What is the Detroit Recovery Project’s VIP Status Program?
The Detroit Recovery Project [supports] VIP Know Your Status, which is a campaign to educate and raise awareness about the HIV virus. We would like to reach out to our youth because according to the CDC, “Young people, aged 13-24 are especially affected by HIV. They comprise 16% of the US population, but account for 26% of all new HIV infections in 2010.”
How did connect with Toya Wright?
We had the elegant Mrs. Toya Wright collaborate with us in an attempt to help us reach our college students here in Detroit. Toya is very passionate about the HIV epidemic — so much that she even took her mother to get tested. That’s a wonderful thing and we were very happy to have her.
I would love to have more celebrity faces on board to support the movement. Toya Wright is a top notch spokesperson; she is very warm and passionate.
How did you become so passionate about increasing HIV/AIDS testing and awareness?
Unfortunately, this is very personal to me. About 26 years ago, my aunt was diagnosed with pneumonia and died. We found out that she actually was infected with HIV/AIDS. This was very devastating for me and my family because at that time there was not a lot of information available about the virus.
That’s tough but it’s great that you are able to take your firsthand experiences and how they affected your life and use it to impact so many young people today.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing so rapidly at this point and although we are continuing to make strides in the area of clinical research, we still have quite a way to go, so I’d like to contribute as much as possible.
We need more people like you because our youth are the future. Aside from the startling statistics about how HIV is affecting our youth, what inspired you to want to connect to the college population?
I am a father to a 15 year old daughter. She falls into the target range for HIV/AIDS susceptibility. I am definitely passionate about supporting and encouraging our youth to get tested and to know their status. I’ve witnessed 16 and 17 year olds finding out that they are HIV positive and that’s heartbreaking, so it motivates me to continue to push this initiative and support awareness.
Are you involved in raising awareness or supporting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in other ways apart from the Detroit Recovery Project?
I have recognized the plight locally, nationally as well as internationally I try my best to support in any way that I can. I traveled to Tanzania in East Africa with PEPFAR: President Emergence Preparedness for AIDS Relief. PEPFAR is a United States initiative with goals to help reduce and curtail the virus from spreading in our continent.
What you’re doing is absolutely necessary and I would like to hear about the growth in the Detroit Recovery Program. Is there anything that you would like people to know in regards to finding out more information about how to get involved with the movement?
You can visit www.recovery4detroit.com to learn more about how to get involved.
–tiana dudley
