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The ill dynamics that fall into the realm of HIV and how they affect African-Americans and especially Black youth are serious, which is why the organization H.Y.P.E. exists. The founder, through research and personal experience, recognized the need for resources to help hard-hit communities combat HIV. H.Y.P.E. focuses on reducing stigma, bringing awareness to the public, and creating resources for those who need them. The founder recognized a new way to achieve these goals through digital advocacy, which inspired the creation of the Digital Advocacy Experience program
African Americans endure the brunt of America's HIV epidemic, with Black people accounting for 42% of new HIV diagnoses in 2018, a higher proportion than any other ethnicity (CDC, 2018). Young Black gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), are at especially high risk for contracting the virus (HIV.gov).
Estimates show that one-half of gay Black men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime (AJC, 2016). HIV is highly dangerous for Black youths, who are less likely to be receiving treatment and have the virus under control than older members of their community (CDC, 2014).
The Stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and the gay community remains a persistent barrier to treatment and endangers the long-term health of patients. Stigma towards people living with HIV occurs due to misinformation about the condition, and prejudiced beliefs about a person’s racial or sexual identity (Avert).
This is all especially problematic in the South, where America's HIV epidemic is most heavily concentrated (CDC 2019). In Atlanta for example, 70.2% of individuals living with HIV are Black, and 73.4% of those with new HIV diagnoses are Black (AIDSvu, 2018), even though only 34.3% of the city’s population is Black (Metro Atlanta Chamber 2019).
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