2010 update on the CBTU Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (AAALI) Program

  

“The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to ravage our communities.  We must remain committed to help end the epidemic in our communities by educating all of our members and their families about HIV/AIDS. 

 

Most of our conventions are over and we need to get back to work on our HIV/AIDS program in our chapters, regions, and unions.  Please email me your dates for upcoming meetings, where we can speak, conduct a workshop, show the film "This Life Ain't Easy" and offer free testing and counseling.

 

The White House has just announced the first National AIDS policy for the United States, and President Obama spoke about the epidemic and its devastating impact on the African American community.  The policy may be viewed at www.whitehouse.gov 

I look forward to hearing from you.”

 

Anita Patterson,  CBTU Project Coordinator

Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative

 

Some facts to keep in mind:

  • Every 9 ½ minutes someone in the United States is infected with HIV.
  • 56,300 people were newly infected with HIV in 2006.
  • The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 21% of the people infected with HIV/AIDS do not know that they have it.  As with any other disease early detection can help control it.
  • In 2007 the estimated number of deaths from AIDS in the U. S. Was 14,561.  The cumulative estimated number of deaths from AIDS is 583,298 in this country.
  • Among ethnic groups, African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV/AIDS:

At some point in their life, approximately 1 in 16 black man and 1 in 30 black women will be diagnoses with HIV.

·            There is no cure for HIV/AIDS at this time: prevention is the key to ending this epidemic.

 

In the near, we plan to work with the unions and the constituency groups along with our chapters and region to talk about HIV/AIDS and where possible offer onsite testing.

 

For additional information about our programs, contact Anita Patterson, Project Coordinator at apatterson138@sbcglobal.net.

 

For HIV testing sites, please visit www.hivtest.org.

 

      Additional information about HIV/AIDS is available at  actagainstaids.org.

 

“ We need to be able to talk about HIV, as we talk about jobs, as we talk about housing, as we talk about civil rights.  We all have a responsibility to break the silence about this disease.” Dr. Dorothy Height, Chair and President Emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women

 

 

 

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