A social epidemic that has had a grasp on my heart since high school is the ever-growing, preventable, incurable disease of AIDS. I, like most of my peers, learned the cold hard facts about this disease when I was just a teenager. Being “scared straight” was an understatement. Not only can this disease completely take over your body and kill you, but it’s incurable. There’s no pill to take, no IV drug, no surgery, no vaccine, nothing. And what is even more fascinating to me, is that it’s completely preventable. You don’t have to get it if you’re smart enough to protect yourself. Simple, right?

That’s what I thought, until I got a look at the most recent statistics. Black women, just like myself, are contracting HIV/AIDS at an alarming rate. In 2004, HIV was the leading cause of death for Black women between the ages of 25-34 (CDC), and it still is today. What’s going on? Why is this affecting us at a faster and more deadly rate? My take is simple: we either aren’t being taught the risks of engaging in unprotected sex and other risky behaviors, or we just don’t care about our own health and well-being. Both of my notions are unacceptable and are just no excuse for something that can be prevented.

My desire to loosen the grasp of this terrible disease on my community is also shared with 8 other young women who are apart of The Red Pump Project here in Chicago. A part of the mission is to ensure that women are empowered with knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the issues surrounding it. Everyone has the right to make an informed decision, especially about their own sexual health and well-being. “Informed” being the key word, here.

A few of the ladies from Team Red Pump...

As a part of our work here on the ground in Chicago, the ladies of The Red Pump Project will be participating in the AIDS Run and Walk on October 2nd, 2010. We’ll “walk it out” 3.1 miles = 5K. Along the path there are several quotes and statistics reminding walkers and runners of the reason their commitment to this cause is important. Every single penny we raise goes toward research and preventative programming through the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. This is only one of the many events Red Pump will be participating in to help spread the word about the seriousness of this disease and how we can lower the statistics.

If you’re in the Chicago area and would like to donate or “walk it out” with our team, click on that big beautiful, bright banner to your right. This is an issue that is close to all of our hearts as something we can help change for the better.

Be Renewed!