GET DOWN: New HIV/AIDS PSA and movement targets at risk youth

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GET DOWN HIV/AIDS PSA from KimJFord on Vimeo.

GET DOWN is an HIV/AIDS awareness PSA campaign which tackles the topic of safe sex among teens who are experimenting with multiple sexual partners. Not just a PSA, it’s a movement!

– Produced, Written & Directed by Kim J. Ford

NEW YORK, April 28, 2010 – Lionqueen 192 Productions, Inc. and Bleu Life Media today announced the release of the GET DOWN public service announcement and accompanying HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. GET DOWN, written, produced and directed by Kim J. Ford (Lionqueen 192 Productions, Inc.), is an edgy new HIV/AIDS PSA that candidly portrays sexually active youth of various sexual identities who are experimenting with multiple sexual partners and the consequences they deal with as a result. The PSA also features celebrities Dawn Richard (of Dirty Money and formerly of Danity Kane/MTV’s Making The Band), Demarco Majors (formerly LOGO’s Shirts & Skins), and Siri Music artist Stefani Vara, who lent their time and voices to the project.

After leaving a corporate marketing job in March 2008, Ford was inspired by the writing of her then 16-year old god-daughter, Chantel Reid, whose sex- and HIV/AIDS-focused blog entry, “Coming Out” (http://www.teendiariesonline.com/blog/?p=452), encouraged her to step out of the comfort zone and do something. “After doing some research on the statistics of HIV/AIDS and sexual behaviors among young people, I had to get involved,” said Ford. “Having spent more than 16 years marketing to the youth consumer at both VIBE Magazine and a leading experiential marketing agency, I just felt it was my turn to give back,” she concluded.

The statistics are startling from various health organizations. According to the most recent Center for Disease Control (CDC) report, released in 2009, as of 2007 African Americans accounted for the majority of the estimated number of AIDS diagnoses made during 2007. As of 2006, the American Social Health Association (ASHA) reported that one in two sexually active persons will contract an STD/STI by the age of 25, and one in four teens will contract an STD/STI. In fact, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavioral Survey 1991-2007 states that 47% of high school students have had sexual intercourse and among Hispanic and African American (“Black”) youth those statistics are even higher at 52% and 66.5% respectively. As of the 2005 report, of those surveyed, 6.2% have had their first sexual intercourse experience before age 13, and while 89.5% have been taught about AIDS and HIV infection in school, only 61.5% are using condoms.

As a producer, writer and marketing veteran, Ford put her skill set to use and tapped entertainment industry friends, media mogul De’Von Christopher (President & CEO of Bleu Life Media and publisher of Bleu Magazine) and emerging screenwriter Richard “Rick” Cummings, to co-produced and co-wrote respectively, to work with her on the project. “It’s really important for youth to continue to have a voice about something as critical as HIV/AIDS – especially within their communities,” said Christopher. “As a generous contributor to a number of philanthropic organizations, I felt that partnering with Kim Ford on this project was another way to give back to the next generation of leaders,” he concluded. Emerging director of photography Tolu Omisore, camera operator Anthony Harris, and editors Omar Williams (“Black Wheels”, “Rainbow On The Green”, “Weekend VIBE”) and Amanda White rounded out the core team.

Behind the scenes and in front of the camera teens and young adults were involved in various aspects of the production, from story to casting and on-set production. “I wanted to make sure this was not just another ‘adults talking to young people’ public service announcement,” commented Ford. “This is a grassroots movement and young people were involved from the beginning,” she stated.

GET DOWN is partnered with FACES NY, a New York-based non-profit (formerly the Minority Task Force on Aids) that is celebrating its 25th year in the fight against HIV/AIDS and providing care to the community. “It has been an honor to work on the GET DOWN campaign with such a dedicated person as Kim Ford”, says Violet Tabor, Executive Director of FACES NY. “FACES NY is committed to providing safer-sex education within a framework of addressing the health concerns that impact our urban youth of today.” FACES NY will serve as the “clearing house” in the New York City area to refer and provide answers about testing and counseling from teens, young adult and families in need. Outside of New York City, there will be a list of testing and counseling centers and help lines by state listed on the project’s MySpace page and blog where visitors can type in their zip code and find out the closest help centers in their area.

To kick off the 25th year partnership, a contingent from the GET DOWN project will walk with the FACES NY team in New York’s AIDS Walk on May 16, 2010. To find out more about how to support the FACESNY/GET DOWN team, check out GET DOWN blog, getdownpsa.blogspot.com, and Facebook page, facebook.com/getdownpsa.

About Lionqueen 192 Productions/Kim J. Ford

Ford is President & CEO of Lionqueen 192 Productions, Inc. a boutique multi-media content development firm. She is formerly the Associate Director, Multicultural Marketing at Coactive Marketing Group (US Concepts/Urban Concepts Agency), where she primarily focused on driving Experiential Marketing and Branded Entertainment. Prior to US Concepts, Ford spent ten years at Quincy Jones’ VIBE Magazine (1994-2004), including four generating non-traditional revenue by developing multi-faceted marketing programs for advertisers. She honed her skills as a producer by creating various corporate videos for clients that included Tanqueray Gin, Baileys Irish Cream, Urban Concepts, VIBE Magazine, Miller Beer, Remy Amerique, Starter Apparel, Russell Simmons’ Phat Fashions LLC, Motorola, Seagram’s Smooth and Moet Hennessy USA (formerly Schieffelin & Somerset). As a writer, Ford has contributed to The AVE Magazine, Urbanworld Wireless (www.urbanworldwireless.com), E Mix Show Magazine, VIBE, Trace, The Industry Cosign (www.theindustrycosign.com) and VIBE magazine’s web site (www.vibe.com). In addition to producing, her latest venture includes a full-service marketing agency launching 2010.

About Bleu Life Media/De’Von Christopher

De’Von Christopher is the President and CEO of Bleu Life Media and publisher of Bleu Magazine, a quarterly publication that celebrates the urban man and his experiences. In 2000, the Queens, New York native landed a Marketing Assistant position at Def Jam Records and later moved on to Warner Music Group’s, Asylum Records as a Product Manager. During his tenure at the label in its infancy, De’Von recognized his worth and decided to embark on his own mission. In 2006 he set out to make Bleu Magazine the premiere urban magazine catering to all men whether gay or straight. De’Von is a humanitarian as well as an entrepreneur. He donates regularly to organizations, such as The Apollo Theater Foundation, The Schomburg Center for Research, The Studio Museum, and the New York Historical Society. De’Von Christopher is a graduate from Seton Hall University with a BA in Communications. He is an Eagle Scout and member of the Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity. Currently he is also the co-owner of the only Atomic Wings in Harlem.

About FACES NY

FACES NY is a community-based non-profit organization that provides HIV/AIDS education and outreach, legal advocacy and representation, case management, substance abuse services and referral, food and nutrition programs, GED preparation, recreational activities and supportive housing to people living with HIV and AIDS and their families. www.facesny.org

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