Last year on WAD, I was standing in front of the White House, amongst hundreds of activists united to advocate for the Bush Administration to "Cut the Red Tape"—by eliminating the earmark to implement abstinence-only, ideologically-based programs that censor youth's access to information about condoms and other ways to reduce to reduce risk of HIV infection. 

Despite the fact that mainstream media has portrayed Bush as a champion on HIV and AIDS, civil society recognizes the reality that PEPFAR has failed young people on prevention.  Now, at a time when the President Barrack Obama has been elected to take on leadership in the U.S., the tide of the HIV/AIDS movement is changing and there is hope that domestic and international policies will meet the needs of reproductive and sexual health among youth through evidence-based, comprehensive sex education that will provide youth the skills and knowledge to make responsible choices about their lives.

This World AIDS Day was different—not only in the transition of political leadership in the U.S.—but for the first time in five years, I did not spend World AIDS Day in Washington, D.C. I was and currently am in Dakar, Senegal for the International Conference on AIDS and STIS in Africa (ICASA)!!  My World AIDS Day was an opportunity for me to discuss, share, and learn from fellow African activists in Dakar on how to effectively work towards ending a virus that has killed millions of innocent victims on the beautiful continent of Africa.

On World AIDS Day 2008, over 250 youth advocates came from all over the continent of Africa, to attend the ICASA Pre-Conference, a 3-day workshop of preparation to advocate for the meaningful youth participation at all levels: policy-decision-making, program implementation, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS issues for the Main Conference and back in our communities.  For me, this Pre-Conference was a wake-up call to the complexity and diversity of local issues and approaches to HIV and AIDS in the different communities of the continent.  At the same time, it was empowering to be apart of the African youth advocacy community, where so many are tackling the structural, societal causes of HIV/AIDS such as gender inequities, lack of access to education and employment, discrimination against People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), amongst several other important issues.

Despite the obstacles we face and the long path of action ahead of us, over 250 youth all joined together to say “Yes, we can!” or “Oui, nous pouvons!” (in French).

As an American citizen, I was moved to see the inspiration from Obama’s campaign transcend across borders and cultivate into a vital movement of African youth united for the fight against HIV and AIDS.

After a long day of discussions at the Pre-Conference on World AIDS Day, my new 250 friends and I organized ourselves to take a ferry to Gorree Island, also known as the “host of the slaves”. I was absolutely moved by the symbolism of young Africans, standing side by side on Gorree island, participating in a candlelight vigil to commemorate those who have fought long and hard to eradicate the HIV and AIDS pandemic.  This candlelight vigil opened my eyes to the fact that this conference is not just to advocate for the rights of Africans, but the African diaspora as a whole, united community.  Yes, the history of slaves and oppression has brought us to a world where today, Blacks are still oppressed and lacking the rights to resources that can allow us to live healthy lives.  Globally, Blacks are most affected by HIV and AIDS—a clear indicator of the social injustices that perpetuate the struggle of rights obliged to the African diaspora.

• - In South Africa, 5.7 million people are living with HIV and continue to be the largest epidemic in the world.


• - In Swaziland, the adult HIV prevalence is 26%--the highest in the world. 


• - Sub-Saharan African remains the region the most heavily affected by HIV, accounting for 67% of all people living with HIV and 75% of AIDS deaths in 2007. The Carribean is the second most affected region in the world, after Africa. 


• - In the United States, the most powerful country in the world, there are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., including more than 500,000 who are Black.  Although Black Americans represent only 12% of the United States population, they account for half of AIDS cases in 2006 and 45% of new HIV infections!  

African youth stood united on World AIDS Day and proclaimed to the world on Gorree Island, “Yes, we can”. We can combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  Why, you ask? Well, we asked ourselves these questions:

If not you, then who? If not here, then where?  If not now, then when? If not Africa, then which?