In
the midst of the 19th International AIDS Conference, and in light of
all the new developments and technologies in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment,
and advocacy, SisterLove, Incorporated stands in a definite celebratory spirit.
And today, we celebrate yet another milestone…23 years of providing HIV
prevention, education, and advocacy services for women of color!
At
today’s conference plenary session I had the pleasure of listening to the beautiful
and poignant Linda Scruggs, one of SisterLove’s own 20/20 Leading
Women’s Society Members and Honorees. She addressed the subject “Making
Women Count: A Comprehensive Agenda.” This phenomenal HIV positive woman
addressed a room of over 7,000 researchers, community workers, scientists, and
lay health workers from across the globe by saying, “Today I stand here to give
you some directions. As women we are going to stop asking for you to include us.
We figured that maybe you just need the recipe.” And a recipe she did give. She
spoke about the need for women to be included on both the community level and
the corporate level, in research and in dissemination. “If we are going turn
the tide on HIV, we need to accurately include all women.”
Indeed,
30 years into the epidemic we still have to drive the conversation around the
absolute inclusion of women, especially women of color, in the movement to
eradicate HIV/AIDS throughout the globe. We have to actively engage researchers
in remembering to include women of color when talking about Pre-Exposure
Prophylaxis (PreP) and other clinical treatments. We must support the critical
work of campaigns such as the 30 for 30 to ensure that a minimum of 30% of the national
resources for HIV/AIDS are given to organizations that directly serve women. We
have to rally at the local, regional, and national level to ensure that
policies and plans such as the National AIDS Strategy directly include women.
Linda
Scruggs made such an important point today at the close of her speech: “We
don’t have another 30 years. As women, we don’t need another 30 years. We need
you to act now.” I couldn’t agree more. There is no time like the present.
I’m
an action oriented person. I typically need to follow a plan of action to move
from one space to another. So on this, SisterLove’s 23rd anniversary,
I would like to call you, my brothers, my sisters, and my fellow community
members to full action TODAY. First action item: Know Your Own Status and Love Responsibly. At this stage in the
game it is imperative that we take personal responsibility for ourselves and
the individuals we are choosing to have sex with. Protect yourself. Protect
them. Second action item: Educate
yourself and your circle on the new
policies, treatments, and research in HIV/AIDS. There are a number of new
findings that have come out in 2012 alone regarding new treatment, new
interventions, treatment as prevention, and strategies that are working to
reduce the incidence and prevalence of HIV throughout the world. HIV is a real
issue. HIV is a community issue. HIV is a human rights issue. We can no longer
sit idle on the side lines pretending that we are not affected. If you are
living, breathing and reading this message, you are affected. Third action
item: Get DIRECTLY involved! I know
it’s a busy time for many. We have the kids, the husband, the wife, the job,
and the social life. We don’t have time to get involved in community issues. At
this point, we just cannot afford not be involved. You can volunteer with your
local AIDS service organization. You can talk to your partner, your mother,
your father, and your children about HIV/AIDS and the need for testing. You can
DONATE money to
organizations such as SisterLove to make sure that our mission continues to be
fulfilled. You can walk up to an HIV positive person and give them a big hug
because we still live in a world that has stigmatized both men and women living
with HIV/AIDS.
Throughout
the conference we have been talking about the possibilities of 2012 being the
beginning of the end of HIV. I’m not completely sold on that idea, but I do
know that we have made great strides. What I do believe is that if we are going
to get to the end of HIV, must include ideas, strategies, plans, and resources
that directly include women of color in every nook and cranny of this pandemic.
And with 23 years under its belt, SisterLove is in a perfect position to
continue to lead these efforts.
Congratulations
to us all for the strides we have made. Continue to do your part.
Omi
Omisegun Pennick
SisterLove,Inc
Twitter Handle: @Omisegun
