Black Religious Leaders Discuss Faith-Based Efforts To Address HIV/AIDS
Black churches have made progress in fighting HIV/AIDS in the black community, but there is more they could do to combat the disease, black religious leaders say, JET reports. According to CDC, blacks account for 12% of the U.S. population and make up half of all AIDS cases. The majority of new AIDS cases among women are in blacks, and black youths account for more than half of the new AIDS cases in young people. Pernessa Seele -- founder of the Balm in Gilead, a faith-based, not-for-profit organization that works to improve the lives of people with life-threatening illnesses -- said many black churches conduct HIV testing, provide HIV/AIDS education and offer case management. "Eighteen years ago when I started this work, the black churches in America were essentially silent on the issues. For 18 years, I've definitely seen tremendous growth in the response of churches" to HIV/AIDS, Seele said. JET also profiled several religious leaders who discuss the importance of black churches in fighting HIV/AIDS (Slagle, JET, 3/26).
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