Bruce Smail Consulting

The latest Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) HIV Surveillance Report 2009 provides a great resource for understanding the current status HIV/AIDS in the United States. It is important to understand the following key statistics as well as the incidence and prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS in various cities, states, and territories. HIV/AIDS is impacting several communities and … Continue reading »

  Please Note – This is a personal story with frank discussions about HIV/AIDS. Personal stories are opportunities to experience first-hand accounts of real-life situations. It is a gift and many times we see ourselves in these accounts.     “I Have Some Good News and Some Bad News” It’s February 10, 2003, and I … Continue reading »

Sunday marks the 10th Anniversary of the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD). “HIV/AIDS Prevention – A Choice and a Lifestyle!” speaks to individual and community responsibility in preventing HIV. What will you do to prevent HIV? Have you been tested lately? Do you know your status? Are you familiar with safer sex strategies? How … Continue reading »

It was interesting watching the Senate hearings on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Military Policy. A policy that forces lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) military personnel into silence. Even though the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense indicated that it is time to repeal the discriminatory practice in the military; … Continue reading »

With the emergence of President Barak Obama in 2009, the issue of health care has been at the forefront of his administration. There is a divide in our country about health care. Is this a battle of the haves and the have nots? The poor, unemployed, small business owners and others who don’t have health care … Continue reading »

See President Obama at NAACP 100th Anniversary Speech Take a moment and visit the MSNBC link above of President Barak Obama’s speech to the NAACP 100th Anniversary. I think this is just another example of how having diversity in key new positions provides opportunities for new perspectives. Could any other President make this speech? Of … Continue reading »

It is amazing to watch the dialogue over the “wise Latina” comment of Judge Sotomayor. I continue to ask myself what is wrong with her statement and is it racism or “reverse” racism. To understand this issue, we must begin by explaining the difference between racism and prejudice. With any of the isms (racism, sexism, … Continue reading »

Jaheem Herrera Story Joseph Walker-Hover Story                   In the last 24 hours, our local news presented a story about Jaheem Herrera and on the Ellen Show this afternoon, she had the mother of Joseph Walker-Hoover. Jaheem (Atlanta, GA)and Joseph (Springfield, MA) both committed suicide due to ongoing bullying and name … Continue reading »

Let’s see, hmmm — are you DL (downlow), MSM (men who have sex with men), Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, Same Gender Loving, Straight, Asexual, Queer??? The alphabet soup continues. In helping people to understand sexual identity we need to talk about about three concepts  — sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and sexual identity — which are oftentimes … Continue reading »

Click on Hyperlink for:  Attorney General Eric Holder’s Black History Month Speech at the Justice Department In a speech earlier this week, Attorney General Eric Holder characterized the United States as “a nation of cowards.” The media coverage had a wide range of emotions around this issue. As a professional who has worked in the … Continue reading »