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The national demonstrations taking place all around the country represent a turning point in our history, a shift in the African American narrative that highlights the stigma that has afflicted so many Black people in America. As a Black Queer man in Atlanta, I am encouraged deeply by this national awakening, but due to my work in the field of public health and HIV prevention, I cannot help but feel for my brothers, sisters and non-binary siblings that are seeing one stigma they face be addressed, but not another.

There is an HIV crisis in the South. The South is home to only 38% of the U.S. population, but accounted for 51% of new HIV [diagnoses] last year. Georgia has been the epicenter of the HIV epidemic. Georgia leads the country in new HIV [diagnoses] rates, with the Black community bearing the brunt of this ongoing crisis. There are 51,350 Georgians living with HIV and nearly 69% of them are African Americans. Even more troubling is the fact that Black gay men, like myself, have been disproportionately affected and are diagnosed at a rate five times higher than white men.

As a Black Queer man living with HIV in Atlanta and Executive Director/Co-founder of He Is Valuable, a nonprofit social movement that is dedicated to the proliferation and value of Black queer men beyond the stigmas we face, I have seen firsthand how HIV has impacted my community. The perpetuation of misinformation, and lack of a concerted national effort to developing intersectional approaches to addressing social justice issues like HIV, reinforces the daunting convergence of a multiplicity of stigmas for Black gay men living with HIV and impacted by HIV.

As Black Queer men living with HIV, we deal with stigma and discrimination not just around our diagnosis, but also our race, sexual identity and economic status that impacts our abilities to gain and maintain employment. We are socially, politically and economically told the narrative that our lives are not worthy, worthless and without value both from the larger society and within the Black and LGBT communities. At He Is Valuable, we boldly, loudly and proudly invite the world to identify, reinforce and celebrate the value of Black Queer men by taking the stigma of HIV and turning it into "He Is Valuable." To this end, we are dedicated to addressing these stigmas by curating programs, services and initiatives that are birthed through innovation and the transformative experiences of Black Queer men to enhance the social, political and economic health and well-being of Black Queer men in Atlanta and beyond.

We understand in order to address HIV, we have to address the many complex and intersectional issues that communities most impacted are facing. It is even more imperative that the voices, talents and experiences of the said community are to be brought to the forefront and the solutions must be brought to fruition through the leadership of the community. We all must fight these stigmas head on to ensure this number of new cases of HIV trends down in Atlanta and across the country.

The new “State of HIV Stigma” survey, conducted by GLAAD and Gilead Sciences, measured American attitudes toward HIV and the impact that stigma has on the community of people living with HIV. The results of the survey are both shocking and sad, with nearly 9 in 10 Americans agreeing that “people are quick to judge those with HIV,” and nearly 6 in 10 surveyed still believing they have to be careful around people with HIV to avoid catching it. Stigma affects both our professional and personal lives, with 49% of Americans saying they are uncomfortable with a partner or spouse living with HIV. Whether you are a healthcare worker, hair stylist, teacher or business owner, people are just less comfortable working with you if you have HIV.

Information and education about HIV is the key to fighting stigma. The “State of HIV Stigma” survey indicated nearly one in two Americans are “unaware” of HIV or “know a little about HIV.” This presents an opportunity to educate the public. At He Is Valuable, we have harnessed the power of social marketing and social media to fight HIV stigma by creating programs that normalize, address and bring information about HIV as a part of the reality of the Black Queer experience. One of the many ways we accomplish this is through our Chit Chat & Chew conversations, a social support group for Black queer men, where we talk about HIV related issues like racism, sexuality, dating, economics and more. Through these transformative conferences, we are able to increase awareness about HIV and develop creative solutions to fight the epidemic beyond a biomedical standpoint, but from a social justice perspective.

Hundreds of people have attended our live online and in-person discussions since they started back in 2017. The program has actually grown since the start of COVID-19, with more than 3,500 people participating in our most recent conversations online through our Chit, Chat and Chew Live, RAW Talk w/Rich and other collaborative live shows that our team has been a part of. The energy and enthusiasm people have for these events show us that there is a real path forward to end stigma.

The fight against the stigma of HIV seems like a daunting task, but it is being fought on multiple levels, from small grassroots organizations to big companies. Programs like the Gilead COMPASS Initiative, which is focused on combating the HIV epidemic in the South, are empowering community-based organizations like ours to educate the public and provide needed linkage to care and other social support services to people living with HIV. It is creative collaborations with local leaders, community organizations, and committed corporations that will help to turn the tide on stigma — and the epidemic.

Atlanta is often referred to as the “Black Mecca” and for those of Black folks who live an LGBT+ experience, the "Black Gay Mecca." Atlanta is a cultural hub for African American businesses and culture in this country. By bringing together community organizations, committed corporations, along with HIV advocates, we can also make it the hub for ending HIV stigma. We must use the resources we all bring to the table to find ways to creatively collaborate, engage and educate the public on HIV. We must all challenge ourselves to learn more about HIV so that we are not consciously or unconsciously stigmatizing the people who are living with and fighting HIV every day.

Richard Hutchinson Jr

Writing since February 2022 · 1 story contributed