Blogging to End Aids

My plate is overflowing, demonstrated by the lateness in this post, so I will highlight the valiant efforts of my peers.

In America 50% of persons infected with AIDS are black, though the black community makes up only 13% of the population, if that is not cause to pause the figures also show that 70% of new AIDS cases are black women. That means that a black woman in America is 23% more likely than myself, a white woman to become infected. These statistics represent REAL people, members of our collective community. The numbers clearly demonstrate something really wrong but the question is what? Why are blacks more likely to become infected? What role does racially discriminatory laws and programs play? What role does culture play? Most importantly, What can be done?

Da Villager our faithful elder at the Electronic Village led me to take the Stop AIDS Leadership pledge,

I encourage all of my readers to do the same.

Songs in the key of Life offers a collection of educating posts, including an interview of Representative Maxine Waters from California whose own sister succumbed to AIDS who is pushing for the passage of H.R. 822 that would mandate insurance companies to cover AIDS tests. I implore you to contact your representative to become cosponsors of the bill H.R. 822. Dennis Kucinich has done so already and I just sent off my letter to Representative Berkley.

Felix author of Help Africa Friends broadens the conversation speaking of initiatives in Africa and India to battle many misconceptions surrounding the facts in rural communities and villages. I learned from his posts that the U.N. estimates that 33 million people worldwide are infected with AIDS. 33 million people.

Vanessa good friend and author of Vanessa: Unplugged shares the story of her own cousin who succumbed to the disease and how he kept his diagnosis and sexuality secret from her family, unnecessarily.

African American Political Pundit shares some crazy facts about our nation’s capital. Black Americans make up 57% of the Washington D.C. community but 80% of AIDS victims of D.C. are black! Scroll down through his page to find out more about how AIDS affects the black community in D.C.

Theo Johnson author of Now that’s what I am talkin’ about! touches on the topic of why are black communities so disproportionately affected and infected by the AIDS pandemic and offers a great collection of informative links to further our understanding of this true crisis.

Bee Easy author of The Colored Section shows how all the community is affected by AIDS infections. She provides great material and easy access to further educate ourselves on how we can put an end to AIDS.