Friday, December 1, 2006
TODAY IS WORLD AIDS DAY!
Well today is the day that we are suppose to advocate HIV/AIDS awareness by wearing a red ribbon to promote dialogue about the AIDS virus. I listened to several radio morning shows today here in the Atlanta area and I was actually surprised at how little was said on black radio this morning. I know that Tom Joyner had a big thing going on for the last couple of weeks but I noticed that there was not much done on the stations that play a lot more Hip Hop & R&B. I was shocked by this especially in black radio seeing that the statistics show that HIV effecting the black community more than any other ethnicity. I hear so much about HIV/AIDS in Africa and the country is really being over run by this disease but we should also be putting the same amount of energy on HIV/AIDS here in America. I hope that everyone takes the time to talk about this disease today and goes to be tested. If you would like more information on this disease and how to find testing in your area please refer to the links on this page.
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I was shocked at the lack of television and radio coverage of the raging AIDS pandemic on World AIDS Day. I don't understand. Do people really think HIV/AIDS has gone away? Do they think AIDS isn't America's concern...but Africa's problem? I had watched CNN two years ago when they had extensive coverage of the pandemic. This year when I watched I only saw a short interview with Magic Johnson. At least that helped people understand that HIV is still infecting people daily. As Melinda Gates stated at the AIDS International Conference in Toronto, Canada this summer, we must talk to each other about it. For some reason, I think people have difficulty doing that.
My mother was infected with HIV through a contaminated blood transfusion. We learned the blood came from a blood bank in New York City in the 1980s. She felt like a leper when she was diagnosed. Only a handful of family members were aware of her illness. She fear rejection and suffered in silence. Before she died, she asked me to write about the disease that was going to eventually take her life. I honored her wishes and wrote "A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS." At that time, she was a grandmother to 6 children. I made a panel for her for the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. I wanted my mother's memory to remain alive and it has touched many people through the AIDS quilt displays. In the corner of the panel I put the words, "It hurts to know you suffered in silence." My mother wanted her story told so that others wouldn't have to suffer in silence as we had. Because of the social stigma surrounding AIDS, my mother felt dirty, isolated and lonely. No one should have to feel like that.
I had the opportunity to talk about AIDS to 800 high school students recently when the AIDS Quilt was on display at the school. I told the students to share what they learned that day with their parents and friends. Hopefully, I saved some lives by explaining about the dangers of risky behavior. I hoped I helped students understand the importance of ending the stigma that my mother felt. This is a preventable disease. So why are we having more infection each year. I am very disappointed with our government and media. Why isn't this raging pandemic being talked about more? On World AIDS Day one would think it would be the topic of discussion around the country and world. Where are the red ribbons? Have we forgotten about this disease or maybe some just don't care. Well, I won't let that happen. I will continue to talk about it to as many people as I can and share my mother's story with all who will listen. History will judge us on how we respond to this pandemic. So far, it won't judge us kindly. Our government failed to address this disease early on in the epidemic. During that time, thousands of people had already died and thousands more had been infected. How many more people need to become infected before we begin shouting and demand the government, media, and other organizations take aggressive action? We can still win this war we are presently losing. Please...talk about it to your children and your friends. Don't think it won't happen to someone in your family or someone you know. We have our own "Little Africa" right here in the United States." Let's not forget that! Special thanks to all those who banded together to heighten awareness and remember those lost to this insidious disease. Keep up the fight! Together we can make a difference!
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