U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), spoke in support of AIDS testing, and the effect of AIDS on the African-American community on Sept. 25.
Photo by Lisa Chiu

By LISA CHIU

African-American leaders have issued a national call to action to end the AIDS epidemic in Black America.

Black Americans bear the greatest burden of AIDS in the nation, said Phill Wilson, executive director of the Black AIDS Institute.

Wilson’s institute released its annual report on the state of AIDS in black America on Capitol Hill recently. He was joined by members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Among the report’s findings are:

* 50 percent of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2004 were among black Americans, while whites made up 30 percent and Latinos 18 percent.

* 55 percent of newly diagnosed HIV positive cases came from the southern states, while 29 percent from northeast states, 11 percent from the Midwest and 5 percent from western states.

* 67 percent of new HIV infections in women were among black women, while white women made up 17 percent, and Latinas 13 percent.

The Institute has also pledged to test 1 million black Americans for HIV in the next 18 months culminating on World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 2008.

“I think it’s very important to get tested,” said Leilani Smith, an American University senior majoring in Spanish and public communication. “If people don’t know, they can’t inform their partners.”

Smith, who is also the vice president of the university’s Black Student Alliance, said that some people don’t want to get tested because they think as long as they don’t know, they won’t have it.

American University junior Tania Plaisimond said that the African-American community is disproportionately affected because of historical inequalities and racism which leads to poverty, less access to health care, and drug use.

U.S. delegate to Congress from the Virgin Islands, Donna Christenson, said last week that she was dismayed that the United States does not have a plan to combat AIDS among blacks.

“I come from a place where prevention of AIDS is second to sub-Saharan Africa but while they struggle for resources, they have a plan,” she said.

“This is the richest country in the world with all the resources here. It’s a shame they don’t have a plan.”