Someone close to you has HIV but cannot tell: Stigma prevents individuals from getting tested for HIV, seeking medical care, disclosing diagnosis and in adhering to treatment and follow up.
Fear of social abandonment and losing intimate partners prevents many with HIV from sharing the diagnosis with their loved ones and sexual partners.
Stigma has become a major reason why HIV epidemic continues and millions of people are getting infected and dying with HIV every year. Click HERE to Register
http://huhealthcare.com/community/news-and-media/2012-9-13-HU-Geneva-Renee-to-Headline-Benefit-Concert-for-Confernce-on-Stigma-and-HIV College of medicine
http://medicine.howard.edu/stigmaconcert.htm
More Details
On October 13, 2012, Howard University’s College of Medicine hosted a Musical Extravaganza in Washington, D.C.—a benefit concert held in conjunction with a broader conference on HIV stigma, part of the lead-up to the International AIDS Conference earlier that year.
The event aimed to counteract the stigma surrounding HIV-positive individuals, encouraging testing, disclosure, and treatment adherence through the power of music.
 Event Highlights:
Host & Cause: Organized by Howard University’s Stigma and HIV Initiative, it featured performances by local and touring artists dedicated to raising awareness and funds.
Purpose & Impact: The concert served as a community-centered, uplifting element to the medical and academic discussions, emphasizing how stigma fuels HIV transmission and intergenerational suffering .
Attendees: It drew healthcare providers, conference delegates, activists, students, and community members committed to reducing stigma and supporting those affected by HIV.
Context — International AIDS Conference 2012:
Though this musical event took place in October, the major XIX International AIDS Conference convened earlier that summer (July 22–27, 2012) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
That landmark gathering—first held in the U.S. since travel restrictions were lifted—welcomed over 20,000 delegates and hosted global figures like Jim Yong Kim, Michel Sidibé, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Sharon Stone, and Elton John.
Key Themes: Under the slogan “Turning the Tide Together,” sessions focused on scaling up treatment, prevention strategies, scientific breakthroughs, reducing discrimination, and achieving zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, and zero discrimination.
Notable Moments: The opening session included cultural performances by the Gay Men’s Chorus of DC, Native American blessings, and the unveiling of film, art, and quilt exhibitions. A march, rallies, and extensive Global Village programming amplified community voices .
Why the Musical Extravaganza Mattered
Complement to Science: It emphasized the human and emotional dimensions of HIV.
Community Engagement: It created a safe, celebratory space outside formal conferences to foster solidarity and understanding.
Fundraising Impact: Proceeds supported stigma-reduction initiatives, helping communities that often avoid testing or treatment due to fear of discrimination.
Musical Extravaganza: HIV Conference in Washington DC Oct
