Mission for the Cause

Get Involved is a division of http://nevzkicks.com/ and non profit organization.

Mission for the Cause
Nevz Kicks were created to change the way the world wears footwear. Nevz Kicks is a radical shoe company created in 2007 by Fashion Designer, Steven Tate; affectionately referred to by his friends as Nev. The original design behind Nevz Kicks was to blueprint a shoe that might inspire someone towards social change. The process was a year in the making as each design needed to articulate excellence in its purpose as well as create awareness; forever revolutionizing the way people see and wear footwear.

Given that each shoe is a part of Nev and who he is as an artist and a designer the name Nevz Kicks has become synonymous with the shoe. Nev himself feels that each shoe must speak to the individual wearing them. The logo inspired by unrestricted creativity was created to invoke a public reaction. For those who are not open to making a strong social statement Nev hopes his shoes and logo will inspire rhetoric to promote a collective change.

Nevz Kicks has committed itself to rebirth and social education and in doing so plans to work with teen mothers who are HIV positive. The continued increase of American, HIV positive, teen mothers is an epidemic. Socially, economically and emotionally teen pregnancy is plaguing our American children as well as the next generation. Adjoined to this problem is the rising number of youth who are still uneducated on AIDS/HIV and safe sex.

Nevz Kicks will vocalize, organize and make a difference. Every pair of Nevz Kicks created will come with a condom attached to an informational card on social re-construction. Nevz Kicks empowering youth to practice safe sex and bring about social change. Nevz Kicks, a social icon representing those of us who have a choice.

“Support the cause by supporting Nevz Kicks”
Steven “Nev” Tate

Accessing Helpful Information and websites

If you are pregnant get TESTED for HIV/AIDS, there is a higher chance that you will NOT infect your baby if you are infected yourself.

· http://www.NevzKicks.com, Commercial site dedicated to Nevz Kicks and youth prevention with education and founding site of GetInvolved.org.

· Planned Parenthood (24 hour hotline will direct you to the clinic nearest to you), 1-800-230-PLAN (7526)

· CDC HIV/AIDS (Resource/personal risk and prevention), http://www.cdc.gov/hiv, 1-800-232-4636

· National Testing Resource (HIV testing site locator) http://www.hivtest.org/

· National Prevention Information (Resource, technical assistance and publications), http://wwww.cdcnpin.org/, 1-800-458-5231

· AIDS info (Resource on HIV/AIDS treatment and clinical trials), http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/, 1-800-448-0440

· Teen Pregnancy (Prevention), http://www.teenpregnancy.org/

Facts and Figures

US Facts on HIV/AIDS (specific to young African American/s)

· In 2004; 4,883 young people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. That’s 13% of the U.S. diagnosed population.

· African Americans were disproportionately affected by the HIV Infection and account for 55% of all HIV infected persons between the ages of 13 -24.
US Facts on Teen Pregnancy

· The US has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the world, 1/3 of these girls get pregnant before the age of 20.

· Teenage Mothers are more likely to drop out of High School, be and remain single parents and score much lower in math and reading comprehension tests.

· 68% of African American high school students are more likely to have had intercourse than their racial counterparts; of this percentage African American girls ages 15 to 19 are the highest for teen pregnancy. Latinas are the highest for actual birth rate. When you talk about teens and sex you have to specifically talk about HIV/AIDS

Combined Facts on Pregnant Teens with HIV/AIDS

· Perinatal HIV transmission has been found in an estimated 100/200 infants in the US annually. 65% of these babies are African American.

· HIV/AIDS was diagnosed for an estimated 142 children under the age 13 (Of the infected). Transmission was perinatal (most casses).

· Of perinatally infected persons living with this disease in 2005, 66% were BLACK and 20% Hispanic. (76% of the infected population are minorities)

· Of 68 children for whom AIDS was diagnosed in 2005, 67 were infected perinatally.

· Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic 8,460 children have been infected perinatally with 4,800 (57%) who have died. Majority of these children are BLACK.
Causes – living in poverty, not enough education on sex much less HIV/AIDS. No access to prevention or general health assistance.