New York State Forum Addresses HIV/AIDS Issues Among Minority Women

A forum sponsored by not-for-profit Group Ministries, which is a part of the Communities of Color Coalition of New York State, on Friday addressed HIV/AIDS issues related to black and other minority women, the Buffalo News reports.

According to the New York State Department of Health, women made up 31.8% HIV-positive residents living in the eight western New York counties in 2005. Black and Hispanic women made up 57.4% of all HIV/AIDS cases in those counties, the News reports. The forum titled, "Disproportionate Impact! Women of Color and AIDS," included three workshops that focused on disease prevention strategies, cultural competency and advocacy.

"This is the kind of dialogue that should be happening in every community of color" across the nation, New York state Assembly member Crystal Peoples (D) said at the conference. "The face of AIDS has changed very rapidly," Peoples added, noting that new HIV infections among Hispanic and black women "are rising quickly." She said, "But the disease is totally, 100% preventable. You don't have to get it, and you don't have to die from it" (Mariacher, Buffalo News, 6/16).