NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY

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For those who were there some 30 years ago and anytime in the early years who watched this epidemic evolve within Black communities, you may remember the way people's humanness faded. Some lost a lot of weight, other's skin changed tones, hair became straightened, and many looked like skeletons with little flesh on their bones - that was clearly AIDS taking over, some would call it full blown AIDS.

We have come a long way since 1981, with great strides taken to develop medicines and identify alternative therapies that have almost stopped individuals from having an AIDS diagnosis, as long as they take their medicine as prescribed by their physician and get regular viral load and CD4 count checks.

A Black AIDS Free Generation distinguishes HIV from AIDS, as one is an infection and the other is a diagnosis based on an individual's CD4 count and presence of an opportunistic infection. We believe that individuals living with or newly testing HIV+ who begin antiretroviral therapy early may NEVER have to deal with an AIDS diagnosis based on stringent adherence to the doctor's orders.

So, our work is to get those high risk populations tested for HIV and should they be positive, get them the information they need to make the best decision to consider and access treatment. In addition, getting those who are currently taking antiretroviral therapy to adhere to their medication regimen underscores how an individual can be AIDS FREE, perhaps for the rest of their life.

We acknowledge that it is not as simple as it sounds, but we are taking a step in the right direction by supporting Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama's call to create an AIDS Free Generation. We hope you too will embrace the idea of an AIDS Free Generation and encourage your friends, loved ones and those you know who are HIV+ to take their medicine as prescribed and live a healthy HIV+ positive life.