Center On: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day — Stay the course, the fight is not over
Health Educators at Center on Halsted are empowering communities disproportionally affected by HIV/AIDS. Liz Simmons, Health Educator at Center on Halsted shares, “Black people have higher rates of new HIV infections and account for a higher proportion of folks living with HIV. The Center’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7 educates people in our community about HIV and mobilizes them to know their status by getting tested.“
Center on Halsted continues to advance HIV prevention and treatment and joined forces with National Black AIDS Day. On February 7, the Center’s Walk-in-Wednesday hours for free HIV testing extended from the evening hours of 4–8pm to the full day and evening hours of 9:15am-8pm. “This day serves as a reminder to black folks that HIV is still present in our community, but we have the ability to stop HIV, to Get to Zero, 365 days a year,” Liz adds with full-fledged commitment.
What motivates you to be a Health Educator at Center on Halsted?
“People in my community are still afraid to get tested and the ongoing socioeconomic factors contribute to our increased HIV rates, along with issues such as stigma and homophobia. Doing what I do is my contribution to breaking down the barriers that prevent us from accessing quality health care. Empowering others through education empowers me to be an advocate for sexual health.”
You mentioned Center on Halsted provides the ability to “Get to Zero” 365 days a year. How do we access those services?
- Text: “Get2Zero” to 797979
- Call: 1–800-AID-AIDS / 1–800–243–2437
- Website: Free HIV Tests as a Walk-in or as an Appointment Monday through Sunday
How would you like Black LGBTQ History to remember HIV/AIDS years 2017–2027?
“I would love to look back and see how mobilizing and empowering one community, the black community, by informing themselves about HIV and getting tested, resulted in all communities ‘Getting to Zero’ together.”
Please donate today to support our work to Get to Zero.
