Barrow resident Tammy Kinney sits in her church, White Oak Springs Baptist. She is helping to put on an event Saturday which will discuss a number of important community topics.
Local resident Tammy Kinney is working to shed light on a problem that few care to openly speak about: HIV/AIDS, particularly in rural communities like those in Barrow.
That’s one of the big issues being addressed at the Information + Transformation = Empowerment Conference from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Winder Woman’s Club.
The event is sponsored by AIDS Athens.
Nine speakers representing different groups and foundations will be present, including Kinney, who works with Rural Women in Action.
Other issues which will be addressed include domestic violence, Alzheimer’s in the black community, balancing emotions and more.
But a big focus is getting rid of the stigma of HIV/AIDS in order to make it easier for those suffering to get help, Kinney said. Her church, White Oak Springs Baptist in Winder, is helping to lead the way.
“We need to be able to be able to come into the community to talk about what affects our friends, family, community,” she said. “The church is a place where people need to go for help.”
White Oak Springs Pastor Jason Haynes said it’s important for the church, and the community, to support those who are struggling, and educate people on issues on society.
“I think people need to be educated, in the church and the community,” Haynes said. “That’s something I will support in a heartbeat, so people will have an understanding of what promiscuity, sexual impropriety can lead to.”
Source: Barrow County News | Zac Taylor
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