The Eradication of HIV in Monroe County

Contributed by Stephaun Clipper

I have been able to experience the Rochester community for about a year now. Most of those who know me have absorbed through me the flavor that represents places I’ve lived like Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angles, California and Washington, DC. I have been involved in advocacy and HIV education/prevention work for more than 10 years and 7 years respectively. Interestingly though, I find it disheartening when I hear some of the antiquated strategies that are used in Rochester when attempting to address HIV.

From where I sit, HIV has been and will continue to be an issue that is larger than itself. Primarily because HIV is truly a symptom of a much larger problem that many people are blind to, while others are defiantly ignoring. The pink elephant in the room is racism and power/privilege. Even in the wake of incomparable speakers and orators like Dr. Maya Angelou and Tim Wise, to me, it is nothing less than tragic that this topic of discussion is not brought up more; especially in Rochester. When I think about how HIV funding has shifted over the past 10-15 years to varying priority populations based on epidemiological data; I ask myself, what are people really not seeing?

How are we 25 plus years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic and yet, no viable vaccine? With a host of HIV prevention programs and strategies, research and policy efforts; why does HIV still remain a serious threat to people of color? I can answer that question, but I believe that many already know the answer. It is the same reason that people of color are disproportionately affected by many more diseases than their white counterparts. It is the same reason that funding for education in “suburban” schools trumps that of “urban” schools. It is the same reason that AIDS service organizations that predominantly serve white populations, and have access to, significantly increased funding and resources than people of color based organizations. It is the same reason that people of color organizations are given disproportionate levels of funding, but not provided the tools and/or resources to manage those resources; nor is the appropriation adequate to meet the challenges of the priority population. Why are fiscal expectations not adequately measured by government for people of color organizations versus non-people of color organizations? Why are state/federally funded capacity building and technical assistance providers not penalized for the often “public” demise of people of color organizations when they have been ill equipped to meet the operational demands of sustaining non-profit organizations?

Since HIV is in truth a symptom of racism and privilege, the systemic eradication of HIV is going to take place when those structural vices are obliterated. When a more equitable distribution of wealth occurs in this country and the great divide between the upper class and the lower class shrinks, when white people understand the privilege that they exist in and have access to, and when systems of oppression are wiped out. This is when we will start to see some hope for a day that doesn’t include HIV. Racism and power/privilege hasn’t gone away simply because people don’t talk about it, in fact, it is still very present because people don’t talk about it.

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Stephaun Clipper is a national community activist and advocate for social justice with a passion for public health who currently resides in Rochester, New York.
www.stephaunelite.blogspot.com