Alpha Kappa Alpha Participates in Conversation on AIDS
President McKinzie touched by personal stories
Alpha Kappa Alpha's International President Barbara A. McKinzie was among an assemblage of leaders from academia, clergy, government, business, media, medical associations, national women's organizations, other sororities and civic and community groups who gathered recently in the nation's capital to demand a stronger voice for African American women in determining public policy toward HIV and AIDS.
The event, entitled "A National Conversation on Black Women and HIV/AIDS," was sponsored by the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NBCLA), whose president and CEO is C. Virginia Fields, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
According to Fields, the event's aim was to give rise to a collective voice in addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS among Black women, to develop collective strategies that will make an impact through greater collaboration and partnerships, and to mobilize leadership from among various fields the leaders represented.
"Despite the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on African American women, too often when decisions are made about policies and allocation of resources, Black women are not part of the conversation," Fields said.
"According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African American women account for an alarming 61% of new HIV infections and 64% of all American women living with AIDS as of 2006," Fields said. "Furthermore, AIDS is the leading cause of death for Black women between the ages of 25 and 34. Yet, Black women are often notably absent from public policy discussions and resource allocation decisions affecting communities of African descent nationwide."
One in every 30 Black women will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetime, Fields added. Eighty percent of newly diagnosed infections among Black women occur from heterosexual contact.
Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the federal department of Health and Human Services, succinctly summarized the situation recently: "Today, African Americans make up just over a tenth of the population. But they account for nearly half of new HIV infections. One in 30 African American women will be diagnosed in her lifetime. One in 16 African American men will be diagnosed with HIV. In 2005, the CDC reported that, in five major cities, almost half of all African American gay men were HIV-positive. The situation is also dire for Latinos.
McKinzie said the revelations that evolved from the event were eye-opening. She was particularly moved by the personal testimonies of African American women living with HIV/AIDS who shared their stories.
She said that America should be outraged and vowed to be part of a collective that would bring this situation to light. To that end, she said she would work with the organization's undergraduate members to spread the message through blogs, social networking outlets and other vehicles. She said she would also enlist the graduate chapters to assist by reaching out to young people participating in the Fashionettas.
Fields noted that the Obama administration is in the process of formulating a national policy on AIDS, and NBLCA has submitted a statement in response to the President's National Call to Action offering recommendations to reduce HIV incidence, increase access to care and health outcomes and reduce HIV-related health disparities.
McKinzie said that the crisis amounts to a form of genocide because it is "killing our future." That's why, she said, it is critical that African American women speak out.
"If we don't speak for ourselves, who will? It's crucial that we lead the charge to shine a light on this problem and to urge President Obama and our legislators to increase awareness and funding."