The Red Pump Award is awarded annually to exceptional leaders doing productive and meaningful work for HIV/AIDS education and who have made substantial contributions to the community through their work. Candidates for the Red Pump Award must be residents of the Greater Charlotte Metropolitan area and should have demonstrated outstanding leadership and accomplishment in meeting the following selection criteria:

Must be a female activist in the HIV/AIDS community.

Cannot be a previous Red Pump Award recipient.

Must have a minimum of three continuous years of prevention and awareness efforts which strive to meet the challenges of HIV/AIDS and the issues surrounding it.

Past honorees include:

2009- DeVondia Roseborough is the author of “Put it on Paper,” a nonfiction memoir describing her life before HIV and after AIDS, and founder of The Rasberrirose Foundation, a 501c (3) nonprofit organization whose focus is to minister to teenage girls aged 10-18, struggling from self-esteem, with a focus on HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness.

2010- Dee Dee Richardson who serves as the Prevention for Positives Coordinator for Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) and is a formidable AIDS Activist in the Charlotte community. Richardson’s story is one of true triumph and inspiration.

2011- Joanne Stevenson Jenkins works with Hope Haven and The Women’s Well, A Support Group for Women Living with HIV. Jenkins has served for more than 30 years in the field of substance abuse treatment and prevention, domestic violence and care of the chronically impoverished and homeless communities.

The Red Pump Award celebrates a prominent female leader in the Charlotte community for her individual efforts to raise HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness. The winner will be announced at the 4th Annual Red Pump/Red Tie Affair on December 1, 2012, which is World AIDS Day.

The Red Pump/Red Tie Affair is a signature event for The Red Pump Project to help further its mission to raise awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. A portion of the proceeds from the 2012 Red Pump/Red Tie Affair will be donated to The Trinity Project, a program of Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) for all of the great work they do in the community.

The Red Pump/Red Tie Affair is on December 1, 2012 from 7-10pm at the Levine Museum of the New South (200 East Seventh Street, Charlotte, NC 28202). To purchase tickets for the Affair, go to the Red Pump/Red Tie Affair eventbrite page.

For detailed nomination instructions for this award and further information about the event, please email us at redpumpcharlotte@redpump.org. For media inquiries and interview requests, call 704.261.5290 or email Jameka@jswmediagroup.com.    

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The Affair is a benefit gala, held annually on World AIDS Day, that effectively fuses fashion and philanthropy. The primary goal of this event is to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among women. The affair also honors a prominent female leader in the community for her individual efforts to raise awareness and education with the coveted “Red Pump” Award. The affair will include live entertainment, a silent auction, runway show and more.

The Beneficiary– This year’s gala will provide monetary support to The Trinity Project, a program of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN).

This event is for everyone who understands that “Awareness is Always in Style!” We’d like to welcome guests from all over the country to join us for an evening of fashionable philanthropy in the great city of Charlotte, NC, where old school southern charm and hospitality meets modern chic and urban sophistication. This will be the most stylish cocktail party of the season–and all for a great cause!

So join us for a fantastic evening! Ladies, ROCK YOUR RED PUMPS®! Gentlemen, ROCK YOUR RED TIES!

Tickets are $25 regular and $50 for VIP. Purchase your tickets now at http://2012redpumpredtieaffair.eventbrite.com and get a special discount (offer ends Oct. 15). Click here for more information and tickets. Interested in sponsorship or vending opportunities? Email Jameka Whitten at Jameka@redpump.org.

Photo Credit: Jon Strayhorn/Media Arts Collective

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 About The Red Pump Project™

The Red Pump Project™ raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. Our mission is to promote HIV prevention through education, and open dialogue about the issues that surround sexual and reproductive health. We do work online and on the ground to motivate action and encourage dialogue about the effects of the disease.

