June 27, 2009 ~ Washington, DC ~
President Obama
has posted a video address on the White House blog encouraging everyone to learn their status on
National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), which is being honored today,
June 27, throughout the nation. In the clip, which begins with footage of the
President and First lady taking an HIV test during a 2006 trip to Kenya,
President Obama says, "HIV/AIDS makes no distinction and knows no borders ...
Get Tested. By knowing your HIV status, you can take control not only of your
own health, but the health of those around you."
One in five
Americans currently living with HIV doesn't know it. If our President and First
Lady can get tested -- you can too. To find a
testing site near you visit http://www.hivtest.org or text
KNOWIT to 566948.
And to learn more about HIV testing and what you can do
to spread the message, visit cdc.gov
and aids.gov.
About NHTD
Held annually
on this date since 1995, when it was established by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA), National HIV
Testing Day is a united effort among local organizations across the
nation to engage communities in the promotion of early diagnosis and
HIV-testing.
About NMAC
The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) has advanced its
mission, to develop leadership within communities of color to address the
challenges of HIV/AIDS since 1987 through individualized capacity building
assistance; technical assistance trainings; public policy education programs;
national and regional conferences; treatment and research education programs;
online and printed resource materials; and a website: http://www.nmac.org/. The agency also serves as a membership
association for its constituents AIDS service organizations and minority faith-
and community-based organizations delivering HIV/AIDS services in communities of
color and advocates on their behalf in Washington, DC.
