HIV/AIDS campaign for lesbians and bisexual women of color to launch April 20 (8250)

Women in the Life, a national organization that serves lesbians and bisexual women of color, will launch a new health and HIV awareness campaign April 20 that focuses on HIV prevention and treatment. Called "Proud and Healthy Sisters," the campaign will kick off with a Washington, D.C., screening of a documentary titled Damaged Goods, which follows five people living with HIV/AIDS. Other planned campaign events include concerts and other performing arts events. According to the Black AIDS Institute, African-American women represent 63% of all new AIDS cases among women in the United States.

"The statistics on the impact of HIV/AIDS, heart disease, and many cancers on the women of color community are startling," said Sheila Alexander-Reid, the organization's founder. "Women in the Life felt an obligation to take an active role in disseminating effective messages of awareness and prevention to the women we serve."

For more information about the campaign, visit the Women in the Life Web site at www.womeninthelife.com.