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African-American Leaders issue national call to action and declaration of commitment to end AIDS epidemic in Black America

In Commemoration of 25th Anniversary of the First AIDS Diagnosis in United States, Black Leaders Release National Report with Recommendations to Mobilize Efforts

NEW YORK (June 5, 2006) – In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosed cases in America of what has become known as AIDS, Black Leaders from multiple sectors of the community – elected officials, civil rights, entertainment, media, and faith – issued a call to action and declaration of commitment to end the AIDS epidemic in Black America. This historic presentation of united leadership took place today in a press conference hosted by the New York-based Open Society Institute.

“In 2006, AIDS in America is a Black disease,” said Phill Wilson, Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute. “The only way for AIDS to be over in America is for AIDS to be over in Black America, and the only way to stop AIDS in Black America is for Black people to take ownership of the disease and mount a mass Black mobilization.”

Over a million Americans are living with HIV today – nearly half of them are Black. Yet, national policymakers have lost focus. Federal funding for domestic AIDS care programs has remained largely flat since 2001. Approximately 54% of the new HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in the U.S. are Black. Among women, Blacks account for two-thirds of all new infections. And recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies estimate nearly half of all Black gay and bisexual men in some of America's urban centers are already infected.

“For Black America, the moment of truth has arrived,” said actor Danny Glover, a long-time AIDS activists and humanitarian, “If we are to survive the AIDS epidemic, we are going to have to gather all of our resources and marshal them for the political struggles that lay ahead.”

With that mandate in mind, the gathered leaders are calling on all sectors of Black America – from individuals to political, religious and cultural leaders – to commit to taking action against HIV/AIDS by engaging in a coordinated campaign to renew national commitment and focus around the issue. “We’re calling on all major Black organizations to make fighting AIDS a top priority by setting concrete measurable goals and real deadlines,” added Glover.

Along with Glover, other key figures also lending support to the effort at today’s press conference included Bruce Gordon, President – NAACP; Rachel Guglielmo, Project Director – Public Health Watch, Open Society Institute; Congressman Charles Rangel (D-New York); Kelli Richardson Lawson, Executive Vice President – Corporate Marketing, BET Networks; Rev. Edwin Sanders, Metropolitan Interdenominational Church; Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith, Mother AME Zion Church; Donald Bowen, Senior Vice President – Programs, National Urban League; Congressional Delegate Donna M. Christenson (D-U. S. Virgin Islands); George Curry, Editor-in-Chief, National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA); Keith Boykin, Host – BET J Network Talk Show “My Two Cents”; Jerry Lopes, President – Program Operations & Affiliations, American Urban Radio Networks; Sandra Goodridge, Director – Health Quality of Life Programs, National Urban League; and Pernessa Seele, AIDS Activist and Founder – Balm in Gilead.