Media

My name is Stefan Lessard. I am a son, a father, a musician in the Dave Matthews Band, and I am a proud Mohawk man. If we are to have an aids free generation for native people, we must overcome the stigma of HIV. Stigma surrounding HIV testing and the fear of disclosure of HIV status is hurting our people. Stigma keeps us silent and that silence can kill us. We can change this! We must support our brothers and sisters who are HIV positive and we must speak loudly about living healthy!

H-I-V: Hearing indigenous voices: uniting the bold voices of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Conquer stigma! Get tested! Know your status!

Osiyo, I’m Becky Hobbs, singer, songwriter, composer, and co-playwright of the musical Nanyehi, the story of Nancy Ward, based on the life of my fifth great grandmother who was a beloved woman of the cherokee. I too, am a warrior for the health of my native people. Too many of our people have lost their lives to complications from aids, too many are HIV positive, and too many don’t even know their status. We are powerful people and united, we can defeat HIV…make some noise! March 20th is the Spring equinox and it’s National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Start the conversation about HIV and live strong! Defeat the stigma and know your own status. For more information, visit www.nnhaad.org.

March 20th marks the 9th Annual National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It’s the first day of Spring and in most Native communities, its a time of ceremony and new beginnings. National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a day to honor those who have passed as a result of AIDS and it’s much needed time to renew our commitment to stop this infection among our people. We encourage all communities to honor this day with an event to support HIV testing and awareness. Fight the stigma, know your own status, and promote a healthy lifestyle. For more information please visit www.nnhaad.org. One way to honor the struggles our ancestors made for our survival and to protect the future of our people is to take the test.

March the 20th is the first day of Spring, it marks a time of renewal for many Native people. It is also the day that we honor national native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The truth is, that we really don’t know how many Native people are living with HIV. No one knows, because we are not being counted. reported surveillance rate on native people are very inaccurate. What we do know, is that our native people have dismally high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy, Hepatitis C, and substance use. That means that too many of us are having sex without protection and sex without protection means we have a higher risk for HIV. This awareness day is a time to renew your commitment to yourself to keep your sexual experiences safe. Empower yourself by knowing your status. Early detection of HIV ensures a long healthy life. Educate yourself, educate your health provider about the importance of testing and prevention, and most important, take the test. For more information, visit www.nnhaad.org.

AIDS was discovered in 1981 and thirty one years later, no cure has been found. sadly, The number of new cases of HIV each year among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people continue to increase. March 20th, the Spring Equinox, is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a time to ask yourself what you are doing to prevent HIV. Have you been tested? Have you talked with your family and friends about HIV? How do you lower your own risk? Your actions will protect both yourself and your community. This is a day to recommit to education, prevention, and action. For more information, please visit www.aids.gov. To find a testing site, text your zip code to “knowit” (566948). Now is the time to do your part to end HIV. Honor our ancestors. Protect our people. Take the test.

AIDS was discovered in 1981 and thirty one years later, no cure has been found. sadly, The number of new cases of HIV each year among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people continue to increase. March 20th, the Spring Equinox, is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a time to ask yourself what you are doing to prevent HIV. Have you been tested? Have you talked with your family and friends about HIV? How do you lower your own risk? Your actions will protect both yourself and your community. This is a day to recommit to education, prevention, and action. For more information, please visit www.aids.gov. To find a testing site, text your zip code to “knowit” (566948). Now is the time to do your part to end HIV. Honor our ancestors. Protect our people. Take the test.

With Music

Without Music

March 20th marks the 5th Annual National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It’s the first day of Spring and in many Native communities, its a time of ceremony and new beginnings. National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a day to honor those who have passed as a result of aids and it is a time to renew our commitment to stop this infection among our people. We encourage all communities to honor this day with an event to support HIV testing and awareness. Take the test, fight the stigma and promote a healthy lifestyle! For more information, please visit www.aids.gov, or to find a testing site near you, visit www.hivtest.org. The best way to protect our future and to protect our people is to take the test!

With Music

Without Music