The Los Angeles County Prevention Planning Committee (PPC) at the urging of the black gay men’s taskforce, spearheaded by In The Meantime Men’s Group, Inc. approved one of the remaining recommendations made by the Taskforce to the local PPC to develop set-aside funding to specifically address the growing concerns of HIV/AIDS among black gay men in Los Angeles County.
It is easy to point fingers at those outside of the black community however the truth must be exposed that the forces that exist within our very own community have avoided, neglected and downright ignored the plea from black gay men to provide the type of support that is needed and most meaningful.
We need politicians who are not afraid to do more than simply placate every one while ignoring the gross neglect that exist in prevention efforts for black gay men. This disease will not be effectively addressed as a collective, until the black community steps up to support effective prevention efforts for black people and that includes black gay men.
The black gay men’s Taskforce is calling on any caring community based organization and health institutions to pay close attention to the Prevention Community while moving forward.
We are calling on THE Clinic, Watts Health Care Foundation, Charles Drew, Minority AIDS Project Los Angeles, Women Alive, The Palms Residential and other existing organizations in the black community to continue to target black gay men when applying for future funding. You continue to be our hope and solution.
