[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 3 (Friday, January 7, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E39]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE ACTIVISM OF MS. YOLANDA DE VENANZI IN RAISING HIV/AIDS 
                        AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 7, 2011

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ms. 
Yolanda De Venanzi and her efforts to raise HIV/AIDS awareness and 
education within the Hispanic community in South Florida.
  Yolanda De Venanzi is an outreach worker with the Comprehensive AIDS 
Program of Palm Beach County, working within the Hispanic community to 
help promote HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, and prevention. Among her 
many activities, she organizes discussion groups and distributes 
literature throughout the County. Her efforts indeed reach far and 
wide, including barbershops, the El Sol migrant labor center in 
Jupiter, and the Caridad Center in Boynton Beach, which provides health 
services to Hispanic farm workers.
  Furthermore, Yolanda also trains volunteers to spread information 
about HIV/AIDS prevention. One of her ideas that has proven extremely 
successful is recruiting drivers who work for the Golden Cab Company to 
distribute packets containing condoms and brochures about the disease. 
As with all volunteers, they are trained to discuss and promote 
behavior that helps prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. This creative 
approach is truly a stroke of genius.
  A native of Venezuela, Yolanda has had a varied career, working as a 
psychology teacher and a mental health counselor. This experience has 
no doubt benefitted her in her work with the Comprehensive AIDS 
Program. In addition, she still teaches online classes in stress 
reduction and coping for Empire State College.
  Mr. Speaker, Ms. De Venanzi's compassion, concern, devotion, and 
brilliance are to be lauded. Moreover, her efforts represent the kind 
of community activism that is key to addressing the serious public 
health challenge that is HIV/AIDS.

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