On Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, advocates shine a spotlight on ongoing racial disparities

Lawmakers and supporters in Illinois marked National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Tuesday to draw attention to the disproportionate impact of the disease on black communities.

“It’s important that we commemorate it or talk about it on February 7 so we can start a discussion with all public health providers across the state to understand that this is a public health crisis. ‘ said State Senator Mike Simmons. D-Chicago. “We cannot continue to lose black lives to HIV/AIDS.”

Simmons and other members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus have joined members of the Black Leadership Advocacy Coalition for Healthcare Equity (BLACHE). BLACHE is a coalition of Black-led organizations working to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS in the Black community. Lawmakers and supporters urged states to invest more money in organizations that treat disease in communities of color.

Advocates have drawn attention to the fact that blacks make up a disproportionate number of new HIV diagnoses. data Blacks made up 52.1% of HIV diagnoses in Illinois, despite making up about 15% of the population in 2020, according to AIDSVu, an interactive data tool published by the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. .

“Today, there are many white-led organizations hosting celebrations. They are celebrating black lives, it’s true. CEO Creola Kizart Hampton said at a press conference. “But this is a solemn day for the black community, so we must approach this with a solemn attitude.”

They also called for increased investment in the 2006 legislation known as the African American HIV/AIDS Response Act. The legislation created a fund to specifically address the disproportionate impact of the disease on the black community.

But the law hasn’t done much to address the disparity, Simmons said, with the Illinois Comptroller’s State Funds database showing about $4.2 million outstanding as of Thursday. I was.

“So we are not moving the needle on this pandemic in the black community. Today we have to admit it,” Simmons said.

Less than a third of the Illinois Department of Public Health’s total HIV services budget was used for grants last year, or about $29.6 million, while black-led organizations spent $2.5 million, or about $2.5 million, on grants. Received about 8%. fundraising last year.

Funded primarily by the federal government, the budget includes $70 million to be allocated for needed services, such as rapid test kits and professional service contracts to be distributed to subsidized agencies. .

At the press conference, BLACHE representatives included leaders of various Black-led organizations aimed at HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. They all said they had applied for grants from the program but had been denied over the years.

Last September, Hampton said he met with IDPH representatives to discuss HIV/AIDS funding for Black-led organizations and was questioned about potential reasons for funding gaps.

“Well, maybe they haven’t applied for it. Or maybe they don’t qualify for it. Or maybe there aren’t enough Black-led organizations that know about it.” Maybe they don’t have the grant writers they need, maybe they don’t – there’s a reason, there’s an excuse.

Rep. Justin Slaughter (D, Chicago) compared the HIV/AIDS data points to the larger issues facing the black community.

“This reflects the position of blacks in the Department of Corrections’ prison system. Right down to the tee,” Slaughter said.

according to Illinois Department of CorrectionsIn 2020, blacks made up 53% of the state’s prison population, even though they make up about 15% of the state’s general population.

“We are here to bring these initiatives to life and take this to the next level in terms of bringing resources to ground level in our communities and neighborhoods,” he added. rice field.

Hampton said organizations would focus on prevention if they had the money. This includes his PrEP, a drug used to reduce an individual’s chance of contracting HIV. In addition, Hampton said we need to make sure people living with HIV are taking the necessary medications to avoid sexual transmission.

“So we have free medicine available to our community, many of whom are unaware of it,” Hampton said.

Due to the lack of awareness that comes with minimal funding, a large portion of the black community is unaware of the steps they can take to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, Hampton said.

But Rep. Camille Lilly of the Chicago Democratic Party was the main sponsor of the big campaign. medical reform bill Passed in 2021, it says HIV/AIDS is just one of the health disparities facing black communities in Illinois.

“Many of us are dying of AIDS, but we are also dying of many other diseases because of health disparities,” Lilly said. We have no housing, we have no health care.”

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