Leaders and community activists create strategy to combat HIV/AIDS in African-Americans

Dec 10 2009

African-American political leaders, union members, ministers and community activists are meeting Monday, December 14th to create and implement a strategy to combat the deadly HIV/AIDS virus in the African-American Community.

"Detroit is leading the nation in murders, STDs, unwed mothers, unemployment, and foreclosures," said the Rev. Horace Sheffield III, National Board Member and Michigan Chapter President, National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS of Detroit. "Now we are dealing with the greatest plague of all: HIV/AIDS. If we don't address this issue now, we are going to continue to lose promising young minds that would have made great contributions to this community."

The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS in Detroit is hosting the Legislative Breakfast Briefing on H.R. 1964 National HIV/AIDS Elimination Act. It starts at 8:30 a.m. in the Labor Local 1191 Union Hall located at 2161 W. Grand BLVD near Lawton.

Rev. Sheffield said the clergy initiated health bill that is now pending in the U.S. Congress "is an important piece of legislation that would bring much needed help to African-American Communities across the country and create parity in funding between those affected and targeted dollars for prevention and treatment. We need to write and call our Michigan Congressional Delegation to ask them to support H.R. 1964, National HIV/AIDS Elimination Act. AIDS is here, And it's not going away."

SOURCE National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS