Alexis Anderson
Staff Writer
Jackson State University encouraged students, faculty, staff, and the community to “get educated, get tested, get involved, and get treated on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD).
JSU kicked off NBHAAD with events that included a Service of Awareness, Praise and Prayer in Partnership with RUF on Feb. 6 and a NBHAAD Teen Dating Violence Forum and Movie Night on Feb. 7.
Phillip A. Cockrell, JSU Associate Vice President for Student Life, started the service with greetings to students and visitors.
“This evening we will be educated on a disease that has traumatized and devastated our community. No longer will we let this disease hurt our friends, relatives, colleagues, or children. HIV/AIDS doesn’t have a color, size, or gender, it can happen to any human being but we can certainly slow down the rate of HIV/AIDS by learning facts and valuable solutions that can fight this disease,” said Cockrell.
Rev. Elbert McGowan, JSU campus minister, shared first hand encounters about HIV/AIDS that he and his wife had with victims of the disease.
“Black college students in Hinds County are more likely to be exposed to HIV. My wife works at a Walgreens pharmacy not far from here. That store has the highest HIV prescription sales in the nation. She brings home a binder full of vaccine applications from teenagers. People who live in Hinds County have a greater chance of talking, hugging, partying with someone with HIV/AIDS,” said Rev. McGowan.
Arekia Bennett, a junior physics major from Tylertown, Miss., and president of the Student Health Advisory Committee thinks that the message was received well from the student body.
“The Student Health Committee’s goal was to educate the student body about the importance of knowledge of testing and involvement. We accomplished our goals by telling the causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS,” said Bennett.
The observance continued on Feb. 7, with the JSU Division of Student Life and Health Services Centers presenting an NBHAAD Teen Dating Violence Forum and movie night.
Olujide Oluade, Freshman Class President and RuQayya Calmes, Miss Freshman presided over the forum.
The panelists included: Keisha Varnell, Prevention/Intervention Specialist at MS Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Mauda Monger, program director at MS AIDS Education Training Center and Keith Bush, with the University of Mississippi CDC Training Center and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity’s Wellness Initiative.
The panel discussed the difference between HIV and AIDS, comprehensive information on symptoms, facts, treatment, and dating violence.
“Young women and guys can both be products of dating violence. Some girls in the beginning stage of dating can be afraid to ask the guy to use protection because it can lead to violence,” said Varnell. “People can stop dating violence by being proactive. College students especially have to be proactive,. It’s imperative to step in and lend advice to victims of physical and mental health.”
Mauda Monger talked about the false stigma attached to HIV/AIDS in the African-American community.
“When HIV appeared, black people were told and assumed that only white middle aged men were at risk of getting HIV/AIDS. In the 80’s, the disease plagued the African-American community due to lack of informative teaching. There’s no full blown AIDS, the person either has AIDS or HIV,” said Monger.
Some students thought the events were a great way to recognize NBHAAD.
Michael Wilson, a junior speech communications from Vicksburg, Miss., said, “ It was a beautiful event; we definitely need to talk more to educate our people. I feel like the more knowledge is gain, the more we know. I was so impressed with the preparation and the time it took to make this event successful.”
Montre Brooks, a junior accounting major from Memphis, Tenn., said the events captured everything that needed to be said.
“I think the holiday is about awareness and making society accountable for teaching and preparing young and older generations about HIV/AIDS. Safe sex is always important, but abstinence is the key for protecting yourself from any exposure,” said Brooks.
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