Three South Florida public institutions join forces to combat Miami’s epidemic

Florida International University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, together with FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work and the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, will join WPBT2 and the Miami-Dade Health Department on February 16 for a special prime time broadcast on the resurgence of HIV/AIDS in Miami.

“The Miami Epidemic” is a one-hour program produced in response to the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that Miami is #1 in new AIDS cases.

Jessy Schuster of WPBT2’s “Pulse” will host the special, which airs at 10 p.m. on February 16. A roundtable discussion follows the FIU-produced “Lessons from South Africa” documentary. The panel includes:

• William W. Darrow, former CDC researcher and FIU Professor;
• Oscar Loynaz, M.D., director, University Health Services;
• Kira Villamizar, human services program manager for the Miami-Dade Public Health Department;
• Allan Richards, associate dean at School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the documentary’s executive producer.

“I’m thrilled to see the HIV/AIDS work of several FIU departments coming together with public health and public television in an effort to educate our students—and the general public– about the rising rates of infection in our community,” said FIU Provost Douglas Wartzok. “These kinds of partnerships are critical to the success of a public awareness campaign.”

The effort is an example of FIU’s commitment to community engagement while providing its students with a Worlds Ahead academic experience.

“The Miami Epidemic” WPBT2 TV special is a new initiative of the TellSomebodyNow campaign, an FIU community engagement project focusing on the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Media Contacts:  Heather Radi-Bermudez of FIU at 305-919-4411 or Cammy Richards of WPBT2 at 305-424-4013.