Posted on February 07, 2014
To commemorate National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Baltimore-based HIV prevention nonprofit Sisters Together and Reaching (STAR) hosted a 12-hour HIV testing marathon, with support from the Baltimore City Health Department and Generation Tomorrow students, peers and leaders.
The event – titled “I Am My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper: Fight HIV/AIDS” – was free to the public and jam-packed with non-stop activities for the whole family. From mid-morning to the late evening hours, community members stopped by STAR’s East Baltimore offices for free food, entertainment, and information from local providers. The street team from Radio One station 92Q FM broadcast from the event in the morning. Local musicians, dancers and spoken-word artists presented reflections on HIV/AIDS through drums and poems. Community partners also shared powerful stories about combating AIDS and regaining courage. Speakers included the Baltimore Health Commissioner, Generation Tomorrow program director Dr. Risha Irvin, and STAR founder/CEO Rev. Debra Hickman.
“We know that here in our East Baltimore community that we have a lot of things going on, but today let’s make some history,” said Rev. Hickman. “Let’s make sure we knock on every door and get every family to engage their family members to come out and get tested because that is what HIV and AIDS awareness day is all about.”
Through this collective effort, approximately 118 people received free, confidential, rapid HIV tests. For 15 of those people, it was their first time being tested. The first 100 people who tested received a $10 gift card, and more than 175 people wrote pledges about actions they would take to help end the spread of HIV.
For more information about STAR, visit www.sisterstogetherandreaching.org
