This post comes to us from Hilary Shelton, Director of the NAACP Washington Bureau / Vice President for Advocacy:
HIV / AIDS has affected all of us. Being a child in the 60’s and 70’s, I often liken the struggle against HIV /AIDS to the Vietnam War: For almost everyone in my generation, we all knew and probably loved someone who served or tragically lost their lives serving our Nation in Southeast Asia. Likewise, today almost everyone, regardless of where they live or what race or ethnicity they might be, knows at least one person who is struggling with or who has lost their battle with AIDS.
To honor those who have fought or are fighting HIV / AIDS firsthand, we must each do all we can to stop the spread of AIDS, and work towards its eradication. On a personal level, we should be mindful of our behavior and we should get tested. On a larger scale, we should urge all of the governments on the globe, including governments in the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, and others to fully use every armament in their arsenal to aggressively fight the battle against the spread of HIV / AIDS and support research to find a cure. Whether it is condom distribution, urging companies to provide free or low-price medicines to those already infected, provide basic education to their population, or the full funding of syringe exchange programs, governments must do more for their people.
Here in the United States, for more than two decades, our country has been fighting the AIDS epidemic with one hand tied behind our back. Finally, in an effort to dramatically improve our government’s response to the HIV / AIDS epidemic, Congress may lift the ban on federal funding for Syringe Exchange Programs, (SEPs). Sadly, it may also impose near-draconian limitations on SEPs that will defeat many of the gains made by the repeal.
The “1,000-foot rule” puts ideology ahead of science and limits local authorities’ ability to create “common sense” effective programs. The CDC, the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization concur that needle-exchange programs reduce the spread of HIV without increasing illegal drug use.
The NAACP is calling on Members of Congress to lift the federal ban on the use of federal funds for syringe exchange programs and not to impose the unworkable and short-sighted “1000-foot rule”.
As an organization dedicated to social justice and equity, the NAACP is very concerned that HIV/AIDS continues to be a serious health challenge, particularly among African Americans. Although we comprise 12.7% of the U.S. population African Americans are 45% of the 56,300 people who are newly infected with HIV each year, 50% of those living with AIDS and 50% of those who die from AIDS each year. Injection drug use is one of the most common methods of HIV transmission among both Black men and women. Cumulatively, up to 40% of reported AIDS cases among Black males and 47% of reported AIDS cases among Black females are attributed directly to injection drug use or having sex with a partner who is an injection drug user.
If this country is serious about ending the AIDS epidemic, we must use all of the tools available to us. Syringe exchange works, but not with the newly proposed restrictions.
Congress must provide local officials the resources to address their HIV epidemics, strike the ban on federal funding and reject the 1,000-foot rule. We can and must do better.
This past weekend the NAACP state conference was held in Manhattan Beach. Celebrating its 100 year anniversary of ensuring social equality for African Americans and all who have faced social injustices, the NAACP pressed forward with an exciting theme: “Reflections of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” Founded in 1909 in New York City by a group of black and white citizens committed to social justice, the National Associate for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s largest and strongest civil rights organization. Today the NAACP is a network of more than 2,200 affiliates covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Japan and Germany. The California State NAACP boasts 72 branches and youth units mobilized across the state to help ensure racial justice and equality.
Zephanii Smith, NAACP Youth and College Division President, invited ONE to contribute to their “CODE RED” program targeting young adults. The program featured organizations speaking to young Americans about local and global HIV/Aids. A group called “Positive Secrets” highlighted the event with a series of skits, written and directed by Melanie Curtis Andrews. The self titled play was inspired by true stories of HIV positive Americans before, during and after their HIV positive diagnosis. Through a medley of song and dance, the troop mesmerized the young audience while providing a simple message: get tested often and protect yourself always.
ONE’s message built upon this incredible performance by asking the audience to expand their knowledge of the same disease beyond their own neighborhoods. Twenty-two million Africans suffer from HIV/Aids, and while PEPFAR helped raised the number of treated patients from 50,000 to over 3 million, there are still many more people who need antiretroviral medication immediately. The young adults received ONE bands, signed up for ONE via text message, and were encouraged to visit our site to learn more about what ONE members do to advocate on behalf of others around the world.
I want to thank Zephanii Smith for recognizing the battle against HIV/Aids, while an imperative fight here at home, extends beyond our borders. With our invitation, Zephanii expressed the important role global education plays in protecting ourselves, as well as our local and global community. Make sure to check out the clip of Zephanii and other attendees.
I recently had the incredible experience of attending the Centennial NAACP Convention. Although we had planned for our staff member in Abuja, Nigeria to be teleconferenced in as a panelist for the Youth Night meeting entitled, “Not on Our Watch,” her audio wasn’t coming in strong, so they asked me to step in at the last minute as a panelist. Fortunately, I had prepared for this circumstance, but as they slipped a microphone over my ear, the full magnitude of the experience hit me.
During the NAACP’s 100 year history, it has helped to achieve tremendous gains in ensuring political, educational, social and economic rights for all Americans. While speaking to a crowd of 1,500 of the most politically engaged youth in America, I highlighted how today’s youth activists are working together to heighten awareness of extreme poverty and preventable disease on a global scale. All of the panelists spoke about how youth can play an instrumental role in tackling today’s issues and challenges by learning more, educating their friends and neighbors, and communicating with their elected officials.
It was truly an honor to speak before so many dedicated community leaders. The historic proportions of that night made me wonder what achievements another group of like-minded activists would be celebrating in another hundred years.
Right now, I’m on my way to New York City to attend the Centennial NAACP Convention. Tonight, ONE’s Edith Jibunoh, who works on the ground in Nigeria, will participate as a panelist in their Youth Night meeting entitled, “Not on Our Watch.”
The event, which takes place at 6:30 pm EST, will highlight how today’s youth activists are working together around global causes to heighten awareness of problems around the world. The conversation will focus on extreme poverty, genocide in Africa, and the green movement. Participants will also learn about ways that youths around the world are getting involved in these issues and how they can tackle these problems. I’ll let you know how it all goes later, but you can catch it all on a live webcast!
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This post comes to us from Hilary Shelton, Director of the 
