Mashaun D. Simon: AIDS in the African American Community

Black America Responds to a Health Care Crisis

Even in the face of modern science with all of the medical advances of detection and treatment, even with the abundance of information disseminated about protection and prevention, the spread of AIDS has become a public health emergency among African-Americans. This disease, once considered to primarily affect gay, white men, has become an epidemic in the black community.

So what is the black community doing or not doing to resolve this? Is the blame to be placed on our churches, schools, or lack of leadership in the black community? I had a chance to speak with writer/journalist Mashaun D. Simon on his views about this issue.

Scheme: I really want to commend you on your research of the AIDS epidemic in the black community. Why in your opinion, does the rate of those infected with the virus continue to grow in the black community?

Mashaun D. Simon: We feel as African Americans that this virus still really doesn’t effect us. White folks said it’s not to going to effect them. There is just a lack of reality within the community, we live in an very unrealistic world. My brother died from AIDS complications when I was younger, however I still continued to live irresponsibly.

Scheme: Wow, well I’m definitely sorry to hear that. So what exactly guided you into taking responsibility for your actions?

Simon: Ummm, I don’t know. I just started to focus on what I needed to do. It just took me to grow up. When I was young, I did things just because. As I grew, I needed to be more responsible personally.

Scheme: What really inspired your article in the Black Enterprise?

Simon: Well I actually had a friend writing for the magazine and we often discussed how no one was doing a story on the issue. Initially I didn’t feel they would do the story, but the fact that HIV/AIDS is so prevalent in my life right now, I had to.

Scheme: In your research of author Gil Robertson’s book, Not In My Family: AIDS in the African American Community, I noticed that you pointed out how many of our most notable black entertainers spoke out on Robertson’s book. Do you think that is what it will take to make our community more conscious of what is going on?

Simon: I mean it definitely helps, but people have to make a conscious effort to educate themselves. Its like I’m so tired of hearing that we don’t have great black leaders in our communities, the problem is just lack of familiarity. Everybody knows Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton, but there are a many more young, respected leaders we have out there that nobody knows about.

Scheme: Yeah, I definitely hear you. Education is the key, and with so much lack thereof, it saddens me that here we are now in 2007, and many people still feel that this is a “gay” disease, what are your feelings on that?

Simon: Umm, angry, because I am gay. It just hurts with all the finger pointing I’m sick and tired of it. I mean maybe in the early 80’s the majority of those effected with the virus where homosexual, but statistically speaking now, AIDS is the number one killer of heterosexual African American women.

Scheme: As you know our youth/generation is heavily influenced by hip hop culture, what exactly is hip hop’s role in all of this?

Simon: I don’t want to place all of the blame on hip hop, I mean that just goes back to the whole finger pointing thing. Is it responsible? Yes. But once again, we as individuals have to take responsibility for educating our youth. I will actually be sitting on an Advisory Board for an HIV/AIDS project focused on educating young black men about HIV/AIDS and creating prevention focused curriculum. And I also am doing some similar work in my church.

Scheme: Speaking of the church, only recently has the topic of AIDS really come up in discussion. It has been somewhat of a taboo issue in the church, why do you think this is?

Simon: Still ignorance. Fear, afraid to deal with it. I attend the Vision Church in Atlanta, GA, and this is an all-affirming church, based off of any and everyone is welcomed. We are a unity fellowship church where our pastor speaks a lot HIV/AIDS education. What other church’s/people have to realize is that AIDS doesn’t care who you are. Whether your black, gay, Christian, Atheist, whatever, it doesn’t matter.

Scheme: You’re right, this is definitely a disease that doesn’t discriminate. It was a pleasure speaking with you, so what can I readers expect from you in the near future?

Simon: A ton of stuff. I mean I’m going to be speaking out on AIDS in our community on a couple of boards, I continue to freelance for Black Enterprise, and I am also getting my degree at Georgia State University, so just be on the lookout.

• African Americans make up 50 percent of all reported AIDS cases in the U.S.
• Black women account for about 64 percent of AIDS cases reported among women