We are live-tweeting from the conference (@RedPumpProj), as well as sharing video and photo content on both the blog and our Facebook page. We might even place some things on our Tumblr. Stay tuned for those updates!

The hashtag for the conference is #2011NHPC.

The post Red Pump at NHPC. Day 2 Coverage appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

We are live-tweeting from the conference (@RedPumpProj), as well as sharing video and photo content on both the blog and our Facebook page. We might even place some things on our Tumblr. Stay tuned for those updates!

The hashtag for the conference is #2011NHPC.

The post Red Pump at NHPC 2011. Our Live-Tweets Coverage of Day 1 appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

Next week, we will be in Atlanta attending the National HIV Prevention Conference. Not only will we be attending various sessions, we are presenting in one. This year’s conference will have a great focus on social media and our presentation is in line with this theme. Our presentation “Rock the Red Pump: Mobilizing Online Communities Around National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day” will give attendees a look at how we (and you) are using the Internet to make a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Our agenda is filling rather quickly for the conference and we’re looking forward to finally connecting (in real life) with some of our allies at the CDC and other nonprofit agencies. Speaking of meeting people…If you are in one of our ATL supporters, please send us a note. We’d love to meet up with you while we’re in town!

We will be live-tweeting from the conference (@RedPumpProj), as well as sharing video and photo content on both the blog and our Facebook page. We might even place some things on our Tumblr. Stay tuned for those updates!

The post Red Pump Presenting at National HIV Prevention Conference appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

P.S. If you’d like to submit a post to be featured on The Red Pump Project’s blog, please email to info@theredpumpproject.com. We want to hear your voices pertaining to HIV/AIDS; it’s impact, your personal connection to it, or Why you “Rock the Red Pump.”

1 in 22 Black People Will Contract HIV. That’s Why I Cried. by Kimberly R. Moore

On October 14, 2010 the Center for Disease Control  (CDC) released an HIV Risk Survey that stated “1 in 22 African Americans will become infected with HIV in their lifetime.” This is more than twice the risk of Latinos and eight times the risk of whites. As an African American woman I take this personally, and to say I am mad is an understatement. Upon hearing this statistic, I went on a twitter rant expressing my disgust for this newfound information. Never had I experienced the phrase “made my blood boil” until I came across this article. Granted, it’s no surprise that African Americans are once again at the height of this epidemic but it’s a little unsettling when you can put this new statistic into perspective. I have a social circle of 22 African American friends which means one of them could become infected with HIV and this does not sit well with me.

The more I went on my twitter rant, tears began to fall down my face. I cried, and I cried. I cried because I have seen many die from a disease that is preventable. I can recall watching one of my African American clients as she was dying, going to the hospital day after day seeing how HIV had ravaged her body. It was three of us (all service providers) that cared for her while she was dying. We changed her bedding, changed her hospital clothing, fed her, braided her hair and sang to her as nurses passed by asking us to do their job because they were afraid to touch her, yes – even in 2010. My heart broke each and every day we went into the hospital watching her long for family – family that would never come. I remember talking with her about her final wishes and not being able to understand what she wanted because her throat was completely swollen due to yeast (one of HIV/AIDS’ many effects). When she passed I was, in a sense, grateful. I was tired of seeing her hurt, tired of seeing the LACK of treatment, tired of seeing the LACK of compassion!

I am always telling people that you’re not mad until you’re mad enough to want to act! Well I’ve been mad for a while, but I’m hoping at this point that you too, are mad!

Why should we sit around and watch our fellow brothers and sisters continue to succumb to a disease that can be prevented?

Why should we have some of the worst statistics for HIV?

I didn’t fall into this line of work by happenstance. I know without a doubt I was called by God to do this and I will not stop until He calls me home. What I am asking now is, will you join me? We should be screaming HIV prevention from the mountain top. It does not take money for individuals to talk about HIV prevention. If you have any type of social network (FB, twitter, blog, tumblr, website etc) you are capable of spreading the message. We cannot continue acting like everyone is waiting until after they are married to engage in sexual intercourse. People ARE having sex! The least we can do is give them the tools they need to protect themselves! Tell the ones you love about HIV, knowledge will never be more powerful!

Black IS beautiful, but it’s not beautiful if it’s extinct!

About Kim Moore

Kimberly R. Moore is a motivational speaker and currently in school to obtain a certification as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. She works at Christie’s Place, a non-profit social support center for Women, Children and Families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Kim also sits on the Board of Directors as Vice President for the Kemet Coalition, a non-profit organization of HIV Service providers committed to addressing the disproportionate prevalence of HIV/AIDS in African Americans throughout San Diego County. Kim has been working in the Social Service field for five years and has spoken both locally and nationally at conferences, high schools and college campuses. When asked about her public speaking engagements, Kim says, “I seek to instill a sense of pride and ownership in who we are as a people and encourage social change.”

Edit: We made a correction to the title, which was erroneously “1 in 22 Black Women Will Contract HIV.” It was corrected to “1 in 22 Black People Will Contract HIV”

The post 1 in 22 Black People Will Contract HIV. That’s Why I Cried. appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

According to the CDC the awards target at-risk groups such as African Americans, Latinos, gay and bisexual men, and injection drug users. Jonathan Mermin, CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention Director, stated “This funding is a critical part of CDC’s national HIV prevention efforts and is in line with the priorities identified in the recently released National HIV/AIDS Strategy.”

Organizations selected for the grants will receive on average $323,000 per year, for a total of five years. Funding will be used to create HIV prevention programs, increase HIV testing and knowledge of status in high risk communities, and to assist in monitoring program effects and behavioral outcomes.

You can check out the full list of organizations awarded grants, here.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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