Today is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, a day to recognize the volunteers, community members, and researchers working to find a safe and effective vaccine to prevent HIV. Such a vaccine, along with existing HIV treatment and prevention strategies, would help achieve the goal of ending the HIV epidemic.
A disproportionate amount of our community is living with HIV/AIDS, and a vaccine would greatly improve our quality of life as a whole. Our siblings would not be dying slow and painful deaths from this internal monster. Although HIV is not the same death sentence that it once was, it is important that we keep fighting and moving toward the development of a vaccine and a cure.
To our family living with HIV/AIDS, you are not alone. You are supported in your fight. You are loved. Your positive status makes you no less important and valued. We are here for you if you need a hand to hold or shoulder to cry on. You are not less worthy of love and support, and you are not dirty just because you have a chronic illness.
Although we at Spectrum Diversity Community Center are not equipped to handle to specific needs of those living with HIV/AIDS, there is a nonprofit in our area that does: CANAPI (Community AIDS Network/Akron Pride Initiative). They have multiple wonderful programs in place to help the population living with HIV/AIDS as well as free testing available on Thursdays between 5p and 8p.