Founded in March 2009 by Luvvie Ajayi and Karyn Watkins, Red Pump believes that if HIV affects one, it affects us all. We use the red shoe as a symbol of empowerment to represent the strength and courage of women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The incorporation of fashion into the message of HIV prevention is our contribution as we hope to show that Awareness is Always in Style!™ www.theredpumpproject.org

About JSW Media Group

JSW Media Group is dedicated to providing the most personalized, professional and creative consultation services. We specialize in assisting individuals, small businesses and non-profit organizations with all of their communication, marketing and public relations needs. We are a full service brand management company. www.jswmediagroup.com.

The post The 3rd Annual Red Pump/Red Tie Affair Was a Success! appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

Today is World AIDS Day and The Red Pump Project proudly supports the work being done both in the United States and on a global scale to end this epidemic. As an organization raising awareness about the disease’s impact on women and girls, there is no way that we can ignore what is happening worldwide – particularly in developing countries. Too often, we as Americans question why it seems that developing countries garner more attention and funding than domestic programs. We can’t allow ourselves to get caught up in that debate. In the time that we spend arguing, another child is being born to a HIV-positive mother, another young girl is being exposed to unsafe sex practices, and a mother is passing away leaving her HIV-positive children behind.

Those women and girls are thousands of miles away but their stories are our stories. We must tell those stories, carry them with us, and use them to fight each and every day. As Dr. King famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Here are some Global Facts about HIV/AIDS:

• More than 370,000 children are infected with HIV each year and the estimated number of children living with HIV increased to 2.5 million.
• UNAIDS estimates that there were 33.3 million people living with HIV at the end of 2009, a 27% increase over 1999.
• Women represent 52% of those living with HIV worldwide.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, there were 22.5 million individuals living with HIV/AIDS, representing 68% of the global total.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, the estimated 1.3 million people who died of HIV-related comprised 72% of the global total of 1.8 million deaths attributable to the epidemic.

While these numbers seem daunting, there is actually progress being made due to commitment from global leaders, non-governmental organizations (i.e. UNAIDS, The Global Fund, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), and companies and businesses worldwide.

Thank you to all who continue to educate, research, test, treat, and fight. Your work inspires us and hopefully we will soon see the end of AIDS!

Luvvie and Karyn

Co-Founders, The Red Pump Project

The post An Open Letter in Recognition of World AIDS Day appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

This is year’s theme is “Sexy, Stylish and Safe” and will include a fashion show, Red Pump Award ceremony (honoring a community activist), live music and entertainment and gourmet fare courtesy of Celebrity Chef Jay Jones, Executive Chef of Chateau Noir, LLC.

The evening will be hosted by T. Strong (StyleMayvin.com, Fox Charlotte, Creative Loafing, Paper Dolls Radio), V101.9 Radio Personality Chirl Girl and Emmy-award winning spoken word artist Bluz.  Power 98’s DJ Yasmin Young will provide the soundtrack for the evening along with a live performance from Charlotte’s newest soul band, Soulful Descent. We also have several very special invited guests.  An event to remember—and not to be missed.

This year, one of The Red Pump Project founders, Luvvie Ajayi, will also be in attendance!

So join us for The Red Pump/Red Tie Affair in Charlotte on December 1, 2011!

Event Details

When: 12.01.11
Where: The Harvey B. Gantt Center at Levine Center for the Arts (551 South Tryon Street)
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Attire: Cocktail attire requested. Red pumps and Red ties are highly encouraged.

Tickets are $35 for regular, $55 for VIP. Get them at: http://2011redpumpredtieaffair.eventbrite.com

If you have any questions, email us at Redpumpcharlotte at redpump.org

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Shoe Show is Red Pump Dallas’ annual shoe design/decorating competition and reception in honor of World AIDS Day. The purpose of the event is to display creative talent while meeting the need for increased attention to HIV/AIDS awareness, education and prevention efforts in our community!

Contestants buy an ordinary pair of shoes (any type) and decorate them with whatever their imagination can bring to life. The shoes are turned in to one week before Shoe Show and displayed at the reception to be voted on by Shoe Show attendees. During the voting process, attendees enjoy live performances and entertainment, art, vendors, networking, light food and beverages and FREE HIV testing.

