Sunday, September 26, 2010

LFCDC's Call To Link HIV/AIDS Work To The Environmental Justice Movement



Environmental Justice is that state of affairs in which the last, least and lost of us are able to 1) live in safe, eco-friendly living spaces that promote health and a sense of well-being while having access to the same quality of health care that affluent people enjoy; 2) work in life-affirming pursuits that contribute to the building of social networks that behave like caring extended families while promoting a sustainable green economy; and 3) produce products and services that preserve out planet and add value, meaning and purpose to their own as well as their community’s life. There is no country on the face of the earth that has not been plagued by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, in each country the demographic that is hardest hit is the last, least and lost of us—the marginalized poor and oppressed. In the United States of America, that demographic includes African Americans at an alarming rate, as well as Hispanic and Latino populations.

Since the U.S. epidemic began in 1981, more than 560,000 people have died of AIDS. More than one million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, with roughly one quarter of these persons unaware that they are infected. According to epidemiological data gathered for 2006, approximately 56,300 people became infected with HIV. Across America, African Americans made up the highest proportion of new HIV infections with an estimated 24,900 new infections in 2006. For the same year, more infections occurred among young people 13-29 than any other age group, with 19,200 new infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the United States is infected with HIV every 9½ minutes. Although African Americans make up approximately 12% of the U.S. population, we account for nearly 50% of all new HIV diagnoses. In Philadelphia, epidemiological data for 2007 indicate that African Americans made up 61.3% of all new HIV cases reported.

Since it has been shown that race and poverty are predictors of HIV incidence (the number of new HIV/AIDS cases reported during a given time period) and HIV prevalence (the total number of people living with HIV and AIDS) confirms these findings, it seems clear to me that a successful frontal assault on HIV/AIDS in the African American and Latino communities must of necessity be also a frontal assault on poverty and oppression in these communities.

The same demographic that suffers the most from HIV/AIDS is also the demographic that has the highest rates of crime, heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, hepatitis C and sexually transmitted diseases. My concern to link the HIV/AIDS struggle with the larger Environmental Justice Movement is motivated by two facts. First, our work in the HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and linkage to care arena has been placed in a box that virtually limits our conversations to HIV/AIDS activists alone. Second, environmental groups are rather white and insular and lack the vision to see the connection between greening the planet and ending poverty and the diseases and social degradation that accompany it. By enlarging the HIV/AIDS struggle and linking it to the Environmental Justice Movement, we succeed in creating a much larger and expanded network of activists that is inclusive of the last, least and lost of us.

Therefore, the National Brownfields Conference that is coming to Philadelphia from April 3–5, 2011 is the perfect strategic opportunity for us to think outside the box and link our HIV/AIDS education, prevention and treatment movement with the Environmental Justice Movement. The Conference will bring approximately 8,000 people from all over the country to Philadelphia. We have an unprecedented opportunity to frame the HIV/AIDS work that we do in Environmental Justice terms, and to share that work with environmental activists from across the country. For more information on how your organization can participate in the Conference, please contact me, John Elliott Churchville, ASAP at jchurchville8@gmail.com or (215) 848-8511.

3 comments:

usefulcommunitydevelopment said...

Your logic about the connection between the groups with the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS and highest incidence of experiencing environmental justice is an appealing organizing tool.

All the best to you as you attempt to call attention to this important problem in Philadelphia, and most likely, around the world.

Anonymous said...

I am indeed very happy for my life; My name is Vargas cynthia maye, I never thought that I will live on earth before the year runs out. I have been suffering from a deadly disease (HIV) for the past 5 years now; I had spent a lot of money going from one places to another, from churches to churches, hospitals have been my every day residence. Constant checks up have been my hobby not until last Month, I was searching through the internet, I saw a testimony on how DR. Ben helped someone in curing her HIV disease, quickly I copied his email which is (drbenharbalhome@gmail.com).I spoke to him, he asked me to do some certain things which I did, he told me that he is going to provide the herbal to me, which he did, then he asked me to go for medical checkup after some days after using the herbal cure, I was free from the deadly disease, he only asked me to post the testimony through the whole world, faithfully am doing it now, please brothers and sisters, he is great, I owe him in my life. if you are having a similar problems just email him on (drbenharbalhome@gmail.com) or simply whatsapp him on: +2348144631509.He can also cure disease like Cancer, Diabeties, Herpes. Etc. You can reach me on email: vargascynthiamaye1995@gmail.com

Dr Ogudugu Solution Temple said...

Dr. Ogudugu bietet den besten und besten Service im Zusammenhang mit Liebe Zauber, Feind Zauber, Schutz Zauber, Kind Geburt. Ich komme aus Nigeria. Ich mache diese Zauber aus den vergangenen 25 Jahren. Ich gebe 100% sicheres Ergebnis. Meine Zauber sind sehr mächtig und für sofortiges Ergebnis. Ich bin nicht gefälscht und ich kann dir Ergebnis durch meine Kräfte geben. Meine Kräfte zeigen dir das sofortige Ergebnis. Wenn Sie irgendwelche Probleme im Leben wie Liebe Problem, Schönheit Problem, Kind Geburtsproblem dann kontaktieren Sie mich einmal. Ich bin die Person, die dir den richtigen Rat geben kann. Ich werde dein Problem mit meinem Gott konsultieren und dir so schnell wie möglich antworten. Es gibt nichts, was ich nicht durch meine Kräfte lösen kann. Ich tue dies für die richtige Ursache, ich benutze dies für Server-Leute. Meine Kräfte sind nicht für gefälschte Leute oder für Betrüger.


Kontaktiere mich -
E-Mail: greatogudugu@gmail.com
Webseite: http://greatdrogudugusolutiontemple.webs.com/
Telefonnummer: +2348055304321
WhatsApp Nr .: +2348055304321