Pubdate: Tue, 08 Feb 2005 Source: News & Observer (NC) Section: B, City & State Copyright: 2005 The News and Observer Publishing Company Contact: http://www.news-observer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/304 Author: Sarah Avery Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) BATTLE AGAINST AIDS HITS STREETS Rally - National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day For a few minutes Monday morning, traffic at busy intersections in downtown Raleigh stopped dead as 300 people and a marching band trekked down Jones Street toward the Legislative Building to rally against AIDS in the African-American community. The march -- the first statewide event of its kind on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day -- drew activists, church groups, AIDS patients, state health leaders and others. Some of the marchers held up dollar bills and demanded an infusion of $10 million in state funding to battle a disease that is devastating the black community. In 2003, seven of every 10 HIV cases in North Carolina were among African-Americans, and AIDS ranks as the seventh-leading cause of death among the state's black population. "We must continue to fight against bigotry and discrimination," said Dr. Lorna Harris, who heads a health coalition of historically black colleges and universities. "How often have we heard it is 'those people' who have HIV? Like they are not connected to our community." State HIV advocates are calling on the legislature to allocate $3.3 million in 2006 and 2007 for HIV prevention efforts, $6.5 million for a drug-assistance program that helps the working poor pay for expensive HIV medications and $550,000 for a needle exchange program aimed at curbing infections through intravenous drug use. But that goal was acknowledged as difficult. Just getting the attention of legislators proved a challenge, even with the heart-thumping drumbeat of the N.C. Central University marching band leading the march. "Are there any of my colleagues in the audience?" asked Rep. Thomas Wright, a Democrat from Wilmington who has pressed for HIV funding. No one responded. "Many of my colleagues have yet to see the light." Wright noted that most legislators arrive in Raleigh late on Mondays for an evening session, and he said he is optimistic that the issue is at least being talked about. Among his goals is the needle exchange, in which IV drug users could turn in used needles for clean ones. It would require a change in drug paraphernalia laws, however, and would likely meet opposition from law enforcement agencies, he said. But he and others called on the black community to become active, taking a cue from the gay community that rallied for AIDS research and treatment when the disease first hit in the 1980s. The ultimate goal, they said, was to unite people in the fight against the disease. "We have to be careful that we don't isolate ourselves as a people in this epidemic," said the Rev. Clifford Jones, senior minister of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte. "HIV/AIDS is not just an African-American problem." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth