filled with peers through the United States and Caribbean. "We look forward to recognizing more "causecreators" who are leading change through their creativity to make a positive impact in our communities," said Tambra Stevenson, MS, founder of Creative Cause and a APHA governing councilmember. "Young public health professionals aren't recognized to the extent they should to encourage the continuation of their service to the public, which is vitally important." The reception was also supported by the Black Young Public Health Professionals Network.

The March on AIDS kicked off the theme on HIV outreach this past Saturday. Close to 100 people including DC Councilmember Marion Barry came out to Washington Highlands Library to voice their concerns about the root causes to the rise of HIV/AIDS in the Washington, DC such as lack of equal opportunity for jobs, training, and housing. Several community members from RAP, area college students and Greek-lettered organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority came to support the issues. Read more at http://www.fighthivindc.org.