WORLD AIDS DAY - DEC 1st

AIDS has been around 26 years and has claimed the lives of more than 30 million people. AIDS comes after someone is diagnosed as HIV+. HIV can be maintained, but not cured. You can contract it from sexual contact with a positive individual and intravenous drug usage. One may not have symptoms of the virus, and can very well have the virus. You cannot tell who has HIV/AIDS and who does not. As a black woman it is for me to be tested regularly, partner or no partner, and to know how this epidemic affects me.

Here are just some stats:
-AIDS is the leading cause of death of African Americans between the ages of 25 and 44
-Black women account for 72% of all the new HIV/AIDS cases in women (way too many)
-67% of black women with HIV contracted it from heterosexual sex (Get him tested too)
-African American woman are 23 times more likely to infected with AIDS than white
-African American men are almost nine times more likely to be infected with AIDS than white (9 out of 10?)

So...

Ask questions, remain educated, and GET TESTED

Sean Taylor's Demise - No Surprise?

Sean Taylor is now one of many black youth to be gunned down and killed this year. His celebrity has allowed his death to be apart of major headlining news all week, unlike most who go unseen and unheard. He was a very successful NFL star during the 3 year span of his career, he had the potential to be considered one of the best in his time. Like many newbies he had a couple run ins with the league and paid the price of all - but he recently had a daughter, 18 months ago to be exact, and has since been trying to grow up and be the man that he knew he should be instead of a knucklehead of a rookie. He was recognized by his peers and loved by his fans and now that this 24 year old Miami native, is now dead, the media cares only to speak about his minor mistakes of receiving fines on late hits and not showing up to a rookie symposium as well as how they are NOT surprised that he got killed. Really? You're not surprised that a man - a human being - is dead? OoOooOO that's right, if one grew up in the hood, love and respect you're hood - you deserve to die just like another nigger in the hood - I forgot black people in the ghetto don't deserve or can't ever really mentally or physically rise above.

After reading several articles on Black Voices, I realized that people really still can amaze me with their insensitivity - I was just saying last night that people can be so messed up in the head and do such weird things beyond me I am no longer surprised (well I guess I was wrong) - along with the unsurprising comments of a white Washington Post columnist Leonardo Shapiro - in my opinion a typical white man in his empathetic manner sends heartfelt while still probably believes that all black people in the ghetto are savages - Michael Wilbon, an African American ESPN personality and Post Columnist definitely made it seem as though Taylor "deserved what he got". Its not like he was living in Miami, slanging and banging, harming the community - he was playing out his dream in real life - according to some he was actually leery about going back home to Miami, in fear that some who are simply mad that he has "made it" would actually come after him. That's no way to live. To me, he tried to grow up, I mean shit - he was young and naive like every other human being on this earth - who made mistakes, you live and learn - he wanted to do something to work, earn stats and recognition on top of his fame - now unfortunately he is and always will be apart of another statistic regardless of his fame.

I could only imagine this being Willie Lee Hardmon, the next best thing that comes straight out of Miami by way of Morgan State University. HE has potential to be a great NFL legend one day too and loves his city too, so which in turn no one know the outcome of his future - but I know I couldn't imagine his death not being a surprise to me regardless of where is from...

Life Lessons: Like You'll Never See Me Again...

This is my FAVORITE song on the whole entire album - which I absolutely love as mentioned last week- This song embodies the way EVERYONE should live their lives with all those that are important to them. The video is deep, I love the connection between Common and Alicia. It seems as thought they are going through what pretty much every couple goes through, and the mistakes we all have made so with that said -You never know what is going to happen or who it is going to happen so - LOVE HARD, LIVE FULLY AND LAUGH UNCONTROLLABLY - like you'll never see them again...

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