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Tag Archives: black women and aids

What’s Going On: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

07 Thursday Feb 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

barack obama and aids, black churches and aids, black hiv and aids awareness, black men and aids, black women and aids, hillary clinton and aids, hiv, hiv and aids treatment and prevention, hiv statistics, hiv testing, john mccain and aids, laura flanders, living with hiv, statistics on aids in the black community, the aids crisis in the black community, world aids day

by vivrant thang on the aids crisis and national black hiv and aids awareness day

marvin.jpg

Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today

While America is all abuzz with election coverage and now the tragic tornadoes that have claimed 52 lives, let us take a moment to remember that today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

I already shared some of the sobering statistics during my  week long series of posts for the Black Blogging to End AIDS carnival. They bear repeating.

  • AIDS remains the leading cause of death for Blacks ages 25 to 44, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Blacks make up just 13% of the population of the USA, but they account for 50% of all new cases of HIV.
  • Black women account for 70% of all women with HIV.
  • 70% of the new cases among youth are Black

In light of the country’s infatuation with the elections and who will end up with the Democratic nod (since McCain has all but secured the nomination on the other side of the aisle), I thought I would take the time to compare Obama and Clinton’s platforms and records on this issue, as it is one that is personally very important to me as I’ve had several relatives die of the disease. Even if it hasn’t yet affected you personally, take a look at those statistics again. If this epidemic isn’t addressed, it soon will.

I didn’t have to go very far to find a comparison of the candidates as the Black AIDS Institute has published an informative report, “We Demand Accountability : The 2008 Presidential Elections and the Black AIDS Epidemic.” This report arose out of a written survey that was sent to each of the 16 candidates from both parties that were in the race in October 2007, as well as examination of their public records and their statements on this important issue.

How did we get here?

One of the reasons it’s so imperative that we hold these candidates accountable is because of the inaction of previous administrations.

  • By the time Reagan even mentioned “AIDS” in 1986, he was five years too late. More than 16,000 Americans had already died.
  • Under Big Bush’s watch, the AIDS-related fatalities had risen six fold. By the end of 1992, his last year in office, 190,687 Americans were dead. Nearly one-third of them were Black.
  • Although Clinton did more than his predecessors, against the advice of his secretary of Health and Human Services and other officials, he failed to lift the ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs.
  • Little Bush has cut spending on a wide range of domestic AIDS services (presumably to fund HIS war), which has resulted in Americans dying while waiting awaiting access to AIDS drugs.

Since AIDS is now a “Black disease,” what should Black voters ask of the Presidential candidates to see where they stand on an agenda to combat this epidemic?

Let’s see how the two remaining Democratic candidates stack up:

Do you have a national strategy?

While we may have foreign policies for the funding of AIDS programs in other countries, domestically, we are SORELY lacking. The 40,000 new infections a year and specifically the statistics above scream that fact.

Both candidates have committed to creating a national strategy for America’s response to the AIDS crisis.

barack.jpg

Obama released his national AIDS strategy in October, which specified that “in the first year of his presidency, he will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies.” This platform will include “measurable goals, timelines, and accountability mechanisms.”

hillary.jpg

Clinton also released her AIDS platform in November which stated, “Federal efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS are diffuse and uncoordinated today…[Hillary] will tie all of the federal efforts together into a single comprehensive national strategy.”

Will you support policies that reduce Black infections?

According to the report, the most effective way the next president can impact the AIDS epidemic is by lifting the ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs. One-fifth of all HIV infections among Black men and women still come from sharing dirty needles. Among Black women infected through sexual contact, 17% of their HIV-positive male partners were infected by sharing dirty needles.

In addition, surveys have shows that Black people are more receptive to health information that is disseminated through their own Black community sources.

Where do the candidates stand on funding needle exchange programs? Will they devote substantial resources to helping the Black community get the word out about AIDS?

barack.jpg

Obama has vowed to fund syringe exchange programs and also stressed his support for the JUSTICE Act.

His platform declares that “HIV has hit some communities harder than others” and that he will “tackle the root causes of health disparities by addressing differences in access to health coverage and promoting prevention and public health.”

hillary.jpg

Clinton also agrees to fund needle exchange programs, increase funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative, while also increasing support for nontraditional public health partners, in particular clergy and faith leaders.

Of course we all remember the famous soundbite, “Let me just put this in perspective : If HIV/AIDS were the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of 25 and 34 there would be outraged outcry in this country.”

