African-American
church leaders from Washington, D.C., recently held a
summit to boost HIV awareness among predominantly black
churches and encourage black ministers to talk with
their congregants about HIV antibody testing and
AIDS-related stigma, The Washington Post
reports. Washington, D.C., has one of the highest HIV
prevalence rates in the country, with as many as one in
every 20 residents infected with the virus and one in
every 50 already diagnosed with AIDS.
The Clergy
Leadership Summit on HIV/AIDS drew about 75 participants.
Sterling Tucker, who organized the event, told the
Post that the summit included ministers from a
wide range of churches, including "Pentecostal
ministers and other conservative ministers who wouldn't
have been here before."
Event leaders
hope black church officials will begin addressing HIV
issues with their congregants in an effort to stop rising
HIV infection rates among African-Americans, who are
being hit disproportionately hard by the
disease--about half of all new HIV infections
occurring in the United States are among
African-Americans. Churches are a major source of
information and guidance for African-American communities
and should play a key role in promoting HIV
prevention, testing, and support, say summit
organizers. (The Advocate)