making everyday world aids day....

the world has never seen anything like the growing HIV-AIDS epidemic. as all of you should know last friday december 1st was world aids day, but i had a probelm with that. i watch cnn 24-7, 365, and i was happy that they ran so many stories about hiv, and unlike in the 1980's when many ignored hiv-aids, we have come a long way, but there is so much that needs to be done to ensure that those that come after us can live long healthy lives. i did my best to take some pictures of places, people and events that i thought did a great job at reconigising the importace of awareness. hiv and aids has affected me in many ways, and it was not until i went to a funneral of someone i knew that passed due to complications of aids, that i realized just how serious this is. it is more to this global pandemic than telling people to use condoms, and handing out lube at pride events, its about edcuating our communities, mainly our ineer city, rural, and hbcu communities about the importance of understanding, and accepting hiv, knowing the risks, and knowing what a dionosis intels. it's about teaching our black women that every black man is not sleeping with another man, and that is the only way you can get it. it is about more than wearing pins, getting press time, and looking cute in red. it is not about looking down or treating our infected peers any differently, but making them feel welcome to talk about it, and help with the education of others. we all may not be infected, but we all are affected. with this being said from me i will be launching my seminars in the spring where i am going to go into communities and speak educating them about acceptance, euallity, and education in general. if i can speak at a college or university and have one black woman gain trust for a good black man she has at home, and make them get tested together to anwser questions she might have, then my job is complete....i have been blessed with knowledge, education, good health, and a voice and i am going to do my part to make everyday world aids day....

additional information & resources:

the black AIDS institute
rap it up
my sistahs
donald r. watkins memorial foundation houston,TX