Will You Support Community-Based HIV Testing?

1.2 million Americans believed to be HIV positive do not know they are infected, which consequently drives the growth of the epidemic. While Blacks get tested at rates more than twice that of Whites, the CDC estimates that half of all positive Blacks don’t know they are infected.

Let’s see where the candidates stand on promoting testing efforts in the Black community.

barack.jpg

It seems Obama has the strongest record on HIV testing, according to the report, because he has led by example. During a trip through Africa, he spoke about the need for personal and political leadership on AIDS. Then both he and Michelle took public tests.

hillary.jpg

The report had no information on Clinton’s stance on this issue. I looked at her plan myself and I didn’t find anything either. I hear some of you all talking slick about Hillary probably being scared to take a public test with Bill. Cut it out.

Will you guarantee access to adequate treatement?

Two-thirds of Blacks who are in treatment for AIDS use public insurance, yet Medicaid systems are failing because of financial pressures. It goes beyond the availability of medications. AIDS service providers are no longer able to provide counseling services, nutrition programs, drug recovery programs, and other support mechanisms. As more and more people get tested and learn their status and need public insurance, the resources will become further strained.

Let’s see what our candidates plan to do to clean up this mess.

barack.jpg

Obama co-sponsored the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which would expand Medicaid to allow poor people living with HIV to qualify for public insurance.

He’s also a strong supporter of the Ryan White CARE Act, which is the primary vehicle that funds a variety of health and social programs across the country.

hillary.jpg

Clinton pledges to strengthen Medicaid and was one of the two lead sponsors on the Early Treatment for HIV Act. She has been a key player in the ongoing debate for the reform of the Ryan White CARE Act, calling for more funding overall.

Both candidates platforms speak about this issue in the context of their broader healthcare plans, which I know readers have studied because we’re intelligent people here and focus on the issues when we chose which candidate to support. Right?

How will you stop the stigma?

As the Black community is well aware, this down-low phenomenon and the stigma of homosexuality/bisexuality has been a key factor in the spread of this disease, particularly among women. Since the president plays a large role in setting the national tone on a range of key issues, it is imperative that we have a leader who embraces all Americans regardless of sexual orientation or HIV status.

In addition, as some Black churches change their tune and lead the anti-stigma campaigns, faith-based funding is crucial to support their efforts.

Where do the candidates stand?

barack.jpg

Obama supports civil unions for LGBT Americans; banning employment discrimination bases on sexual orientation and gender identity; and has committed to lifting the lifelong ban on HIV-positive travelers entering the U.S.

He also says, “One of the things we’ve got to overcome is a stigma that still exists in our communities. We don’t talk about this. We don’t talk about it in schools. Sometimes we don’t talk about it in churches. It has been an aspect of sometimes a homophobia, that we don’t address this issue as clearly as it needs to be.”

hillary.jpg

Clinton also support civil unions for LGBT Americans and supports banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Her platform stresses that she will work with faith leaders in the Black community on a number of issues, although fighting stigma wasn’t specified.

Lastly, she would also revive public health efforts to reduce infections among gay and bisexual men, particularly Blacks.

So there you have a comparison of the two remaining Democratic candidates platforms on stopping the spread of the disease.

Lest you think I’m biased (which I am), I did not intentionally forget about the Republican party. What do you know? NONE of the candidates bothered to respond to the survey, either in the written form or by telephone interview.

They don’t care about us! Hell, your Vice President didn’t even know there was an epidemic in the Black community…and didn’t care that he didn’t know.

The report does examine each candidate’s public record. At this point, you only need to look at McCain’s record.

  • He has not committed to creating a national strategy
  • He does not support lifting the ban on funding for needle exchange programs
  • He has never stated whether they would support HIV testing of any sort.
  • He has not supported the Early Treatment with HIV Act.
  • Although he was an original sponsor of the Ryan White CARE Act, but has not taken a meaningful role in AIDS treatment and care policymaking since.
  • He has consistently backed legislation that stigmatizes or discriminates against people living with HIV.

You can read the details…or lack of details…in the report.

Moving on.

Regardless of which candidate wins the Democratic nod, it’s imperative that we get these agenda items addressed.  Although I am a proud Obama Mama and am pleased with his track record and platform on this issue that is of utmost importance to me as a Black woman, I also find Hillary’s plan to be one that can make an impact. I would rather support a candidate that at least recognizes there is an issue worth addressing rather than ignores it because it’s not affecting people he cares anything about. That’s not what a president of these UNITED States should be doing.

