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impacts the entire community as well as the LGBT community, and the changes that are necessary. COMPASS Cares is a welcoming space for everyone, not just for HIV care. We are a health innovation center where patients and the community can come together. Our focus is education, research and community partnerships with an emphasis on sexual health and well- being, including health disparities for LGBT, and on increasing virial suppression rates. DEMARCUS BECKHAM: To help people understand that sex is natural. It's how we're here. I'm not steering away from abstinence-based education. It's integral to our cause, but it's not the only way. When I speak to groups, I say, "Sexual activity is about safety and consent. You have one self, one body and complete control to say no to a sexual experience if you feel unsafe. Don't let anyone make you feel badly about it." HAROLD KATNER: My philosophy has always been education based. The HIV/ AIDS presentation I gave in Georgia and internationally for more than 25 years was based on consequences. How can someone make an informed decision about their behavior if they don't know the consequences? WHEN HEARING YOUR PRESENTATION IN THE '90S, I REMEMBER BEING TAKEN ABACK BY YOUR ASSERTION THAT SEX EDUCATION MUST BE INTRODUCED BEFORE KIDS BECAME SEXUAL. DO YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT? DR. HAROLD KATNER: Yes. In the '90s, I did those talks for kids in fifth and sixth grade in Houston County, but the bulk of the presentations were for eighth graders. It was a challenging talk and their questions were very honest. Although none were sexually active, a few had been molested. My goal wasn't to scare kids, but to educate them so they wouldn't suffer the effects. In trying to make the presentation understandable and relevant, I tried to convey the impact that cases had on me, like a woman dying of AIDS while holding her baby. Cases like that still affect me and I think I hit the nail on the head because people still stop me and ask if I'm the Dr. Katner who gave "that talk" at their middle or high school. It might have been 10 or 20 years ago, but I'm amazed at how many people remember my presentation and slide show. WHO ARE YOUR PARTNERS AND/OR ALLIES IN YOUR WORK IN MIDDLE GEORGIA'S HIV/AIDS SPACE? DALE WRIGLEY: Reach to Impact, formerly the Middle Georgia AIDS Network, which now has a much broader scope. We have a strong partnership with Fort Valley State University (FVSU) because black men and college-age students have the most new infections. It's no different here than in Atlanta. FVSU has a program called Pride Navigator, a five-year project focusing on prevention and care, housed in our pharmacy. The grant covers both Peach and Bibb counties. We've contracted with Mercer Medicine for more than 30 years with Dr. Katner serving as medical director. Last fall, we partnered with Mercer on a three-year research grant for rapid 84 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021