The Afiya Center, Texas’s only Black-led and Black women-centered reproductive justice organization, is hosting its 11th annual Get Tested, Grab A Bite! HIV testing event in Dallas this weekend.

The Afiya Center works to advocate, educate, and provide resources to empower Black women in Texas living with AIDS.

In 2021, the Dallas County saw a 30% increase in HIV cases among men and a 6.5% increase among women. In its newly released State of Black Womxn in Texas Report, the Afiya Center found that in 2021, young Black women accounted for 51% of new diagnoses among women under the age of 25, but sex education and disease prevention programs in the state rarely address community needs.

“Texas is known to be like a resource rich kind of state, right?” Afiya Center founder Marsha Jones said. “But those resources don’t meet the people who need them the most.”

Jones started the free testing event to bring attention to the lack of resources, as well as normalize HIV testing for women.

“We wanted to make this a day that wouldn’t just be focused on HIV testing, but it would really have a sense of community,” Jones said.

Attendees who want to get tested will be able to get a full STI screening free of charge. Dallas County Health and Human Services will provide[NF1] mobile testing sites to help the organization collect data and build more resources in areas that need them.

“It helps us to build out our program,” Jones said. “It helps us to shape narratives around the importance of getting tested.”

People who choose not to get tested can still enjoy the free event filled with free food and live DJs. Jones has urged vendors not to sell anything to avoid discouraging people from attending an event that is based around finding a safe space.

“This is literally a day to enjoy life and have a good time and get some updated information about your sexual health,” Jones said.

The Get Tested, Grab a Bite! event is on Saturday, June 29, from 3-7 p.m. in Glendale Park.

Zara Amaechi is KERA’s Marjorie Welch Fitts Louis fellow covering race and social justice. Got a tip? Email Zara at zamaechi@kera.org. You can follow her on X @amaechizara.

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After a prolonged absence from match play, FC Cincinnati will return to action Saturday night in a cross-conference visit with FC Dallas at Toyota Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen locally on ESPN 1530.

With The Orange and Blue deep in the heart of Texas, let’s break down this matchup with some key numbers to consider, presented by CTI.

Luciano Acosta has been the most impactful player in MLS dating back to the start of the 2023 season without a doubt. Since the start of the 2023 season, a year in which he won the MLS MVP, Acosta has had the most games with 2 or more goals+assists with 16 this season. Acosta, who also has 15 assists this season which leads MLS, also leads the league in games with 1+ goals and 1+ assists with 12, five more than the second place Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF.

Pavel Bucha leads all midfielders with 17 balls won this season, which also stands fourth most in the league when factoring in all positions. Two of the three players above him on the full rankings, though, are his teammates, Miles Robinson and Matt Miazga, with 25 and 24, respectively. Right behind the Czech midfielder as well is teammate Obinna Nwobodow with 16 balls won in a tie for fifth place.

The newcomer to Cincinnati has been a force in the midfield as, on top of his importance in the midfield, Bucha is second on the roster behind only Luciano Acosta with 5 assists this season.

No active FC Cincinnati players have scored a goal against FC Dallas, but not for good reason. The last time FCC played Dallas was in 2019 on a trip to Toyota Stadium, where The Orange and Blue fell 3-1, with Emmanuel Ladesma scoring the lone goal.

With Yamil Asad’s headed goal last Saturday night, FC Cincinnati has now had 10 first-time goal scorers for the club this season, the second most since the club joined MLS in 2019 and the 13 debut goal scorers that season. Asad joins Malik Pinto, Alvas Powell, Isaiah Foster, Dado Valenzuela, Miles Robinson, Luca Orellano, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy and Pavel Bucha.

FC Cincinnati has been one of the best road teams this season in MLS, providing dominant performances on offense and defense when playing away from TQL Stadium. With 15.32 xG, third most in the league and 19 goals, also the most road goals in the league, the offense has clicked when it’s needed to to secure a 7-1-1 record on the road. On defense FCC has conceded just 12 times away from home and allowed 14.98 opponent xG, fifth most in the league on both fronts.

What matters most, though, is FCC has tallied a league-high 22 points away from home, putting The Orange and Blue already on pace for one of the best seasons away from home in MLS history. With the record road pace being set by LA Galaxy in 1998 (pre-draw era) at 35 road points, eight more road points would give FCC a tie for the top ten with 30.

The Lynx were coming off an impressive, nationally-streamed win in New York in the Commissioner’s Cup final. They had won nine of their past 10 regular season games, including six straight. Dallas was last in the league, had three key players injured and had lost 11 straight games.

Talk about switching the script.

With former Lynx player Odyssey Sims helping lead the way, with the normally stout Lynx defense looking as porous as it has all season, the visiting Lynx were handed a 94-88 loss by the Wings on Thursday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.

Hitting threes in droves, the Lynx appeared in control when Alanna Smith hit her career-high fifth three-pointer with 3:21 left in the second. But the Lynx were out-scored 69-44 over the final 33 minutes of the game.

Up a point entering the fourth quarter, the Wings pushed their lead to six on Monique Billings two free throws with 7:01 left.

The Lynx followed with a 7-0 run to take a one-point lead on Dorka Juhász’s jumper. Moments later, with 3:47 left, Napheesa Collier hit one of two free throws to forge a tie.

But then it was all Dallas.

Arika Ogunbowale hit a three, then the Lynx turned the ball over and Sims scored for a five-point Wings lead with 3:10 left.

The Lynx never got closer than three again.

Ogunbowale scored 23 points. Sims, signed this week because of Dallas injuries, had 18 points and four assists. Tieaira McCowan had 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Collier scored 29 points with 11 rebounds. Bridget Carleton had 17 points, Smith 15.