December 30, 2015
Page 15
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O PINION
HIV’s Hold in Communities of Color
We must all do
our part to stop
this disease
M arC h. M orial
Over 30 years ago,
America, and nations
around the world, came
face to face with HIV/
AIDS—a devastating
global, public health
concern that decimated cities,
communities and countries alike.
In the three decades since its dis-
covery, much has changed—and
thankfully— much has improved.
Today, advancements in pre-
vention and treatment have led
to a significant reduction in HIV
transmission; the expansion of
HIV screening and testing has re-
sulted in far more people knowing
there HIV status and getting help
early; and new and better drugs
are allowing those infected with
HIV/AIDS to lead longer and bet-
ter quality lives. That’s the good
news.
But the news that should give
us pause is that while we stand un-
disputedly victorious on a variety
of battlefronts against this dev-
astating epidemic, we are losing
a costly war—one that primarily
by
claims young, male and female
African-Americans and Latinos as
its victims.
HIV/AIDS does not discrimi-
nate. Sexual orientation,
race or gender cannot pro-
tect you from HIV infec-
tion, but unfortunately, in
far too many cases, those
factors could increase your
risk of infection. An esti-
mated 1.2 million people
are living with HIV infec-
tion in the United States today.
Compared to other races and eth-
nic groups, blacks and Hispanics
are the groups most affected by
HIV—accounting for a higher
proportion of new HIV infections,
of those living with HIV and of
those ever diagnosed with AIDS.
In 2010, African Americans ac-
counted for 44 percent of all new
HIV infections. While African
Americans are 12 percent of the
U.S. population, in 2011, they ac-
counted for 41 percent of people
living with HIV. Hispanics repre-
sent 16 percent of the population,
but in 2011 accounted for 21 per-
cent of those living with HIV.
The numbers are graver still
for African-American women.
CDC statistics point to AIDS as
the fourth leading cause of death
among African-American women
ages 35-44. According to the lat-
est statistics, African-American
women accounted for 64 percent
of new HIV infections. Hispanic
women accounted for 15 percent
of all new infections and white
women accounted for 18 percent.
To win the war on HIV/AIDS;
to achieve the three zeroes; we
cannot approach the epidemic as
a standalone public health crisis.
Our nation must develop a multi-
pronged approach to HIV/AIDS
that also addresses equal access to
health care and civil rights.
The lack of access to healthcare
must be addressed in communities
of color if we are going to effec-
tively address the prevalence of
this disease. While the Affordable
Care Act has expanded the cov-
erage of HIV prevention services
and medical care, it can only work
where it exists.
It comes as no surprise that in
states that rejected ACA, which
also tend to be poorer states, HIV/
AIDS remains at crisis levels. One
in every eight people diagnosed
with HIV is unaware of their sta-
tus. That lack of awareness, the
lack of access to prevention and
education are needlessly decimat-
ing communities of color.
According to the CDC, Af-
rican Americans also have the
worse outcomes for continued
care after diagnosis. While there
can be no true statistical measure
of the effect of stigma, fear and
discrimination around HIV, the
oftentimes real fear of rejection
and stigmatization plays are large
role in people choosing to not get
tested or to keep their status to
themselves.
We must all do our part to stop
the spread of this disease. The Na-
tional Urban League has joined
the Act Against AIDS Leadership
Alliance. The organization is one
of only 20 agencies taking part in
the federal government’s first HIV
prevention media campaign in 20
years. As a part of this total effort,
more than 500 HIV related events
and trainings have taken place.
The leadership of community
based organizations, corporations,
and local and the federal govern-
ment is important, but there is
work out there for every one of us.
Know your status; get tested; and
encourage the people you love to
do the same. And when you meet
someone with HIV/AIDS don’t
perpetuate the problem of stigma
and discrimination, be a part of the
solution and help us get to zero.
Marc H. Morial is president
and chief executive officer of the
National Urban League.
A Green and Dirty Gift from Congress
Deal highlights
mismatched
energy policies
e Mily s ChWartZ g reCo
As lawmakers scurried to
keep the government open
and head home for the holi-
days, they wrapped spending
and tax deals into a costly
measure that highlighted our
nation’s mismatched energy
policies.
Specifically, this monster bill ex-
tended and restored tax incentives
for wind and solar power while lift-
ing a ban on crude oil exports that
began during Jimmy Carter’s presi-
dency. On the one hand, the private
sector can keep generating a grow-
ing share of the nation’s electricity
from renewable, free, and non-pol-
luting resources. On the other hand,
some oil that might have stayed in
the ground just became more likely
to be extracted and burned.
But the deal’s contradictory com-
promises won’t cancel each other
out. Ultimately, the Republican-led
Congress — which largely pledges
its allegiance to Big Oil — wasted
by
no time in helping the United States
adhere to its commitments under the
global accord sealed in Paris.
As more homeowners, drivers,
industries, and utilities draw their
power from the sun and the wind,
catastrophic
climate
change will become less
likely. And the long-
term climate benefits of
boosting wind and so-
lar power for five more
years will outweigh the
potential climate pol-
lution from allowing
crude exports, Council on Foreign
Relations energy expert Michael
Levi predicts.
Currently, oil prices are so de-
pressed due to a global glut that
there’s little demand elsewhere for
U.S. crude. If oil markets bounce
back, the long-term climate con-
sequences of this largely symbolic
victory for Big Oil will probably be
small. Stretching renewable-energy
credits out for another five years,
however, will deliver major relief to
the wind industry. The Production
Tax Credit, its primary source of
federal support, had been in limbo
for most of the past two years.
Then there’s the solar energy In-
vestment Tax Credit. Without the
new tax deal, it would have expired
at the end of 2016. Now it’s assured
through 2022.
Wait. Many Republican lawmak-
ers scoff at the notion of climate
action and are trying to sabotage
President Barack Obama’s Clean
Power Plan. Why would they but-
tress renewable energy right after
the Paris deal?
There are plenty of reasons.
Take job creation. The solar
industry alone already employs
200,000 workers and anticipates
bringing another 140,000 on board
because of the tax credit’s exten-
sion. It also goes out of its way to
hire veterans and plans on hiring
50,000 of them by 2020.
“These jobs are stable, well-pay-
ing, and cannot be exported over-
seas,” observed Solar Energy Indus-
tries Association CEO and President
Rhone Resch.
There’s also the shockingly good
results of government support for
these industries through the tax
code, which in recent years has co-
incided with technological break-
throughs that are now slashing costs
for turbines and solar panels.
Over the first three quarters of
2015, wind and solar energy con-
stituted more than 60 percent of the
nation’s new energy capacity. The
United States is undergoing a re-
newable energy boom that’s leaving
coal and nuclear power in the dust
and overshadowing what until re-
cently appeared to be unstoppable
growth for natural gas-fired pow-
er stations. Then, there’s vigorous
public support for wind and solar
energy, which is nearly as strong
among Republicans as Democrats.
While letting solar tax credits
lapse wouldn’t have short-circuit-
ed that part of the renewable boom
outright, Rhone’s solar trade group
predicted that it would have slowed
things down, including the pace of
job and investment growth.
Likewise, the wind industry —
despite boasting about $20 billion
worth of wind farms now under
construction — feared falling off
an “economic cliff” had Congress
failed to restore the Production Tax
Credit for multiple years.
Now the forecast for renewable
energy looks sunny and bright,
thanks to this green and dirty gift
from Congress.
Columnist Emily Schwartz Greco
is the managing editor of OtherWords.
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