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In The News

METRO is committed to making an impact on our Tampa Bay community. Read more about our efforts and accomplishments.

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40 Years of Progress – It’s Time to End the HIV Epidemic

Rebecca Nessen, Vice-President of Strategic Initiatives and Precshard Williams, Prevention and Sexual Health Programs Coordinator, both from Region 4 and from Metro Inclusive Health Florida, led the Reenergize portion on their approach to tailoring strategies to reach LGBTQ+ youth communities and those living with or at risk of HIV.

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SMART Ride 17 to proceed in reimagined format

Organizers noted that they will continue to raise funds for Floridians affected by HIV/AIDS through a combination of virtual and physical challenges. Additionally, anyone can participate this year by committing to log 165 miles, minutes or other measurable metric for the physical activities of their choice.

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Barriers To Health Care For Transgender People

‘It starts with a small portion of the trans health care, and then it later progresses to other areas of our community, where they’re slowly taking away rights,’ said Kiala Emmons, a service navigator at METRO who helps direct patients toward the services they need, or refers them to partner specialists and surgeons.

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New HIV test gets you results in a minute or less

“We have more people coming in now because you have those people that don’t want to wait that 20 minutes,” Prevention Specialist with Metro Inclusive Health Shirlene Manuel said. “They say it lasts a lifetime. The people that we do the blood work on where we have a two day turn around on the blood work also think that’s a lifetime. To get that result in a minute has made more people want to come in and get tested.”

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Metro Inclusive Health announces annual party honorees

Metro Inclusive Health has announced the honorees for its annual Cocktail Party, scheduled for Nov. 9. METRO utilizes the annual event to fundraise for its many essential health and community services offered throughout Tampa Bay. The 2019 gathering will be headlined by recording artist and LGBTQ advocate Deborah Cox.

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Explore another life experience with Metro’s KINK event

Lou Reed’s not here, but if he were he’d be extending a personal invitation to Metro Inclusive Health’s Saturday fundraiser, KINK – An Art Affair, at the Metro Community Center in St. Petersburg.

Alongside specially-created works by 35 of the area’s top LGBTQ+ and ally artists, there’ll be erotic performers – from Florida Community Boot Black, Florida Leatherboy 2019, Electro and Impact Play, Male Review Tampa and more – and interactive fetish installations for the curious.

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Metro Inclusive Health, CAN break ground on Tampa expansion

Metro Inclusive Health, CAN Community Health and Alliant Partners began the restoration of Tampa’s German American Club for their Tampa expansion Aug. 15.

The partners announced their plans for the expansion in April after acquiring the historic venue, located at 2105 N. Nebraska Ave. Metro and CAN currently lease space at 1315 E. 7th Ave. in Ybor.

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Immerse yourself in sexy kinky art at Metro Inclusive Health in St. Pete

This Saturday, you can see how more than 30 LGBTQ and ally artists interpret love, lust, and sexual empowerment at Metro Inclusive Health’s KINK. The event is one part art auction, one part fundraiser, and one part sexual empowerment. “We like to think of this as more than just an art show,” says Metro’s Chief Marketing & Experience Officer Brian Bailey. “It’s an art immersion experience.”

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Immersive Experience & Artistic Interpretation of “KINK” Arrives in St. Pete

METRO Inclusive Health is bringing KINK – An Art Affair to the Burg for one night only. August 17, get ready to take part in what they’re describing as an “interactive experience with zero shades of gray”.

The 21 and up only event promises to offer a first-person opportunity to explore the concepts of KINK. At the same time, subtly messaging the important of self-awakening and safe sex practices.

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St. Pete Realtor says Pride is good for business

“I attribute about $2.5 million in sales to LGBT buyers or couples that have come to the area, which is probably about half of my individual sales this year, and that’s a huge increase from prior years,” he said.

Poth credited organizations such as St. Pete Pride, Equality Florida and Metro Inclusive Health, which hosted the Chamber event. This is the second year that Poth & Associates has participated in Pride.

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A few LGBT advocacy groups worthy of your support

I always like to support those organizations that may exist in smaller communities than our own. For me, that is Metro Inclusive Health in Tampa, Fla. It’s important to me because many of these organizations do not have as strong of a donor base and, more often than not, cannot rely on local or state funding. While I am lucky to see the city where I grew up evolve to embrace our community, that is not always the case. These organizations are on the front lines of protecting and nurturing our community and I highly recommend searching for a local organization of your own.

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Churches combating HIV in south St. Pete

The latest HIV statistics paint a grim picture for African-American communities in much of the country, with Pinellas County identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as extremely high-risk.

Our good friends at Metro Inclusive Health brought the threat of this epidemic to the attention of myself and other south side community leaders, including Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin at a recent small HIV summit. National, state and local statistics were presented that were nothing short of alarming, and we all need to be made aware.

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Metro Inclusive Health, CAN Community Health announce Tampa expansion

Metro Inclusive Health and CAN Community Health announced March 28 that the organizations have acquired the German American Club in Ybor to transform the historic building into a state-of-the-art health center.

The organizations unveiled plans to transform the building, which was built in the early 1900s, by adding three floors adjacently attached to its current structure. They noted in a press release that the effort will revive a part of Tampa’s history, create jobs and positively impact the local neighborhood’s economy.

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A new state-of-the-art health center for the LGBTQ+ community is coming to Tampa in 2020

The Metro Inclusive Health and CAN Community Health (METRO CAN LLC) have been busy working their magic to provide resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

Since launching a a 47,000-square-foot facility in the Kenwood area of St. Petersburg last December, Metro has been working diligently to meet the needs of the community in Tampa Bay, including primary care, behavioral health, HIV services, STI prevention and sexual health.

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Metro to begin offering LGBTQ+ career services

“It is vital that those in our community have an opportunity to be successful in today’s workplace,” Metro Division Director of LGBTQ+ Programs Nate Taylor tells Watermark. “Being able to receive resume and interview assistance is a critical step in obtaining what could be someone’s forever career. I am very happy that we can provide this opportunity and look forward to seeing it succeed.”

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As Pinellas HIV Infections Rise, One Local Organization is Taking Action

According to the Florida Department of Health, HIV infections are rising in much of Pinellas County, Tampa Bay, and Florida. Metro Wellness and Community Centers is enlisting “My Little PrEPpy” and a free limited run t-shirt to encourage testing and education about PrEP, a daily pill that can reduce exposure to HIV by up to 99%.

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Metro Wellness & Community Centers Announces Annual Honorees

For its annual event benefitting LGBTQ+ community programming, Metro Wellness and Community Centers is naming three outstanding awardees that represent excellence and leadership in our Tampa Bay community. The awardees are Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin, Christina Burke, and Todd Richardson. This year’s event will feature a “PeaCocktail Party” theme.

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St. Petersburg is vying to be gay tourism capital of Florida

Monthly reports and surveys by Visit St. Petersburg-Clearwater show the Sunshine City could already be on its way: 4.1 percent of respondents in the May 2018 profile identified as LGBTQ, meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning. That may seem like a small percentage, but it equals roughly 18,000 visitors.

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