#NNPA BlackPress

COMMENTARY: Ending HIV Only Happens if Black America Leads

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — In 2011, Science Magazine’s “Breakthrough of the Year” was the discovery that antiretroviral drugs were a game changer in HIV prevention. The development of treatment as Prevention and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) ushered in the concept of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. By combining effective treatment for people living with HIV with simple and easy biomedical prevention for people at risk of HIV infection we can eliminate HIV transmission and HIV acquisition, thereby breaking the back of the epidemic.

Published

7 years ago

August 23, 2019

Oakland Post

Raniyah Copeland (Courtesy photo)

By Raniyah Copeland

In 2011, Science Magazine’s “Breakthrough of the Year” was the discovery that antiretroviral drugs were a game changer in HIV prevention. The development of treatment as Prevention and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) ushered in the concept of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. By combining effective treatment for people living with HIV with simple and easy biomedical prevention for people at risk of HIV infection we can eliminate HIV transmission and HIV acquisition, thereby breaking the back of the epidemic.

During the 2018 State of the Union address, Trump announced a goal to end the AIDS epidemic in the United States by 2030. While HIV/AIDS activists and communities most impacted by the HIV epidemic—Black, Latino, LGBTQI, and women of color, have plenty of reasons to confront any announcement from the administration with skepticism setting a goal to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in eleven (11) years should be celebrated. But like all efforts to accomplish a goal, the success of this one is dependent on the design and execution. As they say, the devil is in the details.

The underpinning of the administration’s plan is the recent surveillance data that shows 50 percent of the US epidemic is in 48 counties, Washington D.C., and San Juan, Puerto Ricco, and seven states that have a substantial rural population living with HIV. And 60 percent of the Black HIV epidemic lies within these jurisdictions. There is no question that focusing on the jurisdictions with the highest HIV burden makes sense. The question is will focusing on geography alone— the where—unlock the mystery of ending the HIV epidemic. Can we end the HIV/AIDS epidemic without also focusing on the other W’s—Who, what, and when.

Who:

43 percent of new HIV cases are among Black people. Black men who have sex with men represent 80 percent of the Black epidemic, and we don’t even have accurate data on the impact for trans people, but it’s estimated that more than half of Black transwomen are living with HIV. Women, particularly women of color represent one of the fastest growing HIV populations in the country. If the plan does not explicitly address the unique needs these populations, it will fail.

What:

HIV is virus. We finally have the biomedical tools to defeat the virus. That is easy and simple. But the American HIV epidemic is anything but easy and simple. Social determinants of health—poverty, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, sexism, racism, fear and mistrust— drive our epidemic.

Insufficiently addressing the who and the what of the HIV epidemic has led to the HIV health disparities we see today. Only 46 percent of Black people who know they are living with HIV remain in regular care. Black men have lifetime HIV risk of 1 in 20, and for Black gay men, the risk is 1 out of 2. The lifetime risk for Black women is 1/48, and more than half of trans people living with HIV are Black. People living in the South (where the majority of Black Americans live) are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV over the course of their lifetime than other Americans.

In the haste to get this program off the ground, the input of community organizations who serve the Black community has been overlooked and ignored. While there is a dire need for urgency, if the most impacted communities and individuals are not intentionally centered in the planning and execution of the plan, this opportunity will be squandered.

Among others, Black community leadership, HIV/AIDS activists and advocates, health departments, and other stakeholders must be convened across and within the targeted jurisdictions to develop the plan and assure that the administration understands the implications of this plan. Leaders and stake holders representing those bearing the greatest HIV burden need to mobilize, engage, We are mobilizing and engaging Black leaders communities across the country to build our power to ensure that we not only have a seat at the table, but that it’s OUR table. Our plan includes working with entities that shape the health of Black communities: health departments, federally qualified health centers, and the Centers for AIDS Research. This is an issue of equity and racial justice, and we are going to hold the Trump Administration accountable. We are here to end the epidemic in the only way possible: by recognizing and addressing the structures that drive the epidemic, uniquely and unapologetically.

Copeland is the President and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute (BAI). BAI is the only national HIV/AIDS think tank focused exclusively on Black people. Their mission is to stop the AIDS epidemic in Black communities by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. To stay connected with their work go to www.BlackAIDS.org and follow them on social media.

This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Trap Yoga to Nike : Brandon Copeland

Don't Miss

Leimert Park Village Book Fair to celebrate the culture

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY