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National notables talk HIV/AIDS at ACLU Dinner

by Jessica Carreras

Though the ACLU of Michigan's annual dinner did not focus on the problems associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, two of the night's honored guests, Arcus Foundation Executive Director Urvashi Vaid and entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte, had much to say about the epidemic, World AIDS Day and what America – and the world – needs to do to make the disease history.
Vaid heads up the Arcus Foundation, which provides funding to support the LGBT rights movement. One of their up-and-coming areas of work focuses on the LGBT community of color, which boasts one of the highest rates of increase of new HIV cases.
"We really need so much more focus and attention to doing education and continuing to do education with young people around risks of transmission and the importance of engaging in protected sexual behavior," Vaid said of the LGBT black community. "We need to do education to all populations of all ages."
Vaid also stressed the importance of combating stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. "There is no need for stigma and shame to be associated with this disease. It is a virus. It is in the population," she said. "The stigma that is associated with HIV…comes from the stigmatization that people feel about being identified, when they identify as gay or same sex gender loving. It comes from stigmatization, sometimes, from people who are sharing needles and so on."
As for the work being done, Vaid praised HIV/AIDS organizations, but was quick to note that the work to stop the epidemic nationally and abroad is not over. "I think a lot of the HIV work that has been done has been to sort of bring it out into the public discourse, and we have wonderful organizations in this state that have been working tirelessly," Vaid said. "But the epidemic is not over. It's not over globally – women, children, all kinds of people are hugely affected and the issues in the United States and globally are education, prevention, treatment and access."
Belafonte, who has worked with HIV/AIDS overseas through his Harry and Julie Belafonte Fund for HIV/AIDS and serves on the board of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, echoed Vaid's sentiments.
"Doing so much work abroad, I'm aware of how the pandemic is reaching a higher level." Belafonte said. "There's a lot of people out here suffering deeply and I think, to a certain extent, some individuals as well as institutions have taken charge of keeping vigilance alive."
However, Belafonte also noted that the need to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS is crucial. "I wish we had more focus and we were far more vocal on the subject than we have been," he admitted. "We've done some things and I think the administration, which we are all joyously watching depart, cannot be faltered on the fact that it did focus a lot in Africa on HIV/AIDS and did some good stuff.
"But we still have a lot to do."
Both Vaid and Belafonte mentioned the importance of World AIDS Day to spread messages of awareness and to let the world know that HIV/AIDS still kills.
"I think World AIDS Day is a moment to remind us that the work continues," Vaid reflected. "What's wonderful about it is that there are so many people working globally to try to bring about a day when there is an end to AIDS."
Still, Belafonte criticized the lack of local, national and international response to the issue. "I think we should have AIDS Day Year. That might be more appropriate because that's how large the problem is," he said. "But I think we have to just keep the faith and keep plugging at it. I watched a lot of friends and a lot of people die and it's not pleasant, nor is it necessary if we just were more committed to making sure that citizens are conscious of the subject."

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