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December 21, 2016 Page 7 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views of the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. O PINION Learn to Show Respect and Insist on It One Black Woman’s View h eather M osley What is the root of racism, the cause of conflict, the answer to anger? As we transition from our nation’s first black president and the dream of a post-racial Ameri- ca to a man elected by supporters that include Confederate battle flag-wavers, I need to reflect on my own journey to help myself deal with it all. I grew up in a family of six kids, I’m the youngest, and was born and raised in Portland. My mom is black and native from Missis- sippi, and my father was a strong black man from Alabama. Both were raised in the segregation era. We were not raised to be violent or racist and would get disciplined if we showed any signs of it. My mom said she never wor- ried about people messing over me even as a child. I was outspo- ken and would defend myself if it became necessary. I was a fairly small child but came with a pow- erful pack of energy. I never start- ed any fights or picked on anyone, by and never played the bully role. You would have to pick on me first for me to go into action. I was bussed out to all-white schools through elementary and high school. I can remember my first day of school; my oldest sister was getting me dressed to walk me to catch the bus. The buses picked us up from the black schools that were in the neighborhood to take took place when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. I was the only black kid in the classroom and a white girl raised her hand and told the teach- er her lunch bag was missing. She believed I was the one who took it. The teacher who was an older white woman asked the class who wanted to go search my stuff to see if I had stolen it. All of a sudden, I saw all the little white hands go up my mom what had happened. The next morning she, I, and my dad headed to the school and my parents were not happy. My mom went into the principal’s of- fice and explained how they were not going to treat her child in any disrespectful matter. My dad and I sat outside the door and then I see the teacher enter the principal’s office. I will not repeat the words I use constructive communication skills, take conflict resolution classes, and get my point across where it does not cause serious problems. I will continue to work on being less aggressive, for I am a woman who carries herself in a respectful manner and violence is not the answer. us to the white schools. When my sister was putting me on the bus she said, “You better not let any- one treat you differently or disre- spect you just because of your col- or.” I did not understand. I was too young to understand about racism but I surely learned. There were about 10 of us black kids who were bussed out to this elementary school. To this day I can remember this incident that into the air. I remember thinking; as soon as one comes towards me I was going to sock them in their face. One of the kids then said to the girl who was missing her lunch, isn’t that your bag over there on the window ledge, and she said yes. The class went back to normal with no apology to me from the teacher or the girl. I remember feeling so degraded even at the young age I was. That evening, I cried and told I heard my mom saying to this teacher. What I remember about the incident is, the teacher no lon- ger taught that class, my parents and I were given a written apol- ogy, and I’m not sure what other actions may have ensued legally. I continued, graduated from that school, and had no more problems that I could not handle on my own. In this world I have seen and faced a lot of unfair racial treat- ment, and at times I have reacted in anger. Yes, I would get up in someone’s face and be ready to handle the situation whichever way it went. It never got physically violent but certainly got verbally violent. Over the years, I learned the only person who suffered and got hurt from handling racism this way was me. I have been a work in progress and have come a long way from being aggressive. I have learned how to approach the situa- tion and voice my opinion without hostility. I pray for strength from God to show me, and I have noth- ing to prove to anyone in a violent way. Now, instead, I use construc- tive communication skills, take conflict resolution classes, and get my point across where it does not cause serious problems. I will continue to work on being less ag- gressive, for I am a woman who carries herself in a respectful man- ner and violence is not the answer. In the coming period, I pray we all reflect and respect and learn to over- come our inner aggressions. We will need this, I suspect, together. Heather Mosley is a returning college student. (Distributed by PeaceVoice.) AIDS: Envisioning the Beginning of the End Daunting challenges remain M arC h. M orial On June 5, 1981, the Centers for Disease Control published its weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report which described five cases of previously healthy, young gay men in Los Angeles infected with a rare lung infec- tion. It would eventually become recognized as the first official re- port on HIV/AIDS in the United States. Since the start of the epidem- ic, an estimated 35 million peo- ple have died from AIDS-relat- ed illnesses around the globe. In the United States alone, more than 700,000 people have died an AIDS death since the begin- ning of the epidemic. Thirty-five years ago, testing HIV positive was an automatic death sentence, but today, as a result of targeted HIV prevention efforts, rapid test- ing, advances in treatment and increased access to life-saving by health care, what was once a death sentence is now, in many cases, a chronic disease that can be lived with and managed. Today, more than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, ac- cording to the CDC. New infections are down from their peaks in the 80s and 90s, with the CDC esti- mating that new HIV di- agnoses have fallen by 19 percent from 2005 to 2014. and socioeconomic disparities. African Americans and Latinos continue to bear the dispropor- tionate burden of HIV infection in our nation. In 2015, African Americans, who represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for 45 percent of HIV diagnoses. While Latinos, who represent 18 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for 24 percent of HIV diagno- ses. Regionally, the South is ex- periencing the highest infection ship and commitment that ampli- fies our impact in all communities ravaged by this disease. It is also a vivid reminder that health, health care, disease and its dissemination and eradication do not exist in a cultural or social vacuum. The link between health, social and economic equity and our vi- sion of an AIDS-free generation is real and borne out by the shocking rate of HIV/AIDS in communities of color and vulnerable popula- tions. Given the disproportionate As we celebrate those numbers, we must keep in mind that the epidemic is far from over and that our progress in combating this disease has been uneven and remains riddled with all-too-familiar racial and socioeconomic disparities. The death rate from AIDS-related illnesses has dropped by 30 per- cent, approaching our nation’s 2020 target rate. As we celebrate those numbers, we must keep in mind that the epi- demic is far from over and that our progress in combating this disease has been uneven and remains rid- dled with all-too-familiar racial rates, illness and deaths than any other U.S. region, with the South- ern states accounting for close to half—an estimated 44 percent— of all people living with an HIV diagnosis in the United States. For those of us on the front lines of the battle versus this epidemic, these numbers are a call to action to put an end to HIV with leader- impact of the epidemic in com- munities of color, effectively ad- dressing HIV/AIDS in the United States also means addressing pov- erty and a lack of access to health care. The National Urban League and its affiliates continue to part- ner with organizations and groups working to decrease and defeat HIV/AIDS in the hardest hit pop- ulations. League affiliates have joined the Act Against AIDS Leadership Alliance. As a part of the compact, more than 500 HIV related events and trainings have taken place. As a member of PACT (Partnering and Communicating Together to Act Against AIDS), we work on achieving the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) by reducing HIV infec- tions, improving health outcomes for people living with HIV and reducing HIV related disparities. Here is a final sobering statistic: 1 in 8 people living with HIV in the United States are unaware of their status. We cannot fight what we don’t know. We need leader- ship from service providers, ad- vocates, doctors and government officials, but all of us, have a role to play on the journey towards an AIDS-free generation. Protect yourself and reduce the risk of spreading HIV, or any STD, by getting tested and know- ing your status. We must all com- mit to keeping our communities healthy. Marc H. Morial is president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.