I also recognize that these candidates say anything on the campaign trail that sounds good to get your vote. I’m sure both Obama and Hillary would love to be able to fulfill each and every one of these platform items. However, likely that’s impossible, particularly with a war to end and an economy to turn around. So it’s up to us to take personal accountability for our own health and well being. If we each pledged to do that, it would far surpass any prevention resources the government could offer.

Again, here are a series of posts I did for World AIDS Day that contain numerous resources around prevention and treatment and how you can personally get involved in the fight.

Here are some more resources for general HIV/AIDS education and voter education on where the candidates stand:

AIDSVote
National AIDS Strategy
08 Stop AIDS
AIDS: 25 Years and Counting
National Black HIV/AIDS Day
Black AIDS Institute

Remember, it starts with personal accountability.

Educate yourself. Protect yourself.

“Obama’s not the savior: we are. He opens a door. We push.”
Laura Flanders

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What’s Going On: Sistahgirl Project – Black Women & HIV/AIDS

03 Monday Dec 2007

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

3rd eye films, aids crisis in black community, black blogging to end aids, black women and aids, black women and aids documentary, hiv, sistah girl project, sistahgirl.org

by vivrant thang on the aids crisis

marvin1.jpg

Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today

This is my third post for the Black blogger call-to-action, Black Blogging to End AIDS. You can find all the posts here.

Sistahgirl: Black Women & HIV/AIDS is a documentary project in development that delves into the lives of black women living with HIV against the backdrop of the global pandemic that is ravaging our community.

showyourlove.gif

From the official website:

SistahGirl: Black Women and HIV/AIDS is a documentary project featuring the lives of HIV positive Black women from the US, with some traveling on an unprecedented journey to meet HIV positive African women activists to exchange ideas about prevention, treatment, physical, and spiritual healing. The lives of Rae Lewis Thornton, Kamaria Gammon, Michelle Lopez, Raven Lopez, Joyce McDonald, and Shadonna Mon’ques Upshaw will be featured in SistahGirl, which intends to commence filming in the late summer/early fall. SistahGirl will also examine the complexities and challenges in prevention efforts in Black women and provide a platform for discussion about some broader issues surrounding Black women and sexuality. We are currently in pre-production and raising funds to begin filming by late summer early fall. Once completed in 2008, SistahGirl will be used for educational outreach programs for schools, churches, prisons, women’s organizations, poor and disadvantaged urban and rural communities.

In addition to the film, there will be a companion CD and a book.

women_aids.jpg

I’m planning to donate to this important project. You can too and it’s tax-deductible.

Here is a first look at the documentary and the story of Shadonna Mon’ques Upshaw, the toddler pictured above.

Sistagirl: Black Women & HIV/AIDS official page
Sistagirl: Black Women & HIV/AIDS Myspace

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What’s Going On: AIDS-Related Blogs

03 Monday Dec 2007

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, aids, backyard beacon, black women and aids, essex hemphill, female condom, hiv, stop aids leadership pledge, The AIDS Crisis

 by vivrant thang on the aids crisis

marvin.jpg

*This is my second post for the Black blogger call-to-action, Blogging Black To End AIDS. You can find all the posts here.

Here’s a round-up of how Black bloggers around the blogosphere called attention to the crisis on World AIDS day.

  • Gil Robertson says, “Dear Black America, It’s Time to Get Serious About HIV/AIDS“
  • Kam, a woman living with AIDS asks, “Can I Forgive?”
  • Keith Boykin reflects on the life of poet, Essex Hemphill, who died of AIDS-related complications
  • Yobachi Boswell encourages us to view the Frontline/PBS documentary, The Age of AIDS
  • I took the Stop AIDS Leadership Pledge. Your turn.
  • The African American Political Pundit reflects on the disparities in what we’re spending on the war versus what we’re spending to fight the AIDS crisis
  • Backyard Beacon ponders whether wider availability of the female condom is the key to change

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What’s Going On: Black Blogging to End AIDS

01 Saturday Dec 2007

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

aids, aids rate in washington dc, aids statistics, bet aids special, black aids institute, black people and aids, black people and hiv, black perspective blog, black women and aids, condoms, hiv, hiv prevention, hiv testing, i stand with magic, magic johnson and aids, rae lewis thornton, The AIDS Crisis, the body aids resources, visions by stevie wonder, What's Going On

by vivrant thang on world aids day

marvin.jpg

Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today

In light of World AIDS Day today, Yobachi Boswell over at The Black Perspective has issued a call to black bloggers to use their individual platforms to call attention to the AIDS crisis, particularly the ravaging effects on the Black community. I was so glad to have found his blog in time to get involved in this important effort.

