Reflecting on Marting Luther King Jr.





"We wonder what Dr. King would have thought about the HIV/AIDS epidemic now in its 32nd year and the social injustices that are still intrinsically linked to it, including homophobia, stigma, discrimination, poverty, racism, sexism, lack of access to health care—and sadly more." -by Marjorie J. Hill, PhD, CEO, Gay Men's Health Crisis

Putting together the updates to the Board Member page today on our website got me thinking of the inception of this organization, why they started, when they started, and what we still stand for as an organization after all these years here at the HIV/AIDS Awareness Network. It was started by community members who saw a need, to love, serve, and support a community that was being hit by an epidemic that was bigger than anyone could imagine- even the US government. It affected young and old, married and unmarried, gay and straight. 

This organization was started in response to this lack of response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our community- due to a lack of support altogether. It was named the HIV/AIDS "Awareness" Network because so many people were not aware how they could contract the disease. In addition to this, so many people were not aware that just because you had contracted it did not mean you were a prostitute or a drug addict or a bad person. When this organization first started, it was a support network to educate and address the stigma surrounding the disease. Years later it has now graduated to so much more, offering free HIV testing, referral services, and a positive support group through our local partners here in Indian River County, Florida. The individuals that are part of this organization, have worked tirelessly to educate the community on HIV, advocate against the stigma surrounding this disease, and stand in support with those individuals and families in the community affected by the virus.

 As we remember Martin Luther King Jr. this upcoming weekend, I can't help but remember what he stood for- equality for all. As Dr. King once said, "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." The Network's core message, "Pass the message, not the disease" reflects the core values of the civil rights movement. Please join us for our community events this month as we continue to uplift humanity. If you are interested in volunteering with the HIV/AIDS Awareness Network, please contact us here. For more information on The National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 9, visit this link. We'd love to have you! 

Have a great weekend everyone!

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day


Our next event is coming up February 9 in Indian River County at the Gifford Youth Activity Center.
Please see event flyer below for more details. Everyone is welcome, come out and join us! 


Doing better on AIDS is not a pipe dream.



DATE: 2 December 2012

SOURCE: New York Times

Experts know how to control the global spread of the AIDS virus. What's missing is enough money and political will to apply proven tactics widely enough to change the course of the epidemic… On Thursday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton unveiled her promised "blueprint" for reaching an "AIDS-free generation" - time when virtually no child is born with the virus that causes AIDS and teenagers have much less risk of becoming infected. It lays out ways for containing the epidemic, like expanding the use of the most effective treatments and prevention methods, and focusing on groups most at risk of infection, like sex workers and people who inject drugs. But it failed to set firm goals for the percentage of people to be provided with treatments or the reduction in disease to be achieved. Nor does it offer a pledge of new money to help afflicted nations carry out the tasks.

Doing better on AIDS is not a pipe dream. In fact, the combined efforts of the American program to combat AIDS abroad, a global health fund based in Geneva, private donors and national governments have substantially slowed transmission of the disease....Still, the number of new infections yearly, while coming down, remains stubbornly high - 2.5 million in 2011. Some 34 million people around the world are infected with the virus. The fight against AIDS has yet to reach what Secretary Clinton calls a "tipping point," at which the annual increase in new patients being treated with AIDS drugs exceeds the number of people newly infected. Until it does, the global epidemic will continue to expand.

The blueprint....suggests that a "robust scale-up" of high-impact prevention programs can put many countries "on the path" toward an AIDS-free generation within the next three to five years. Middle-income countries where AIDS is prevalent have steadily increased their share of the annual total of more than $16 billion spent around the world fighting the disease, but the poorest countries still need help. Governments struggling to revive their economies will be hard pressed to increase money or resources, but this is an investment that the international community cannot put off.



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