Tucson Joins Nationwide Response
To Aids Crisis Among African Americans
On February 7, 2008, the African American Disparities Alliance, Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, Pima County Health Department, and many other local agencies and churches will respond to the impact of HIV and AIDS in Tucson's African American communities in the eighth annual observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD).
Mary Lucas is involved in coordinating the event here in Tucson. It is her hope that this event will raise awareness among Tucsonans of the alarming HIV/AIDS rates amongst African Americans, especially those here in Southern Arizona.
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"In Pima County the African American population is 3 percent while
African Americans account for 11 percent of the cases of HIV/AIDS."
"The primary goal of NBHAAD is to motivate African Americans to get tested and know their HIV status; to get educated about the transmission modes of HIV/AIDS; to get involved in their local community; and to get treated if they are currently living with HIV or are newly diagnosed."
Several activities will take place at locations throughout Tucson. At 8:00am
on February 7th, a breakfast will be held at Rising Star Missionary Baptist
Church (2800 East 36th Street). In addition, HIV counseling and testing will
be available on site, between 7:30am - 10:00am and from 2:00pm - 7:30pm.
Also at Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church at 6:30pm, a youth rally will
take place with the theme "Drumming Out the Silence."
In collaboration with the event there are two additional testing sites: the
Theresa Lee Clinic (332 S. Freeway) and COPE Community Services (1101 E.
Broadway) will remain open until 7:30pm that evening with walk-in HIV testing
available.
All of these activities will be held to encourage citizens to get educated, get tested, get treated and get involved with HIV/AIDS as it continues to devastate Black communities. Mary encourages all Tucsonans to get involved in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS by breaking the silence.
"Talk about it with family, friends and loved ones. Getting educated about the facts is another way of raising awareness and of course there are many volunteer opportunities with the HIV/AIDS service providers and other community groups such as the African American Disparities Alliance."
To find out more about the events for this day, call Mary Lucas @ (520) 792-3293 or Pastor D. Grady Scott at (520) 622-8126. Additionally, you can visit the national website www.blackaidsday.org.
To volunteer at any of these local organizations, contact the individual organization for more information.
© 2008 Good News Tucson™
