Sunday, August 28, marks National HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2022. Held the last Sunday of each August, the event invites people of all faiths to address HIV and AIDS in their communities and to create safe spaces to address the epidemic. 

The awareness day was launched by RAHMA (Reaching All HIV+ Muslims in America). The Arabic word rahma means “mercy.”

This year, the organizers invite you to join a virtual screening of the short documentary film My Faith, My Story, which will be followed by a discussion. The film, which debuted last year, amplifies the voices of faith leaders, advocates and people living with HIV in the South, the region leading the United States in new HIV cases.

The event begins at 2 p.m., Sunday, August 28. Folks in the Washington, DC, area are encouraged to join the in-person event and networking reception at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

The EventBrite online registration includes the following description of the awareness day:

We invite you into a safe space for storytelling where advocates, faith leaders, and People Living with HIV address the challenges inherent in responding to the HIV epidemic in the Southern U.S. as people and communities of faith. The stories are shared in the film, My Faith, My Story, which will be followed by a discussion. Through these transformative conversations, together we can begin to eliminate the stigma often associated with discussing HIV, sex, and sexuality, in the context of faith—one day, each year, until we find a cure.

 

A networking reception will follow the film and discussion. Light refreshments will be served.

 

Contact: hivfaithcoalition@gmail.com

 

Venue: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St. SW, Washington, DC 20024

You can learn more about National HIV/AIDS Faith Day on FaithAIDSDay.com. “Faith plays a major role in the lives of many Americans,” write the awareness day founders on the site. “Many find faith to be a connection to a spiritual being, deity, or creator. Unfortunately for many Americans living with HIV, faith communities can turn from a place of refuge to a source of stigma and turmoil.

“Since 2017, RAHMA and its partners have led National Faith HIV & AIDS Awareness Day events across the Nation. We’ve reached over 200,000 people representatives of the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu and Baha’i and other faith traditions across the U.S. to take a stand against stigma in their congregations and raise awareness on HIV.…

“We also invite you to host your own event. Use #NFHAAD for the chance to be highlighted on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

“One Day. Each Year. Until We Find A Cure.”

For a roundup of related HIV articles, click #Faith. You’ll find headlines such as

• “Faith Leaders Who Promoted COVID-19 Vaccines Pivot to Fight HIV,”


• “Archbishop Tutu Was One of Us” and

• “$5M Grant Launches a Faith Center to Tackle HIV in the South [VIDEO].”

Finally, to learn more about other HIV awareness days, including a calendar you can download and print, visit “2022 HIV/AIDS Awareness Days.”