This entry is a part of our World AIDS Day Blogathon.  During this week we share our experiences, stories, and ideas about how HIV affects young people around the world. Join the blogathon .




Today, December 1, 2009 is World AIDS Day, a day of rememberance, hope and most of all ACTIVISM.

This is a day where we all must stand together and fight against this disease that is decimating and brutalizing some of our most vulnerable populations. I know that here in the US it is sometimes easy to forget about HIV/AIDS but let us all use this day as a way to remember about this very important issue. HIV is still prevalent in the US and yes certain communities in the US have higher rates of HIV than some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.


Though we typically associate HIV/AIDS with Sub-Saharan Africa, India and Haiti, HIV is still quite prevalent in certain communities here in the US. Washington, DC has a similar HIV/AIDS rate to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa like Uganda. The rural and southern United States are currently being hit hard by this epidemic. The US prison population is another area where HIV rates are almost double what they are out side of prison. Men who have sex with men are still vulnerable to this disease and we must not let our guard down, because HIV did not dissapear from the American gay community in the 1990s, it is still a problem even today.  Blacks and Latinos, men and women, should continue to have protected sex as the rates of HIV/AIDS in these populations have also skyrocketed.

As we can see, we still have alot of work to do with addressing HIV/AIDS here in the United States so we should make sure not to forget our silent HIV/AIDS epidemic. And as the video shows, yes it is possible to live a reasonably vibrant life while HIV positive and that all HIV positive people should be suported without stigma. However, HIV is not a curable disease and anti-retroviral treatment does have side effects. So it is a best idea to practice safe sex and avoid HIV/AIDS. So yes, HIV/AIDS in the US is still a problem but there is lots that you can do to help. You can volunteer for free HIV testing and counseling, host HIV/AIDS and sexual health awareness events on your campus, support critical research, you can volunteer with HIV/AIDS patients, you can work on community outreach- there are plenty of organizations out there that could use your help! 

This however is not to say that low-income countries with high HIV/AIDS rates do not need our help as well.  HIV/AIDS has devastated many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and particularly in Southern Africa.There are some communities in Botswana where half of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS. Let us also not forget that HIV is currently undergoing a rapid feminization where more women are becoming infected and in certain areas there are more women infected then men. Also there was the new study that came out this year announcing that HIV/AIDS is now the number one killer of women worldwide. These people need our support and there are many ways to help through large donations, purchasing (RED) products or volunteering our time or skills. Everything makes a difference.


So I urge you to take this time not only to reflect about HIV/AIDS as a huge problem both here in the US and abroad but also think in terms of solutions. How can you make a difference in this issue? 

TAKE ACTION:
 Check out the World AIDS Day 2009 website - there is a wealth of information AND ways to get involved there: