HIV/AIDS activist Maria Davis is devoted to saving lives.
This World Aids Day 2016, Dec. 1, we can count one, very important blessing: Over the last decade, the rate of HIV/AIDS among black women has dropped more than 40 percent. Our rate is still higher than other women — we account for 66 percent of new cases among women — but we have shown that we know what it takes to protect ourselves from this disease.
The number of cases among us has dropped dramatically, because we got real about getting tested, practicing safe sex and battling HIV/AIDS-related stigma to raise awareness in our community. To continue the fight to eliminate HIV/AIDS, we need to continue to talk about how important it is to get tested every six months, stay safe and support women living with the disease.
To help us get the word out, veteran HIV/AIDS activist Maria Davis (former music promoter for Jay-Z) joins Mondo Guera, designer and winner of Project Runway All Stars, season 1, to tell her story about living with HIV and working with her health-care team to stay in top shape and raise awareness about the virus.
Together, they are also working on I Design, an initiative to help people living with HIV tell their stories and create self-care plans, along with their physicians
With the advent of self-testing and PrEP preventive medication, we have more power than ever before to protect ourselves against HIV/AIDS. So take some time this World AIDS Day to learn more about HIV and share the information with someone you love.
“Today is World AIDS Day in honor of those we’ve lost to the Battle Against AIDS
and my celebrating 20 Years living with HIV. Please log on to www.projectIdesign.com and upload the special red filter on your Facebook profile for the month of December or as long as you like.”— Maria Davis
