HIV’s Grip on the American South Draws Much-Needed Attention to the AIDS Crisis in the American South

On behalf of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, I’m very excited to share the following New Yorker article, which draws much-needed attention to the AIDS crisis in the American South by spotlighting the incredible work of Women with a Vision, an EJAF grantee.

In a comprehensive piece published last week, writer Sarah Stillman examines the conditions that have allowed AIDS to flourish throughout the South: racism, homophobia, fear, and stigma. The consequences, though long overlooked, have been devastating.  As the New Yorker reports, though the South contains less than a third of America’s population, it represents almost half of the nation’s HIV infections each year.

The AIDS crisis is far from over, and the American South is one of its hotbeds. That’s why EJAF is dedicated to supporting education, advocacy, and prevention efforts throughout the South—and why we are heartened to see such enlightened media coverage by one of the nation’s most important magazines.