FEBRUARY 7TH, 2009 - NATIONAL BLACK AIDS DAY

Blessings All!

It is bittersweet that I write this blog to remind you and myself of the ongoing crisis affecting the black community.......the unprecedented numbers of brothers and sisters in the community being diagnosed as HIV+. Saturday, February 7th marks the 9th Annual National Black AIDS/HIV Awareness Day being organized throughout the country.

The mission of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is to build the capacity and increase awareness, participation and support for HIV prevention, care and treatment among Black Americans. February 7, 2009 marks the ninth year of this annual event.

The primary goal of NBHAAD is to motivate African Americans to get tested and know their HIV status; get educated about the transmission modes of HIV/AIDS; get involved in their local community; and get treated if they are currently living with HIV or are newly diagnosed.

The website allows a user to register their local effort on the national site and gives tips on how to create awareness and empower the community to come together over this devastating virus. Once you have registered you can order supplies that will help create a successful local community event.

When we look at HIV/AIDS by race and ethnicity, we see that Black Americans have more illness (even though blacks account for about 13% of the U.S. population, we account for about half (49%) of the people who get HIV and AIDS), shorter survival times (Blacks with AIDS often don’t live as long as people of other races and ethnic groups with AIDS), and more deaths (for Black Americans and other blacks, HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death). This is our year for change! Let’s mobilize and do something that will be long-lasting in the fight against HIV/AIDS!

Sign up today and make a difference in your community - the devastation has to stop - we have to empower ourselves to make a change - to learn how to protect ourselves, our brothers, our sisters, our daughters and sons........get involved, our future is at stake.

Peace.