When I was 17, I watched my uncle die of AIDS. I sat in that hospital room and held his hand as he painfully slipped away from us. It’s an image my mind will never erase. Although we were there almost everyday at the end, he died alone. My mother has still not forgiven herself for not being there.

Over the next several years, my great aunt lost all three of her sons to the disease. My uncle and my great aunt’ s sons were first cousins and they all were longtime intravenous drug users. We believe they passed the disease like they passed that needle.

Obviously, AIDS is no longer just a disease affecting drug users and homosexuals, although apparently, a lot of people are still quite ignorant about the facts.  AIDS is becoming known as a “Black disease,” which I take issue with. However, when you see these stats, one is hard-pressed to disagree.

black_woman_aids.jpg

  • AIDS remains the leading cause of death for Blacks ages 25 to 44, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Blacks make up just 13% of the population of the USA, but they account for 50% of all new cases of HIV.
  • Black women account for 70% of all women with HIV.

Here in Washington, DC, the news gets worse.

  • One in 20 D.C. residents is believed to be HIV-positive, and one in 50 residents has full-blown AIDS.

  • Although blacks account for 57% of the city’s population, they account for 81% of new HIV cases

  • 37 percent of the new cases were a result of heterosexual transmission, compared to 25 percent that resulted from men having sex with men.

These statistics are extremely sobering. Black women, in particular, are dying from this disease. We have got to take responsibility for our own well-being. Several of my friends have never had an HIV test *, even though they haven’t always practiced safe sex. I think that’s ridiculous in this day and age not to know your status. According to BlackAmericaWeb, “more than one million Americans are estimated to be living with HIV, and one-fourth of those individuals are believed to be unaware of their infection, underscoring the need for expanded HIV testing.”

So on this 2007 World AIDS day, I implore everyone who may read this to:

wad_logo.jpg

  • Get informed

  • Get tested

  • Get involved

I know my status, but through research for this post and the ones I’ll post throughout the week, I’ve found there were so many things about the disease that I didn’t know. I suggest taking this anonymous quiz to assess your knowledge and your risk level. Next year, I have plans of joining a nonprofit board and I’m think the population I want to serve are people of color living with HIV and AIDS. I need to get involved. I know my family members looking down on me would be proud.

Here are some HIV and AIDS resources of interest because I just know after reading those statistics that you want to be as informed as possible.

  • Get a variety information at The Body’s African-American HIV/AIDS Resource Center
  • Visit the Black Aids Institute, a policy organization dedicated to ensuring our self-preservation
  • Go to the official World Aids Day site for information about activities and events being held around the world
  • Sister Wisdom is an HIV/AIDS portal for Black women
  • Listen to the NPR broadcast, “HIV/AIDS Is Washington’s ‘Modern Epidemic’ featuring Rae Lewis Thornton, an HIV/AIDS advocate and 21-year-survivor (raelewisthornton.org)
  • Watch an encore presentation of the HIV/AIDS special “What U Know Bout That? Rap-It-Up Sex Quiz” on BET. It will air on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT.
  • Stand with Magic and Cookie in the fight against AIDS and here

cookie.jpg

As I mentioned, I’ll be “black blogging to end AIDS” everyday until Friday, in addition to my regular posts. So please keep reading and commenting. Let me know how AIDS epidemic has affected you. Don’t say it hasn’t. With these kind of statistics, it’s affecting everybody.

I’m signing out with “Visions” by Stevie. It makes me feel good. Hope it does the same for you.

But what I’d like to know
Is could a place like this exist so beautiful
Or do we have to find our wings and fly away
To the vision in our mind?

I’m not one who make believes
I know that leaves are green
They only change to brown when autumn comes around
I know just what I say
Today’s not yesterday
And all things have an ending

* One of the above-mentioned friends informed me that she finally got tested the day before World AIDS day. Have you?

You can find all the posts in this series here.

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