The United States recently hosted the 19th International AIDS Conference. As we welcomed 22,000 leaders, advocates and experts from around the world with the goal of ending HIV/AIDS, I thought it was important not to forget those living with HIV/AIDS here.
Among the 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, African Americans make up almost half of all cases, despite representing only 14 percent of the U.S. population. Women comprise 23 percent of new HIV infections in this country, and African-American women make up nearly two-thirds of these cases.
R&B legend Alicia Keys and I joined the Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network for an inspirational meeting with a community gathering of courageous black women living with HIV/AIDS. Our goal was to lift their stories up to provide insight and guidance for our efforts to end HIV/AIDS here at home.
Every day, I carry with me the pain of watching the excruciating death of my sister-in-law, Julie, 18 years ago. Julie went for months without being properly diagnosed because it simply never occurred to her doctor to check for HIV. By the time she was diagnosed, it was too late. Julie left behind a devastated husband and a five-year-old daughter, Tracy. Tracy, who is now all grown up, accompanied me to the gathering.
We heard from Dr. Adaora Adimora, Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, about the many social and economic factors that place African Americans at greater risk for HIV infection.
Next, Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, an infectious disease physician, moderated a panel of five African-American women all living with HIV. Their willingness to be open and candid about deeply personal experiences was truly amazing. They spoke about confronting and overcoming the stigma and discrimination associated with being HIV-positive, yet none of the women allowed HIV to define them.
They revealed how and when they disclose their status and the impact doing so had on others. They reflected on dating and relationships, self-esteem, the importance of faith and their ever-growing empowerment as women in the face of adversity.
They each emphasized the importance of HIV testing, and discussed their struggles to accept and embrace the need for life-extending treatment becoming a part of their daily routine. And they all spoke of being nurtured and strengthened by other women.
It is exactly this sort of community mobilization that is starting to help us turn the tide against the HIV epidemic here in D.C., where no infants have been born with HIV since 2009. Due to expanded testing efforts, people are being diagnosed with HIV earlier in the course of the infection, meaning they can take steps sooner to protect their health and the health of others.
The women were thrilled to meet Alicia Keys, who was deeply moved by their stories and committed to add her powerful international voice to the epidemic here in the U.S. Alicia and I intended to lift up the women. But really, their strength lifted us up.
Valerie Jarrett is a senior advisor and assistant to President Obama.