The designer of the shoes with the most votes wins a grand prize (to be determined)! Once a winner is selected, one vote will be drawn at random and patrons will have a chance to WIN the shoe they voted for!

Participation in the contest is free, but the winner is chosen by popular vote, so contestants are encouraged to invite family and friends.

This year’s Shoe Show will be on Friday, December 2, 2011 from 8-11pm at Studio Ninety Two (3720 Canton St, Dallas, TX 75202). Tickets are $10, and can be purchased HERE.

Proceeds will benefit The Red Pump Project and The AFIYA Center.

Rock your red pumps or red tie to show your support!

To participate in Shoe Show 2011 please email RedPumpDALLAS@redpump.org!

To attend, get tickets at http://shoeshow2011.eventbrite.com

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On December 3, 2010, The Red Pump Project partnered with Rush University Medical Center Section of Infectious Diseases to host “Behind The RED Curtains: Monologues on HIV” in celebration of World AIDS Day. As many of you may know, World AIDS Day was established in 1988 by The World Health Organization in hopes of raising awareness and encouraging everyone to be responsible, be protected and get tested. Red Pump and Rush Medical Center united this past Friday to do our part for World AIDS day and bring the community together to for the night at the very nice and cozy Room 43 located in Chicago’s Bronzeville area to educate, entertain, and motivate men and about the importance of being aware.

The night began with a delightful reception hour that provided time to mix and mingle with all of the amazing attendees and performers while enjoying hor’derves and beverages. Craig Johnson, Community Health Promoter at Rush Medical Center did a fantastic job of welcoming everyone and introducing the mistress of ceremony, the lovely Dana Divine. Now it was time to get ready for a fantastic show of Personal stories, poems, songs, and monologues. Dana Divine blessed the crowd with her beautiful voice by singing “I Love the Lord” and giving her touch on her health and losing loved one that suffered with AIDS.

The first performer was motivational speaker, Author, and AIDS Activist David Robertson who captivated the audience within few seconds of his performance. Delivering his personal story with such power, passion, and sincerity in such a poetic manner left the crowd speechless and forced to their feet for a standing ovation. Jazz Vocalist Maggie Brown used her lovely voice to deliver a thought provoking original song called simply titled “HIV” over a smooth track that moved the crowd. Then Sister Yaa Simpson, Keith Romell, Sanford Gaylord, and Mama Brenda Matthews used their gifts as spoken word artists and creative activists to bring home the message of taking responsibility for your sexual health, being knowledgeable of HIV/AIDS, and most importantly, that the increasing rate of those suffering and becoming infected AIDS affects us all.

In the midst of it, Red Pump co-founders Luvvie Ajayi and Karyn Watkins spoke about the history of The Red Pump Project. And SAVE THE DATE: The Red Pump Project’s 2nd annual “Rock the Red” fashion show is on March 26, 2011 in Chicago. Details to come.

The night ended with a touching delivery of “I Am Changing” sang by Craig Johnson. Slowly, but surely we are changing the way the world’s views on HIV and those that are infected starting with ourselves. An estimated 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and yet one out of five don’t know it. We need your continued support to take action.

The Red Pump Project would like to thank all of you for attending and donating. A portion of the proceeds will go to The Chicago House, the first organization in the Midwest to provide housing for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Thanks!

We’d like to say thanks to our Mistress of Ceremony, Dana Divine. She was hilarious, interesting & fantastic! Our performers were beyond amazing too! We say a huge thanks to our performers for sharing your talents and time with us.

We appreciate you, Sister Yaa Simpson, Maggie Brown, Sanford E. Gaylord, David Robertson, Mama Brenda Matthews and keithrommell!

Special thanks to: Tibotec Therapeutics, Norman Bolden and Room 43, Studio 21, and Rush University Medical Center.

And of course, to the Rush Medical Center Section of Infectious Diseases team who partnered with us to make this event happen, Craig Johnson and Dr. Kimberly Y. Smith, we appreciate this collaboration. You’re doing amazing work, and it was an honor to show what is “Behind the RED Curtains” with your team.

View the slideshow of pictures below. Or check out the Red Pump Facebook page for more pictures!

