Travis Mccoy, lead vocalist & songwriter for alternative Hip Hop Band Gym class heroes honours Indian Hiv/Aids activist with MTV international's 2009 staying alive foundation award
MUMBAI: Indie rock band Gym Class Heroes lead vocalist & songwriter Travis McCoy, and Georgia Arnold, Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, MTV Networks International and Executive Director, Staying Alive Foundation, today announced Mandakini Behara who runs the Utkal Network of People Living with HIV (UNP+) project in Cuttack, Orissa State, as the Indian recipient of the 2009 Staying Alive Foundation Award.
McCoy revealed the 2009 grantee to press during his visit to Indian projects and grantees funded by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation. The global charity’s mission is to encourage and support young people who are involved in HIV and AIDS awareness, education and prevention campaigns.
On the second leg of his three country tour as the Foundation Ambassador, McCoy met Mandakini Behara who runs the UNP+ project in Cuttack, Orissa State to see, first hand, the work she has been doing to help combat HIV Infection, by working directly with the people in Orissa State.
The Staying Alive Foundation Awards are presented to individuals or groups who are relentless in their mission to encourage, educate and empower their peers in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Each Staying Alive Grant recipient receives a cash grant from the Staying Alive Foundation to enable them to realise a project associated with raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. The Staying Alive Foundation awarded UNP+ their first grant in December 2008. UNP+ was formed in 2006 by 5 HIV positive people with the aims of reducing stigma and discrimination, and to promote and protect the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. Today, UKP+ has 370 numbers.
The stigma associated with HIV/AIDS prevents people from disclosing their HIV status and getting the necessary social support. Unfortunately, this stigma exists within the healthcare systems as well as in general society. This is a major problem that prevents people from accessing health care services and ultimately, treatment. With their Staying Alive Foundation grant UNP+ will train young HIV positive people to speak in public, as well as organise a photo exhibition of people living with HIV at seven local hospitals and colleges. They will also set up interactive discussions at hospitals and colleges, perform theatre pieces at hospital compounds, and distribute educational materials, and hold regular support meetings for young people living with HIV.
McCoy, who was appointed Ambassador of the Staying Alive in January 2009, is currently visiting grass-roots HIV and AIDS prevention projects supported by the Foundation in South Africa, India and the Philippines where he will see first-hand the high-impact outreach work of the young people who run them.
Commented McCoy: “It’s an honor for me to be the Ambassador for the Staying Alive Foundation - it's a cause that's very close to me. Having lost loved ones and seeing the toll it takes on people affected including the people that love and care for them, it's important we do whatever can within our power to fight this deadly and rapidly spreading epidemic. I strongly feel the best cure we have at this point is increasing education and building awareness. It’s how we use this information in the choices we make that will determine whether or not our generation will help make a change or ultimately make things worse. I believe that "each one should teach one", and if my influence on my peers and young ones that look up to me can help decide what music to listen to or what clothes to wear, I hope and pray it will help them to decide to be safe and take their life seriously. ”
Commented Georgia Arnold, Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, MTV Networks International and Executive Director, Staying Alive Foundation: “We are delighted to have Travis McCoy as our Staying Alive Ambassador. He is set to be a fantastic male role model, inspiring and spreading positive messages to young men and women the world over. I know that when he meets with Mandakini, Travis will see first hand what incredible work she’s doing within her community, and how important it is to highlight the stigma and discrimination people who are living with HIV face here, to ensure his message goes far beyond Cuttack.”
The trip’s website www.theunbeatentrack.com, is the go-to place for individuals eager to track McCoy’s travels, share his experiences and gain his perspective as he moves from one country to another. In addition, McCoy will send updates daily via his Twitter account at http://twitter.com/Travismtv, blogs and Flip Video. There will also be the chance for fans to engage with him first hand when he broadcasts live via global video streaming platform UStream. He will also share his photos on Flickr, as well as keep everyone up-to-date with his schedule through Dopplr.
McCoy has further shown his commitment to the Foundation by agreeing to write and release a brand new track that will be inspired by his travels and the people he meets along the way.
The finished track will be released on December 1st, World AIDS Day, with all proceeds set to benefit the Foundation. Highlights of the trip will be screened across MTV’s International channels on December 1st, in an hour-long documentary.
McCoy, singer, rapper, songwriter, is the lead vocalist of alternative hip-hop group Gym Class Heroes, formed when childhood friends McCoy and drummer Matt McGinley decided to start a band in upstate New York over a decade ago. A former art school student who is a self-confessed sneaker collector, with over 200 pairs to date, made his MTV debut in the summer of 2002 as part of the nationwide MC Battle held on MTV’s show Direct Effect.
