Thanks for AIDS Articles
Congratulations to The Times for its excellent articles on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in the migrant farm worker community (June 16).
The United Farm Workers union here in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has been actively educating our members about the AIDS crisis for the last three years. In the process, we have fought to overcome our own reticence as union leaders to discuss sexual practices and other formerly taboo topics in public, going to the point of actually making such items as proper use of condoms and hypodermic needles into major agenda items at union meetings.
The farm worker community presents special challenges in the fight against AIDS, including cultural practices, low literacy levels and, of course, poverty and lack of medical insurance. Community workers such as Yolanda Vargas are unselfishly helping the farm workers’ community, and are owed thanks by the entire community.
The UFW is translating The Times’ articles into Spanish for distribution to our members.
KARL LAWSON
Oxnard
Lawson is a division manager for the United Farm Workers union.
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