Residente has his papers folks...
....and they have nothing to do with citizenship.
MTV Tr3s caught up with front-man René "Residente" Pérez Joglar in Miami for an exclusive interview at the MTV Tr3s Pedro Movie Screening and Panel Event. The panel took place at Florida International University (the school which graduates the highest number of Latinos in the U.S.), to create a dialogue between AIDS experts and youth. René, actors Alex Loynaz, Karolin Luna and Pedro's sister Mily Zamora led the panel.
A very soft-spoken, emotional René sat with us and spoke about how AIDS has affected him on a personal level. Check out what important tips this Boricua has for kids considering the horizontal mambo as a new pastime, and we'll fill you in on those papers también ...
Has HIV/AIDS affected any of your family members or friends?
Yes. Actually right now my aunt has AIDs. And I am waiting on a call right now regarding her situation. I called and asked if she has ever faced discrimination or if she needs help with anything. So I am waiting to hear back about what is going on.
How important do you think safe sex is to our youth?
My message about safe sex is of course to always use condoms. I always use a condom. That’s why I don’t have any children yet. Also, they should masturbate. [Laughs] It’s true, especially for men. If they do that it cuts out the urge to have sex. When you don’t have the urge as a distraction, you can think about it long and hard. So it buys time to make a better decision. Also, look at your fingers and make sure they are clean with no cuts or wounds before you engage in any sexual act. That’s important too. And no oral sex.
What else can our youth do today to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS?
People need to be aware about how the situation has developed and changed. It’s not just an illness it’s a social situation. We need to erase the taboo that exists with AIDS. Everyone should be tested. It’s been some time since I was tested, let me see I have the results in my wallet (gets out paper from his wallet). You see here, 2006 was the last time and I am negative. I have to go back and get tested again. It’s more important to stop being scared of the result, it’s better to know where you stand.
Have you seen your home country, Puerto Rico, affected by the HIV and AIDS diseases? If so, in what ways?
In Puerto Rico? Yes everyone is affected. My aunt is living with it [AIDS] now. Also, my other uncle who was homosexual died of cancer and had AIDS too. There are people that don’t know they have AIDS. That is the issue. It has really hit home for me.
A lot of your music is cause-related. Are you affiliated with any groups or charities in particular? Is there one that you are particularly passionate about?
No, I was actually just talking about this. I was thinking of starting a charity or a center to help. I do it naturally, without really promoting it. If I want to go to a center and donate, then I just go. The humanistic part is really being there.
Pedro airs on MTV Tr3s April 1st at 8pm EST. Until then stay tuned for more exclusive sneak peeks and info regarding the premiere here on Blogamole. Be sure to follow René's lead by getting tested ahora mismo! You can find testing info near you at www.hivtest.org.
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