A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that although African Americans accounted for only 13% of the population in the U.S. in 2018, they made up 42% of new HIV cases in the country in the same year.

This is quite alarming and it just proves that a lot still needs to be done to promote HIV awareness. It's also why we need to make the most of the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), which is happening today.

Founded in 1999, NBHAAD is observed on Feb. 7 every year. It aims to increase HIV education, testing and treatment in communities of color in the United States.

To inspire courage and togetherness on this day, here are a few quotes, courtesy of Slogans Hub and Your Fates:

  • "It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance." — Elizabeth Taylor
  • "If you judge people, you have no time to love them." — Mother Teresa
  • "Behind every chronic illness is just a person trying to find their way in the world. We want to find love and be loved and be happy just like you. We want to be successful and do something that matters. We're just dealing with unwanted limitations in our hero's journey." — Glenn Schweitzer
  • "It is never too late to give up our prejudices." — Henry David Thoreau
  • "The most important thing in illness is never to lose heart." — Nikolai Leni
  • "You can't be involved in healthcare without being involved in the battle against AIDS." — Paul Wolfowitz
  • "AIDS today is not a death sentence. It can be treated as a chronic illness or a chronic disease." — Yusuf Hamied
  • "The AIDS virus is not more powerful than God." — Marianne Williamson
  • "I think AIDS can be won. I think we can win this fight. It is winnable. But it means behavior change." — Franklin Graham
  • "The challenges surrounding HIV and AIDS are getting more complex and mature, and we just can’t stick our heads in the sand and say 'It can't happen to me.'" — Brande Roderick
  • "AIDS can destroy a family if you let it, but luckily for my sister and me, Mom taught us to keep going. Don't give up, be proud of who you are, and never feel sorry for yourself." — Ryan White
  • "I'm a firm believer that education is the most efficient tool we have to make people aware and make our children aware, and to protect them from the scourge of the century, which is AIDS." — Shakira
An estimated 38 million people were living with HIV in 2019, according to UNAIDS
Representational image. AFP / STR
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