Ohio: Forum Tackles AIDS Myths; Workshop Addresses Perceptions of Disease in Black Community

A recent workshop at East Akron Community House offered local health department and social service agencies insight into the social and cultural roadblocks hampering the fight against HIV/AIDS in the black community. The workshop was sponsored by the Minority Health Roundtable, East Akron Community House and Summa Health System.

The daylong event focused on issues such as ignorance about how HIV is spread, unrealistic attitudes that the disease is no longer deadly, and homophobia and the stigma of HIV/AIDS in the black community and black churches. Janet Black, representing Emmanuel Fellowship Church, urged women to take control of their own health, ask partners about their HIV status, or go to a local health department to be tested together.

To get churches involved, it was recommended that activists pitch the idea of a church staging a health fair, with information about HIV/AIDS included with information about cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes.

Crystal Copeland, who started the HIV/AIDS program AGAPE seven years ago with a minister at Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland, said it was difficult educating the religious community and gaining acceptance for an HIV/AIDS program. That was especially true for a program that does free HIV/AIDS testing, gives out condoms, and uses replicas of the male and female reproductive systems for church-based education. But through the partnership, Copeland's staff has tested more than 1,000 people for HIV annually and taught comprehensive sex education classes in Cleveland's public schools.

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