On Aug. 29 (Metro), you published a fair and accurate article on the People of Color Coalition’s boycott of the AIDS Walk.
It is important to understand that it has been almost a year now and the AIDS Walk Board of Directors still has not addressed issues raised by the People of Color Coalition. Although they have taken small steps, the most important issues are still up in the air. While many articles have questioned who is really at a loss, I would like to offer some possible answers:
1. AIDS Walk’s refusal to communicate with the coalition has led the coalition to take more aggressive action. Throughout the course of this controversy, the AIDS Walk Board of Directors’ excuse has been “we simply don’t know how to address the issues”
2. What is the problem? The AIDS Walk board is, with the exception of one person, a white-controlled board, which, in spite of the shifting demographics, has failed to adequately diversify to include people living with HIV/AIDS as well as people of color.
3. The services provided by the 12 member agencies of the AIDS Walk are not in question. That they serve people of color is not an issue. The problem is when people of color are only good for receiving services, not good enough to serve on the AIDS Walk Board of Directors in a decision-making capacity. AIDS Walk’s first and foremost agenda has been to exclude people of color from the planning process and to continue ignoring the issues raised by the coalition.
From personal experience as well as from being a member of the City of Chicago’s HIV Planning Prevention Group, I know how hard it is to obtain funding. But money that AIDS Walk raises almost never reaches people with AIDS directly, since most of the direct services are primarily funded through the Ryan White fund, the City of Chicago Department of Health or the Department of Rehabilitation Services. Money given to AIDS Walk partners is unrestricted funding that can be used to supplement an existing program, for administrative costs or office material/supplies. If anyone is going to be hurt in this process, it’s going to be the 12 member agencies.
The Walk has a great sentimental value for every member of this coalition. The last thing we want to do is to hurt the Walk or fog the memories of people who year after year pay their respects to their loved ones through participation in AIDS Walk. Being HIV-positive myself, events like the Walk have special significance in my life.
My message for all the people participating in this year’s Walk is to wear a red arm band in support of the People of Color Coalition.
