Much of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc.’s (NBLCA) work is about destigmatizing HIV/AIDS, encouraging testing, and getting people more comfortable talking about their sexual health.
Here is an excerpt from my colleague Janna’s post on Policy Mic, which paints a picture of the state of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community:
“Did you know that while blacks make up only 12% of the American population, they comprise close to 50% of reported HIV and AIDS cases? In 2010, blacks accounted for almost 50% of new AIDS diagnoses. Even more disturbing, while blacks are only 17% of the teenaged population in the United States, black teens account for 70% of new AIDS diagnoses in that age group. Black women in the United States are 15 times more likely than white women to become infected with HIV. AIDS cuts across all demographic groups, but in America today, its impact on racial minorities is grave and unparalleled…”
In honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we asked people to share why getting tested for HIV is important to them, and folks joined the discussion on Tumblr, twitter and Facebook.
THANK YOU to everyone who shared photos and quotes to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS!! We must keep the discussion going and continue educating ourselves and each other about HIV/AIDS.
