HIV/AIDS prevention in D.C.
AP Photo

Was there a theme to today's program? Not really. How about ... trying to make it through the best we can.

Our lead story: the numbers on HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C. are eye-popping. Read (pdf) through the recent report it for yourself.

If you DON'T live in D.C., what does this mean to you? Well, I'm still trying to sort that out. I think it shows the way this disease is progressing through the general population, and, especially, coursing through the African American community. The numbers for Latinos in the District are also important to consider — nearly 5 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS in the district are Latino.

HIV/AIDS can truly be considered an epidemic in the District — D.C. had the highest AIDS case rate nationally — a whopping 128.4 cases per 100,000 population, compared with 14.0 cases per 100,000 nationally ... but it's also true that the rate for newly reported cases is higher than rates in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Detroit, and Chicago. So, is there something about D.C.? Or, is there something broader at work? Our guests, Dr. Shannon Hader, MD, MPH, senior deputy director of Washington's HIV/AIDS Administration, and Rae Lewis Thornton, a longtime AIDS survivor and activist who lives in Chicago, helped us sort through it. If you are a regular reader of Essence magazine, you will have surely read Thornton's story at some point.

If you have insights on how the message about HIV/AIDS can be more effectively communicated, please don't keep it to yourself. We're going to go back to our panel of college students to get their take. We visited with them the week before last about a Pew poll on racial attitudes in the country, and we found their ideas so interesting we decided to have them back.

We also want to let you know about two upcoming Mocha Moms segments...

 

so you can get in on the conversation if you are interested. We received a strong response to the visit with our fertility specialist. So if you have more questions, please send them our way and we will ask as many as we can. We are also interested in a subject first raised by a listener. Let's say you are very involved with a child who is not yours — you're a cousin, an aunt, an uncle. Let's say you have opinions about the way the parents are raising the child ... Do you step in? Say anything? Or mind your own beeswax? And, let's say the shoe is on the other foot — you are a parent and your siblings, parents, etc. have opinions about YOUR parenting. What do you do? You know they mean well, but are they working your nerves? We thought, as the holidays approach and we are all (ahem) enjoying family time more, that this might be a good time to ask these sensitive questions.

So, let us know. Send us your sticky situations ... and we'll do our best to get you some answers (or, at least, tell you you're not alone!).

Tomorrow, another special musical treat. Here's a hint: lots of style, lots of spirit, LOTS on inspiration. If Only You Knew...