Health : National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
“Stay the Course, the Fight is Not Over!”: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day sets the tone for the New Year
Happy New Year! It’s 2018 and we are moving forward yet again with new or renewed intentions to live better, love harder, survive longer, or affect change in some profound way. Embrace your journey with all the vigor, excitement, and hope the new year brings.
February 7th, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) kicks off our year of observances to reassert our commitment to serving those who are at risk and those living with HIV. What better way to revel the troops and set a pace for the entire year than with a powerful theme: “Stay the Course, the Fight is Not Over!”
Stay the Course, encourages us to steady our focus and our actions. Scientific breakthroughs have given us the tools to have an AIDS free generation within our grasp. Current HIV treatments are proven to reduce the chances of transmitting it to a partner when taken as prescribed. The scientific proof that when a person living with HIV has an undetectable viral load, the virus in untrasmittable has led to the U=U (Undetectable=Untransmittable) campaign; a global movement established to fight stigma and empower those living with HIV to seek regular treatment. Biomedical research led to the discovery that Truvada®, a medication used in HIV treatment regimens, can prevent HIV from developing in an HIV negative person who is exposed while taking the pill daily. Our focus and actions should be directed towards ensuring persons living with HIV and those at risk have the education and access to the tools they need to stay healthy.
The Fight is Not Over, reminds us that our work to remove obstacles for our most vulnerable populations must persist. We are embracing our neighbors who need housing, food, mental health, or drug and alcohol counseling so they may overcome and achieve an improved state of wellness. Our battles are fought in court rooms, assemblies, healthcare and public health arenas, and even the streets. We fight with research, we fight with legislation, with policy, and with education. Most importantly, we fight together!
For assistance or information on PrEP or Re-linking to Care please contact:
The Houston Health Department
Phone: 832-393-5010
World AIDS Day is not good enough for the black’s? This is a racist topic. How in the hell are we ever going to be equal when we divide ourselves?
That’s a rhetorical question right?
are any other races or ethnicities impacted by HIV/AIDS or only Blacks?
Everyone is.
On this day we look at how HIV/AIDS has impacted the Black Community. There are many reasons why Black Men are effected at a alarming rate, and there has to be a better way to get the message across to them, and to all who are sexually active. The fight is not over, even though there are advances that helps keep us safe. We honor all Black Men and Black Women who are doing their best to live their best lives living with HIV/AIDS. We also remember those who lost their lives, and will not be forgotten.
So is HIV more of a tragedy based on skin color?
HIV is tragic to anyone who gets the virus regardless of skin color. True there is a higher incidence among the black communities, but that’s mainly due to a lack of education, poverty, and unsanitary living conditions. Also plain ignorance is a major problem as well. The majority of blacks with HIV are in undeveloped countries who don’t have access to decent medical care and prevention. With decent medical care and prevention here in the United States, the risk should be equal regardless of race.
I go to the 2/3 month 4 checkups an I know they check 4 hiv-aids with out me knowing it,because they think black r D’S loaded,just my opinion!
To answer Matt’s question, in a word, yes, Matt, it does affect people of color or black, more than your typically white or non color, affluent types. Why, education is key, all too often blacks keep themselves marred in absolute ignorance, they don’t fucking READ, man, simple as that. I am black, but I’m an info-junkie of sorts, its in the media, there’s all sorts of info, you trip over it, and yet, they manage to remain ignorant about it, frustrating as fuck. We tend to be some of the biggest consumers of electronics; giving access to the media, ect., well, you know what they say, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make ’em drink it.” Hiv/aids has been with us now for just about 38yrs., two generations unfortunately, since at least the year 80′, which was when I came out, it was termed, the “gay cancer” in its inception. It has been said, that if you’re sexually active, YOU SHOULD ASSUME EVERBODY is infected, that means, take the necessary precautions.
Now, the more affluent-educated in the sense of those trained be more “critical thinking,” that, is another kind of ignorance altogether: too much of a sense of freedom, based on their lack of color, better access to better health care, that blacks-people of color do not have access to, typically. Especially, more now than ever before, better meds, has emboldened them, clearly, “just go to the doc, and get your meds and resume as before,” seems to be the order of the day.
Yes, Matt, it has always, for said reasons, had a much more dire affect on us of color/black men and women. It think its quite sad, yet again, marginalized….
I would ask anyone, if, you find yourself, again, that awful word, “victimized” how, did you lend yourself to this victimization? You’re probably NOT thinking, “critically” of your situation in life. Me, I’m at the bottom of all the systems of this country in all the dynamics where it matters in the quality of life lived, because: chiefly- black, gay, poor, non-formally-educated…
But clearly, astute, quite able to think “critically,” just surviving based on those dynamics, teaches one this very necessary ability.
thanks Lamar!
Your demeaning comments aside…To say that HIV is more tragic due to skin color is racist. This is just another case of African Americans buying into the cultural victimization BS. That is profoundly disempowering and sends a wrong message to young African Americans. It says “You’re doomed because you’re black.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is spinning in his grave with cases of black racism.
PS Why do you assume my race? Is that your racism talking?
AIDs is color blind. Its does not care if you’re Brown, Yellow, Pink, White or whatever color this nation and world classifies a person as and so should the LBGT… community should be color blind as well!
Our nation is so messed up at the moment, we don’t need to add any more fuel to this sad fire that is growing.
HIV is not a racial issue. It’s a virus!. It affects all races, colors, nationalities, and ages. I am white, and know of several white guys and a female (also white) who have HIV, or have died of AIDS. True, lack of education, poverty, and unsanitary conditions in certain parts of the world have lead to a higher incidence of HIV especially in certain (mainly black) countries of the world. The biggest problem is the stigma of HIV, as it does seem to be more rampant in gay men. Unfortunately being gay is still not accepted by most people. We don’t single out certain races, nationalities, etc, for other diseases like cancer, diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, etc. Many more deaths are caused by these diseases than HIV. I am white, gay, and not completely out. My BF/Lover is black. Our love for each other is based on a bond and caring for each other, and has nothing to do with our skin colors. We are both neg and practice safe sex.
Everything is not always about race. All this article is saying is that February 7th is black aids/hiv awareness day. Just like February is black history month. I’m black and we as a race need to be aware of hiv just like every other race. We have historical black college we’re proud of, we have black entertainment tv that we love. No the mention the NAACP. If noone ever spoke of hiv in the black community and only focus on hiv in the white community we as a race would be up in arms calling it racist. Thanks for the article and I embrace it as a awareness tool to help our community as which it was intended.