How did you get involved with the fight against HIV/AIDS? I became a member of St. John’s Academy 12 years ago after being diagnosed with HIV. I heard about the AIDS ministry. I joined the ministry and I certified myself in 2001 with the Houston Department of Health.
So what are some of the things that Bread of Life is doing to solve this problem? We test 40 to 60 people every fourth Sunday of the month. We want to eliminate the stigma of the virus. I lead the annual AIDS Walk and we raise $15,000 every year at the church.
Are you working with other organizations besides the Bread of Life? I’m also the chair of Houston’s State of Emergency Task Force in the fight against HIV. In 1999, Mayor Lee Brown declared AIDS a state of emergency in Houston because 61 percent of all new cases of HIV involved black people.
What does the Task Force do?We use nontraditional methods to provide testing and awareness on HIV. We go out at night to get with people who are in the grips of addiction and who participate in high risk behavior. People accept us in the community. Our presence has had a tremendous difference.
What can concerned people do to help?Some people feel stigmatized when they go to a clinic to get tested. But it’s something that we all should participate in. We reported 40,000 new cases last year and we expect the numbers to be higher. People who don’t know they are infected can infect more people. And that can hurt all of us.
