By: Jennifer McMillen Smith, LISW-S, HIV Social Worker at MetroHealth Medical Center and medically reviewed by Ann K. Avery, MD, Infectious Disease Physician at MetroHealth Medical Center
National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) is coming up on October 15, 2017. It’s another great opportunity to build awareness and call folks to action when it comes to HIV’s impact on communities around the U.S. and the world!
What you need to know about NLAAD
The Latino Commission on AIDS and Hispanic Federation National created National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day in 2003 to help more people understand the risks of HIV and its effects on the Latinx community (in case you’re wondering, “Latinx” is a gender-neutral alternative to “Latino” or “Latina”).
We love NLAAD because of the great work it does in communities around the US. Here’s what NLAAD did in just one year alone (2015):
- Delivered 5,000 HIV testing kits to certified HIV testing sites across the country
- Created Facebook ads that had more than a million impressions and 11,000 clicks
- Distributed 4,000 NLAAD posters
- Aired a radio PSA to more than 250 Spanish-language radio networks with an audience of more than 11.5 million people
HIV does a lot of damage in disadvantaged communities, where folks deal with poverty, social stigma, racism, social isolation, and poor access to high-quality education and health care. It’s hard to fix all that stuff, but NLAAD is helping one step at a time.
We know it can be especially hard to talk about HIV in the Latinx community, especially if you think your family and friends will take it the wrong way. If you don’t feel comfortable talking about HIV, that’s totally cool. If you do though, we encourage you to speak up with friends, family, at work, and at school about HIV and prevention.
You can also use the #NLAAD hashtag on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Find articles that explain the risks of HIV and how to overcome stigma, depression, and other struggles, and share them.
Come join our private, stigma-free, supportive community.
Health management tools with medication & appointment reminders.
Social networking in a community conversation & private chats.
It’s all about making HIV/AIDS a thing of the past
It’s 2017 people: No one should have to deal with AIDS – the final stage of an HIV infection. Our current medications cannot cure HIV yet, but they can keep the virus under control and keep people healthy and untransmittable for many decades. We even have PrEP, a once daily pill that can prevent HIV infection in those who are currently HIV negative. All of this combined means we have the tools we need to one day bring about the end of HIV/AIDS. We hope you will join us and help that day arrive as soon as it can.
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