CAPAC Marks
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day
Washington DC – May 19th is National Asian and Pacific
Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Within the Asian American and Pacific Islander
(AAPI) community, HIV/AIDS is a significant public health concern which is
amplified and complicated by strong cultural stigmas. To mark API HIV/AIDS
Awareness Day, CAPAC Vice Chair Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (GU) introduced a
resolution “Supporting the goals and ideals of National Asian and Pacific
Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.” Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific
American Caucus (CAPAC) also released the following statements:
Rep. Judy Chu
(CA-27), CAPAC Chair: “HIV/AIDS
threatens Americans of all backgrounds, but in Asian American and Pacific
Islander (AAPI) communities that often stigmatize the diagnosis, problems
surrounding awareness, education, and access to care are compounded. These
factors have led AAPIs to be the only racial group experiencing a continued
increase in new HIV infections despite an overall decrease nationwide. That is
why I am proud to support my colleague Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo’s
resolution to recognize National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day. We must encourage our communities to get tested and prioritize health over
saving face.”
Rep. Ami Bera
(CA-07), CAPAC Healthcare Taskforce Co-Chair: “Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders have more new HIV infections than any other ethnic group.
Cultural issues in the AAPI community cause barriers to prevention that make
education and testing within our community absolutely vital. As a doctor, and
co-chair of the Health Care Task Force for CAPAC, I think it’s important that we
mark National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day by coming
together to overcome the stigmas that threaten our health and our community and
encourage people to get tested.”
Rep. Barbara Lee
(CA-13), CAPAC Healthcare Taskforce Co-Chair: “As we observe
the National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I encourage
everyone to get tested and know their status. With the diversity of the AAPI
community, we must ensure that our outreach and health efforts meet the needs of
this culturally and socioeconomically diverse population. While we are making
progress against the disease, we still have a long way to go in fighting stigma,
expanding HIV testing rates, and modernizing HIV laws.”
Rep. Madeleine
Bordallo (GU), CAPAC Vice Chair: “I join my
colleagues in CAPAC in recognizing May 19 as National Asian and Pacific Islander
HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. AAPIs have increasing rates of infection yet they
continue to have the lowest rates of access to HIV-testing services. To draw
attention to the stigma and disparities that may hinder proper treatment and
prevention within the AAPI community, I have reintroduced a resolution to honor
the memory of 3,542 Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders we
have lost to AIDS, and to recognize the 9,317 whom are still living with
HIV/AIDS the United States. On May 19, I urge everyone to get tested for HIV and
be better informed.”
Rep. Mike Honda
(CA-17), CAPAC Chair Emeritus: “National
Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a clarion call for the AAPI
community to rise above social and cultural barriers, start a conversation,
build a stronger support network, and most importantly, get tested and educated.
AAPIs have the highest rate of new HIV infections, even as testing rates remain
low. When it comes to HIV/AIDS, instead of saving face, we must begin saving
lives.”
Rep. Eni
Faleomavaega (AS): “As we enjoy the
celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we must also take an
affirmative stance to address the issues afflicting or community’s well-being.
Unfortunately, the cultural HIV/AIDS-related stigma in the Asian American and
Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has deterred many AAPIs from getting tested.
With the highest rates of increase in HIV infections, our community also has the
lowest rate of accessing services. Today, I encourage AAPIs across the Nation to
support one another in a spirit of unity as we overcome this increasing health
threat. I urge everyone to get tested and know their
status.”
Rep. Colleen
Hanabusa (HI-01): “While we have
continued to make progress in the fight against HIV infection and AIDS, we
cannot lose sight of the impact it still has on individuals, families and
communities across America. No group is immune from the effects of this
devastating disease. Pacific Island nations continue to see significant numbers
of cases. Across Asia, increasing the public’s knowledge of HIV and AIDS will
allow us to address the dangers that come with stigmatization and lack of
awareness. We have work to do. I want to give special recognition to the
outstanding work done by the Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed
Army Institute of Research, the main building of which now bears the name of the
late Senator Daniel K. Inouye. The foresight and support of facilities like
WRAIR and the MHRP, and individuals like Senator Inouye, will continue to play a
vital role in reducing the global impact of HIV and AIDS.”
