By AJ Trager
One of the seven Gold Sponsors of the event, Delta, has been involved for years but became a corporate sponsor in 2009.
ROYAL OAK – Hundreds met for the 23rd Annual AIDS Walk Detroit this past weekend in downtown Royal Oak.
Over the past 23 years, AIDS Walk Detroit has raised $3.7 million to benefit HIV/AIDS services here in Michigan. This year, the organizers raised a total of $136,515 and ambitiously set a goal of mobilizing over 3,500 participants. AIDS Walk Detroit has evolved into the largest grassroots HIV/AIDS fundraiser in the state.
The Sept. 14 morning slowly turned into a mildly warm and sunny day. For some, the walk is a chance to come out in support of loved ones who have been affected. For others, the event is a chance to see how many in the community are powered up to fight the disease and end the stigma.
Tammy Boccomino is no stranger to speaking up about HIV and the harm it can cause to a household. She was there with her sister, brother-in-law and a handful of nieces and nephews.
Her son, Michael Volante, passed away in 1995 at the age of eight. He contracted the disease from her, and this year Boccomino and her family came out to honor his memory.
"All his cousins are here that never met him, and we are keeping his memory alive so that he is not forgotten," Boccomino said.
Michael loved Batman, so the entire family dressed in t-shirts and hoodies depicting the Dark Knight. They held matching signs with Michael's photograph that read "I'm walking for my cousin."
She came out in the '90s as being HIV positive and had spent many years touring Michigan giving talks in high schools and other community spaces. Boccomino was even featured on Oprah in 1992 with her dialogue titled "Close to Home: The Tammy Boccomino Story."
"The ignorance was rampant in the '90s, so I decided to do speaking no matter what, because I didn't want my son to feel embarrassed or ashamed for what he had. It's just a disease," Boccomino said.
She worries about maintaining a job and says that she has been let go in the past for what she believes as the employer finding out about her status.
"Now that I have a job, it's still hard because nowadays people will still Google you, and the first thing that pops up is what I have. It's very hard on me, because I think people still have some issues with it."
One of the seven Gold Sponsors of the event, Delta, has been involved for years but became a corporate sponsor in 2009.
"We have so many employees that are affected by the disease, so we wanted to make sure that we are supporting them. Not only here, but at work as well," B'nard Rawles, the base manager of New York, said.
It's been a cross divisional effort since 2009 and Rawles believes it's "the right thing to do."
Delta is increasing its awareness throughout the organization and continues to see growth and development. The company has Delta Cares, a support group for anybody in need, not just HIV patients. The company has a complete non-discrimination policy and brought 102 members to walk in the name of the company.
This year's sponsors included Future Help Designs, Delta, Hartland Medical Building Pharmacy, Jana Pharmacy, Crown Pharmacy and Genisys Credit Union as gold sponsors; Whole Foods as a silver sponsor; Starbucks, SEE and Westborn Market as bronze sponsors and Leon & Lulu, Beaumont, St. John Providence Health System, The Karmanos Boys and Walgreens as copper sponsors. BTL served as a media sponsor.
