The rate of new AIDS cases in Washington, D.C. is 12 times the national average. Washington, D.C. has a higher HIV rate than that of Nigeria, Angola, and Ethiopia – and 24 more of the 44 sub-Saharan countries. Whitman-Walker Clinic, a non-profit community-based health organization serving the Washington D.C. metro area, is focused on driving those numbers down through education and outreach.
As part of our observance of World AIDS Day, we asked Donald Blanchon, the new chief executive officer of Whitman-Walker, to talk about the communications challenges he faces and the ways in which his agency addresses HIV/AIDS education and outreach. To respect the power of Don’s words, we’re going to post the entire conversation today rather than breaking it up into two days as is our custom.
Ben Finzel: Despite 25 years of fighting HIV, we continue to see increases in infection rates in many straight and gay communities, particularly in cities like Washington, D.C. How do you think we should be communicating with the LGBT community about HIV?
Don Blanchon: The single most important message to the LGBT community is that you have the power right now to stop the spread of HIV. You can make such a difference not only in your own life but in the lives of your loved ones, friends and colleagues. Your power comes from the courage, knowledge, love and understanding that have been so generously given to you by the tens of thousands of individuals who bravely fought HIV over the past 25 years. You can honor this most precious gift by acting with a renewed sense of urgency, purpose and responsibility every day.
Ben Finzel: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center (LAGLC) recently launched an awareness campaign calling on the LGBT community to "own" AIDS as a “gay disease." This approach has ignited a new debate about HIV/AIDS in the LGBT community and beyond. What do you think the campaign has achieved so far? Is the campaign relevant to Washington?
Don Blanchon: The LAGLC campaign has achieved a very important objective within the LGBT community in Los Angeles. The ad campaign is renewing and re-energizing Los Angeles’ LGBT community—where the vast majority of new HIV infections are coming from in that city–to fight back and fight hard against HIV. The LAGLC is to be commended for taking a very real risk in alienating some individuals with such direct messaging. The real community benefit is that individuals in Los Angeles’ LGBT community are talking about HIV with a greater sense of urgency.
We face a somewhat different yet equally important public messaging challenge in the metropolitan Washington area. HIV is impacting the health and welfare of the entire region and not just concentrated within the LGBT community. From this perspective, HIV is not a gay disease or a black disease but rather a virus that does not discriminate based on orientation, gender, race, age or any other factor. Our local challenge is bringing together community leaders and organizations from all walks of life to fight the spread of HIV.
Ben Finzel: You celebrated a successful AIDS Walk event this year, after previous years of declining attendance. Do you think events like AIDS Walk represent a renewed opportunity to reach large numbers of people with an HIV prevention message? Are there better, more appropriate channels?
Don Blanchon: I am thrilled with the overwhelming success and number of participants in this year’s AIDS Walk. The event truly is an emotional one that brings thousands of people together whose lives have been touched by HIV. AIDS Walk also provides a great venue for raising the general public’s awareness about HIV and the need for more culturally competent and sensitive prevention and education strategies.
I invite you and your loved ones, friends, and colleagues to join us next year for AIDS Walk 2007. Our goal is to increase the number of registered walkers from 5,000 to 25,000 people, or one walker for every person living with HIV in the District of Columbia.
Special events such as AIDS Walk have an important place in our overall prevention messaging but are not the only vehicle that we use to reach people. We also educate people through our presentations and participation in various neighborhood health fairs, community forums, and other grassroots events throughout the region.
Ben Finzel: Whitman-Walker Clinic now manages DC’s Pride Festival and you’ve been successful in securing corporate sponsors for this event for several years. In addition to corporate interest in Pride festivals, are you seeing corporate interest in HIV/AIDS-related outreach and education? Are there going to be new opportunities to engage businesses in HIV/AIDS education and outreach in the future?
Don Blanchon: I believe that it is vitally important that our entire community — individuals, community groups, foundations, local governments and companies – fully engage in the fight against HIV. To that end, Whitman-Walker Clinic is actively pursuing community-based partnerships with individual companies that share our commitment to HIV prevention, education and care.
Ben Finzel: What’s the one message you have for everyone as we observe another World AIDS Day? What’s the one thing we should remember and/or act on?
Don Blanchon: You have the power right now to make a difference in the fight against HIV. Act courageously, act responsibly and by all means, act now.
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