Red Pump: What is your personal connection to HIV/AIDS?
Andrea Walker: When I was ten years old, I learned that my mother was HIV positive. She battled for over twelve years with the disease and died on my son’s second birthday, just two days after Christmas. We live in a world where the negative stigma associated with HIV/AIDS still deters many from educating themselves, thus perpetuating the cycle of individuals being unaware. I believe the stats now read 1 in 7 people are infected, and unaware.
Red Pump: Do you believe stigma exists towards people living with HIV/AIDS and what actions have you taken to fight against the stigma?
Andrea Walker: Absolutely. In my personal life, I frequently speak with my children about HIV/AIDS and educate them on the importance of being educated about issues as such that can drastically affect our community and brutally crippled our family. In my professional life which gives me a larger platform through my nonprofit, iROC, I avidly host community events that provide HIV/AIDS awareness, onsite testing and counseling.
I am a conscious activist for HIV/AIDS awareness and last year I created the Know Your Status Campaign here in Philadelphia. At the event we tested nearly one hundred youth and provided a Red Tie Event to highlight those who were brave enough to take the pledge to continue to know their status. Each year, we hope to touch hundreds of lives during the campaign through HIV/AIDS testing, education and messaging to create awareness.
To read the rest of Andrea’s interview, visit the Red Pump Project.