SHAAD Background
There is an HIV/AIDS crisis in the South. This reality requires all of us to be engaged in collective, bold, and innovative strategies to reduce these disparities.
Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (SHAAD) is the day we rewrite our narrative! SHAAD gives us all an opportunity to join a national movement to raise awareness, erase HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, and to advocate for new and necessary resources and solutions to stem the tide of HIV/AIDS in the South.
Be the southern solution today and sign up to be a supporter of SHAAD! We are the difference we need in the South. Not in the South? That’s not a problem. You, too, are a part of the solution.
What are Southern Solutions?
The Southern AIDS Coalition was founded 20 years ago with a mission to bring additional resources to the South, to build a stronger community of advocates, and to change the disproportionate impact of HIV on the region. So this year’s theme--Support.Act.Change.–pays homage to SAC’s 20 years of service and is a call to action for the work that still lies ahead.
Ending the HIV epidemic in the South requires each of us to be proactive. How can we support those living with HIV/AIDS and the organizations that serve them? Whether you support organizations through financial resources or volunteerism, are actively learning about key policies and engaging policymakers, or calling out racism and all forms of injustice in the fight for systemic change —all of it is part of the solution needed to end the southern HIV epidemic.
When we “Support”, our communities are transformed and those living with HIV will thrive. The HIV epidemic in the South is layered and complex. Systemic inequities coupled with unjust policies, result in health disparities and disproportionate rates of HIV and other conditions.
While the work to right these wrongs can seem insurmountable, every individual can play a role in supporting those living with and most impacted by HIV/AIDS.
How?
- Combat stigma by sharing accurate information about transmission, care, and HIV prevention strategies—including testing, U=U, PrEP/PEP usage, and syringe exchange programs.
- Be there for a friend or loved one who is hesitant about HIV testing!
- Mentor and encourage young and seasoned community leaders who are on the frontlines for their communities!
- Listen to people living with HIV in your community–and follow their lead!
- Support a local Community Based Organization that provides resources for people living with and most impacted by HIV. Donate, volunteer, follow them on social media, and share their content!
When we “Act,” together, policies and laws change. Use your voice and influence to change hearts, minds, and practices that perpetuate discrimination and do harm to those most impacted by HIV. Together we can actively dismantle these systems and rebuild equitable spaces that lead to change.
How?
- Respond to calls to action and following policy organizations such as North Carolina AIDS Action Network, AIDS United, and Latino Commission on AIDS.
- Share surveys, events, and work done by community advocates in the South that you find through our networks so that data can be used by health departments and affect strategy to end the epidemic.
When we commit to “Change,” we acknowledge both our individual and collective power to the course of the epidemic, but how are we changing? We not only have to have conversations, but we look at who we are supporting and our actions to evaluate better ways to end the epidemic. As the COVID pandemic continues to show us, there are always disparities that intersect by race and class, does the work reflect that?
How?
- Start the conversation in your community or join the conversation with seasoned advocates. The work needs new voices & new ways of thinking around how we end the epidemic.
Continue to challenge the process and ask “why?” When the work looks like something isn’t working, find conventions or advocates to work with and promote a change to the system.
Southern Solutions Schedule
Friday, August 20
SHAAD
9 AM CT/10 AM ET
Friday, August 20
SHAAD
11 AM CT/12 PM ET
Friday, August 20
SHAAD
1 PM CT/2 PM ET
Friday, August 20
SHAAD
3 PM CT/4 PM ET
Donate to SAC
Donate today to help us put an end to the HIV epidemic in the South. We are truly grateful for your financial support. And remember, we are a tax-exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
HIV/AIDS IN THE SOUTH
View HIV in the Deep South Trends Report
This report expands on the findings from a previous report on HIV surveillance data from 2008-2016 with a focus on the U.S. South (from the Southern HIV/AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASI); now part of the Southern AIDS Coalition) by including the most recent HIV surveillance data from 2017-2019. The recent trend data continues to support the research literature that the U.S. South, particularly the U.S. Deep South, experiences a disproportionate burden of HIV.1 This report also describes STI prevalence, insurance coverage, linkage to HIV care, and PrEP utilization throughout the U.S.
The Southern AIDS Coalition is committed to having southern voices heard as The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) prepares updates to HIV National Strategic Plan for the United States: A Roadmap to End the HIV Epidemic 2021-2025.
ONAP recognizes that the South experiences the greatest burden of HIV and deaths of any U.S. region, and lags behind in providing quality HIV prevention services and care. It is important that special consideration is given to the region’s strengths and barriers.
SAC is providing two ways that you can provide feedback about the existing HIV Strategic Plan and give your opinion about ways it can be improved.