TOGETHER WE CAN END AIDS - AARTH Benefit Concert

"Kaze Daiko Taiko Group perform at the Together We Can End AIDs Concert."

TOGETHER WE CAN END AIDS was the theme of a Concert sponsored by African Americans Reach and Teach Health (AARTH) Ministry and a host of community partners in celebration of World AIDS Day. The Concert was held at the Langston Hughes Performance Arts Institute who partnered with AARTH to bring to life what would be presented as your usual cultural World AIDS Day celebration but undoubtedly had an even stronger message. It started off with the rhythmic drumming of the Kaze Daiko Taiko Group, followed by an outstanding performance by Vellvett dubbed the best gospel rapper in Seattle who is famous for the "Sea-Hawks Anthem, We Run This City.

 

The event was brought to pin drop silence when He took center stage. He said he didn’t speak good English so he brought a friend to help translate his speech which he gave in Spanish.

 



"Vellvett (SeaHawks Anthem)
 performs at AARTH benefit concert"

Like many others He is an immigrant living in the United States. He explained his shock and dismay after a doctor’s visit where he learned he was HIV positive. The shock from the news seemed to drown his very existence, and as if this was not enough the stigma from his own country men would alienate him from society. This is probably because they assumed he was an adulterer/fornicator, after all AIDS is a curse. In their minds he was destined for death and they wanted no part in it. So he made a conscious decision to not disclose his status except to very few trusted friends.

 He made sure it remained under wraps. He needed to face the rest of the world with some dignity but instead he ended up robbing himself of the same as he suffered in silence. He centered his mind around the disappointment at himself for not being "careful" enough. Daily he looked at his own face in the mirror and probably wondered how long it would take to lose the mussels in his face, see he remembers the picture of the bedridden AIDS patients from Africa, aired in a distasteful documentary. What he did not know was the person sitting next to him could very well have been going through the exact same turmoil. A battle against self, it wasn't until he chose to break his silence in a support group that he finally found solace in others who were like him. In this place they shared their burden with each other.

 

In addition to his HIV status he lived with no legal documentation.  Lack of proper identity would only make it harder to gain treatment. He said, "At times I felt like I was in a tunnel and there was no hope for me". I could not possibly comprehend his state of mind but his story is the story of many other HIV positive immigrants living in America.



"Ronald Corset, Event M-CEE...
Together We Can End AIDs concert 2014"

Given the number of years he had lived with the virus this man, seemingly in his middle age years contracted the virus in his early to mid twenties. I know what you are thinking. "Well it is not unheard of for young males to indulge in risky sexual activities" . "He was probably sleeping around with random people without protection". We can easily make the assumption but let me introduce you to this beautiful damsel. I promise her story will challenge every stereotype.

 

Confident even in her demeanor, she walks on to center stage. She is in a red sweater dress and knee high boots, very stylish in my opinion. She looks nothing like the picture of AIDs shown on TV of the dying person who is begging for a wet cotton swab to moisturize their dry mouth. This absolutely beautiful woman is full of life and hope there is no sorrow in her story. She oozes of positive attitude towards her condition; she calls it a "blessing".  She testifies that her diagnosis made her a better person, willing to love and embrace people. Her experience put her on the other end of stereotype (they would now point fingers at her) but she was willing to step out and become the voice of individuals afflicted by the virus. Like the preceding speaker she was shocked at the news of her diagnosis but luckily she was got treatment sooner than her counterpart who only started the Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs after years of infection but get this, I promised I would challenge stereotype. She was infected in the confines of her own home by her spouse. No, she wasn't sleeping around!!!

 

Contrary to common belief it does not take irresponsible sexual relations with multiple partners for a person to contract the virus. It only takes one time with an infected partner.

The first speaker has lived with the virus for almost two decades; the latter has lived with the virus for almost a decade. Irrespective of how both of these individuals contracted the virus they both had one message. They stressed the most important step, HIV testing for all. Early detection of the virus allows better health management, which means higher chances of living a long life. There are support groups that help individuals living with the virus deal with emotional trauma that results from the news of their positive status.

 



Rev. Mary Diggs-Hobson (AARTH Director) & Penzi Amani (Christian Artist),

final tribute...TOGETHER WE CAN END AIDS Benefit concert

In the City of Seattle there are various groups offering testing services. AARTH, founded and directed by Rev. Mary Diggs-Hobson looks to reach and educate the black community about HIV/AIDS. They look to educate the Black community on how to protect one’s self from contraction the virus and maintain good health in the event a person is found to be HIV positive. AARTH also provide access to free testing services and give information on the many community/public health resources that offer care and treatment for those who are positive. AARTH presents a safe haven for people that have been affected by the disease. Among the different avenues of outreach are concert events like the one I just described, annual conferences, on Women and HIV, Gospel of Healing and Social Behavioral health training for providers & community members.


 



 Rev Mary Diggs-Hobson is an example of a person who refused to sit back and watch her community die of AIDS or remain ignorant because of stigma. Taking on this noble task however has its hardships. She explains that among the organization endures a lack of funding and manpower. She continues in absolute resilience because she believes it will take you and me to eliminate this disease hence the mantra, TOGETHER WE WILL END AIDS IN OUR GENERATIION!!!

Complete Roster of Performing artists- AARTH Benefit Concert
(TOGETHER WE CAN END AIDS 2014)

 

Volunteers are invited to participate in this noble cause. Please register at their official website. Well-wishers willing to donate for the cause can find instructions from their website www.aarth.org . Future education and community events are also posted on the organization’s Facebook page. Free testing and counseling services will be provided at these events. Be advised HIPAA laws are observed as per the Privacy Rule located at 45CFR, protecting all medical records. You are welcome to also check out the complete list of amazing artists who performed at the Concert at (www.facebook.com/aarthorg).

 

Post written by: Sharon Njuguna (Penzi Amani)

Photo Credits: DC Productions and Film