MUMBAI: Indie rock band Gym Class Heroes lead vocalist & songwriter Travis McCoy, and Georgia Arnold, Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, MTV Networks International and Executive Director, Staying Alive Foundation, today announced Mandakini Behara who runs the Utkal Network of People Living with HIV (UNP+) project in Cuttack, Orissa State, as the Indian recipient of the 2009 Staying Alive Foundation Award.
McCoy revealed the 2009 grantee to press during his visit to Indian projects and grantees funded by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation. The global charity’s mission is to encourage and support young people who are involved in HIV and AIDS awareness, education and prevention campaigns.
On the second leg of his three country tour as the Foundation Ambassador, McCoy met Mandakini Behara who runs the UNP+ project in Cuttack, Orissa State to see, first hand, the work she has been doing to help combat HIV Infection, by working directly with the people in Orissa State.
The Staying Alive Foundation Awards are presented to individuals or groups who are relentless in their mission to encourage, educate and empower their peers in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Each Staying Alive Grant recipient receives a cash grant from the Staying Alive Foundation to enable them to realise a project associated with raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. The Staying Alive Foundation awarded UNP+ their first grant in December 2008. UNP+ was formed in 2006 by 5 HIV positive people with the aims of reducing stigma and discrimination, and to promote and protect the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. Today, UKP+ has 370 numbers.
The stigma associated with HIV/AIDS prevents people from disclosing their HIV status and getting the necessary social support. Unfortunately, this stigma exists within the healthcare systems as well as in general society. This is a major problem that prevents people from accessing health care services and ultimately, treatment. With their Staying Alive Foundation grant UNP+ will train young HIV positive people to speak in public, as well as organise a photo exhibition of people living with HIV at seven local hospitals and colleges. They will also set up interactive discussions at hospitals and colleges, perform theatre pieces at hospital compounds, and distribute educational materials, and hold regular support meetings for young people living with HIV.
McCoy, who was appointed Ambassador of the Staying Alive in January 2009, is currently visiting grass-roots HIV and
AIDS prevention projects supported by the Foundation in South Africa, India and the Philippines where he will see first-hand the high-impact outreach work of the young people who run them.
Commented McCoy: “It’s an honor for me to be the Ambassador for the Staying Alive Foundation - it's a cause that's very close to me. Having lost loved ones and seeing the toll it takes on people affected including the people that love and care for them, it's important we do whatever can within our power to fight this deadly and rapidly spreading epidemic. I strongly feel the best cure we have at this point is increasing education and building awareness. It’s how we use this information in the choices we make that will determine whether or not our generation will help make a change or ultimately make things worse. I believe that "each one should teach one", and if my influence on my peers and young ones that look up to me can help decide what music to listen to or what clothes to wear, I hope and pray it will help them to decide to be safe and take their life seriously. ”
Commented Georgia Arnold, Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, MTV Networks International and Executive Director, Staying Alive Foundation: “We are delighted to have Travis McCoy as our Staying Alive Ambassador. He is set to be a fantastic male role model, inspiring and spreading positive messages to young men and women the world over. I know that when he meets with Mandakini, Travis will see first hand what incredible work she’s doing within her community, and how important it is to highlight the stigma and discrimination people who are living with HIV face here, to ensure his message goes far beyond Cuttack.”
The trip’s website www.theunbeatentrack.com, is the go-to place for individuals eager to track McCoy’s travels, share his experiences and gain his perspective as he moves from one country to another. In addition, McCoy will send updates daily via his Twitter account at http://twitter.com/Travismtv, blogs and Flip Video. There will also be the chance for fans to engage with him first hand when he broadcasts live via global video streaming platform UStream. He will also share his photos on Flickr, as well as keep everyone up-to-date with his schedule through Dopplr.
McCoy has further shown his commitment to the Foundation by agreeing to write and release
a brand new track that will be inspired by his travels and the people he meets along the way.
The finished track will be released on December 1st, World AIDS Day, with all proceeds set to benefit the Foundation. Highlights of the trip will be screened across MTV’s International channels on December 1st, in an hour-long documentary.
McCoy, singer, rapper, songwriter, is the lead vocalist of alternative hip-hop group Gym Class Heroes, formed when childhood friends McCoy and drummer Matt McGinley decided to start a band in upstate New York over a decade ago. A former art school student who is a self-confessed sneaker collector, with over 200 pairs to date, made his MTV debut in the summer of 2002 as part of the nationwide MC Battle held on MTV’s show Direct Effect.
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