Wednesday, Feb. 7, was National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and to mark the occasion, RHHD took to the news. Dr. Qadira Stewart, RHHD’s Community Health Worker Supervisor, appeared on CBS 6 and NBC12, sharing information about the racial disparities that exist in HIV/AIDS data nationally and in our region. Dr. Stewart highlighted the need for more education, support, and trust building in Black communities—particularly because of legacies of redlining and medical racism in the region—and she also talked about the progress communities have made in connecting people to needed resources like PrEP.
The CBS 6 report also featured information from one of RHHD’s community partners, Nationz Foundation, which focuses on supporting the Greater Richmond LGBTQIA+ community with comprehensive HIV/STI services. PrEP coordinator Troy Kershaw shared that “There have been monumental strides in the work around HIV prevention but there’s still stigma that we’re fighting every single day. And so organizations like Nationz have really strengthened our efforts around prevention and education so that folks understand that there is a guiding light.”
If you or people you know are interested in learning more about PrEP access or other HIV/STI services, check out our STI clinical services site or call 804-205-3501 for a testing appointment.
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