*The Black AIDS Institute held their 16th Annual Heroes in the Struggle event recently at 20th Century Fox Studios hosted by Jussie Smollett and EUR was on the carpet once again to capture every moment.
This year’s honorees included Vanessa Williams, Laverne Cox, Alfree Woodard, Gina Belafonte, Gina Brown and the wonderful Taraji P. Henson all of which contributed to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Black AIDS Institute board member and host Jussie Smollett spoke to our EUR correspondent Jay Styles on the importance of having such an event and continuing to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS.
“It’s important to be here because I keep saying we’re not done…with dealing with HIV/AIDS yet,” Smollett said. It’s so many things in the world and in our country and…in our communities that we’re dealing with right now..and we’re just going to have to remember that we are people of multi-taskers and we’re not done so until we are…I’m going to be here every damn year until I’m not needed anymore, so that’s just what it is.”
Television personality and runway coach for the hit reality show America’s Next Top Model, Miss J. Alexander shared his personal experience on losing 34 people to the disease including his baby sister.
“It’s important for me to keep the cause going, keep the enlightenment education going because a lot of young people right now…don’t think that I’ll happen to them,” Alexander said. So we have to constantly educate them [and] let them know that…you’re not…that special.”
Primetime Emmy Awards actress Alfre Woodard shared that she has also lost loved ones and colleagues to HIV/AIDS.
“I am of a age that I have…scores of friends and…colleagues that we lost..some of the best and brightest and most creative people that would be as if the entire Harlem Renaissance was wiped out,” Woodard said. “We can’t let that happen ever again.”
Emmy award winner actress Laverne Cox shared her thoughts on if there has been a shift of awareness regarding HIV/AIDS.
“I think a lot of people assume that HIV/AIDS is over,” Cox said. “When i grew up it was one of those things where we were…people were dropping dead around us. It was something that was very visual for us and I think because folks are not seeing people die from HIV, people think that it’s over but, a lot of people I know who passed away from HIV/AIDS are people of color, black people…and transgender folks. So we have to do more and I think there is a lot of shame attached to those reasons, there is a lot of stigma and so we have to begin to live that shame and stigma around..knowing your status, around asking to use a condom or asking about your partner status…understanding that condoms don’t always work and there is other medication that people can use to prevent HIV and they need to have access to that.”
Founded in May 1999, The Black AIDS Institute has become the leading HIV/AIDS in Black America and every year the institute celebrates heroic individuals who have contributed to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
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