The post “Behind the Red Curtains” Was Amazing! appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

As we turn our attention to World AIDS Day, it is important for us to renew our focus on confronting HIV as it continues to cause tremendous hardship, pain and devastation within the Black community. Each year, new statistics describing the HIV epidemic in the United States are reported, but the story remains the same—the impact of HIV among Black Americans is dramatically disproportionate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that Blacks / African-Americans made up more than half (51.7%) of the estimated 56,000 new HIV diagnoses annually. Although this is not “news,” it should draw our attention like the boldest newspaper headline.

I am often asked “Why should we care about HIV/AIDS today?” Among many reasons, we must care:

• Because each of the 56,000 new infections is preventable. We must empower ourselves by accepting that some behaviors (i.e., unprotected sex and drug use) increase risk. On the other hand, increasing our knowledge can also lower our risk;

• Because of the young man who did not live to see 30 years of age because he could not get his heart or his head around taking medications everyday;

• Because of the young woman who was just diagnosed, but who cannot imagine how she will tell her family or her friends what she is going through, which could impact her circle of support, and therefore, the success of her treatment;+

• Because we still have a long way to go.

Despite the miraculous developments in HIV treatment over the last three decades, Blacks die at higher rates than any other race due to late diagnosis, poor access to HIV care, HIV-related stigma, and a lower adherence to HIV treatments. We can change this if we re-double our efforts to increase our community’s knowledge about HIV risk, expand testing so those who do test positive can be treated earlier and live longer, and reduce the stigma that still exists nearly 30 years into the epidemic.

I ask each of you to think about what you can do to confront this disease—not just on World AIDS Day—but every day!

About Dr. Kimberly Y. Smith
———————————

Dr. Kimberly Y. Smith is an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and an HIV specialist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Her major areas of research interest include HIV/AIDS infection and immunoreconstitution.

Many thanks to Dr. Smith for taking the time to write us this editorial.

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December 1st has been World AIDS Day for the past 22 years, and this year’s theme is “Face AIDS.” Here’s a snapshot of the global epidemic:

• 33.4 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide
• 2.1 million of those are children under 15
• 2.9 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2009
• 1.8 million people died from HIV-related causes in 2009
• 67% of the people living with HIV/AIDS are in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Young people account for half of new HIV infections

Staggering stats, but not hopeless. According to UNAIDS, HIV infection rates and deaths are slowly declining around the world, but not enough for us to stop prevention and awareness work (as well as treatment).

We’ll be “facing AIDS” by going to get tested, blogging about it, tweeting and Rocking the Red Pump™. Oh AND I’ll have on one of these Red Pumps shirts.

Get one of your own! If you use the coupon code REDPUMPWAD at our online store (www.redpumpstore.com), you’ll get 20% off your purchase today only.

HIV is nature’s oxymoron. Sex is supposed to bring forth life, but now, it can potentially destroy it. Let’s ALL stay safe. Know your status. Get tested. Drop the stigma. Face AIDS.

What will you be doing to commemorate the day?

Follow Red Pump on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

The post Today is World AIDS Day. Let’s “Face AIDS” appeared first on The Red Pump Project.

Community groups across the country will be commemorating this day by hosting educational and fundraising activities for various related organizations. I’ve gathered a list of a few and posted the details below. For more information, make sure that you click the flier (where applicable).

Chicago

San Diego

Charlotte

Dallas

Washington D.C.

The Howard University Student Association will host their second annual World AIDS Day Benefit Concert, Six Degrees, featuring Marsha Ambrosius (formerly of Floetry). The proceeds from the event will be donated to Metro TeenAIDS. HIV/AIDS testing opportunities, as well as educational information on safer sexual health practices, will be available on-site. The event starts at 7p and general admission tickets are $20 ($10 for students).

To find more events in your area, you can visit www.worldaidsday.org or check out local community calendars. Another good resource is the #WAD2010 hashtag on Twitter. People will be sharing events and happenings in their cities, so you’re sure to find great information this way.

This article was originally posted on The Fabulous Giver.

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