Rep. Gregorio
Kilili Camacho Sablan (CNMI): “Affecting
long-lasting change, particularly in smaller Asian and Pacific Islander
communities like the Northern Marianas means raising awareness of how to prevent
and treat HIV/AIDS. We have made great strides — we have better statistics, more
people have access to care, talking about the disease and prevention is no
longer taboo — but there is still more we can do. Still, on this Asian and
Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day let's give thanks for our progress. And
let us recognize the doctors, nurses, clinicians, caregivers, family, friends
and all those who have made our communities healthier by raising HIV/AIDS
awareness. Remember: raise your consciousness, know your status, and get
tested.”
Rep. Mark Takano
(CA-41): “On this
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we must recognize
the outstanding efforts to reduce HIV/AIDS. Yet, there is more to do to reduce
the prevalence of this deadly disease, especially in the Asian American and
Pacific Islander community, as the AAPI community has seen the highest rate of
increase of new HIV infections in the nation. We need to pursue a range of HIV
prevention methods, but one of the easiest methods is getting tested. I
encourage everyone to get tested and know your status.”
Rep. Anna G.
Eshoo (CA-18): “National
Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day draws much needed attention to
the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the Asian Pacific American community. The fact that
HIV/AIDS rates are diminishing in every racial and ethnic group except for Asian
Pacific Americans indicates that we need an active awareness campaign, so that
individuals will know their HIV/AIDS status and be
tested.”
Rep. Alan S.
Lowenthal (CA-47): “As we
commemorate National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day we must
confront the tragic impact of HIV/AIDS within the Asian American and Pacific
Islander community. The rate of HIV/AIDS diagnosis within AAPI communities sadly
continues to increase. Social stigma surrounding the disease which leads to low
testing rates, sexual risk factors, substance abuse, and the limited
availability of testing services have all created an untenable situation. The
Asian and Pacific Islander community has struggled with the prevalence of
HIV/AIDS for far too long. As we all know, this horrendous and crippling disease
knows no ethnicity. Today’s awareness day will shed light on the fact that we
stand in support of those living their lives with HIV/AIDS; we will listen; we
will fight for a cure; and, we will never let them fall into the
shadows.”
Rep. Scott
Peters (CA-52): “Only 1 in 5
individuals living with HIV & AIDS know they are infected, so it is critical
that we increase awareness about these preventable diseases. With more than
20,000 San Diegans – and more than 500 members of the API community – living
with HIV & AIDS I hope that increased knowledge and testing will stop its
spread and allow more people with the disease to live fuller, healthy
lives.”
Rep. Charles B.
Rangel (NY-13): “I am pleased
to commemorate National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day as
one of eleven federally recognized HIV/AIDS Awareness Days that is recognized
throughout the year. This is an important day because 1 in 3 Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders living with HIV don't know it. We know that "saving face" is a
common cultural concept in the AAPI communities, where individuals seek to
protect the family from perceived public shame or disgrace. This contributes to
silence about sex, HIV, safe sex practices and also leads to higher rates of HIV
infection. As a Representative who has introduced a historic bill addressing the
extreme racial health disparities experienced by African Americans, I am
committed to finding culturally relevant strategies that will help promote
awareness and reduce stigma about this pandemic in the AAPI
community.”
Rep. Adam Smith
(WA-09): “On National
Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day we stand with those living
with HIV/AIDS and work to advance the fight against the disease. The Asian
American and Pacific Islander community faces unique challenges regarding HIV
and AIDS, including having the lowest rates of regular STI testing. The fact
that an estimated 1 in 3 Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific
Islanders living with HIV/AIDS are unaware they are infected is startling. It is
critical that we come together to raise awareness and remove the stigma around
HIV/AIDS among AAPI Americans. Our country and the global community have made
incredible strides over the last 30 years in the battle against HIV and AIDS,
but there is a lot of work that remains. Let us use today to encourage everyone
to get tested for HIV/AIDS.”
Background:
National Asian
and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was established by the Banyan Tree
Project in 2005 and promotes HIV/AIDS education in order to reduce the stigma of
HIV/AIDS in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander
Communities. It is observed on May 19th and is officially recognized
by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Data from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders were the only ethnic groups with a statistically significant increase
in new HIV diagnoses between 2001 and 2008.
Despite these increasing rates of infection, AAPIs continue to have the
lowest rates of accessing HIV testing. The CDC estimates that 1 in 3 Asian
Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders living with HIV/AIDS are
unaware they are infected.
波士頓亞裔房東會日前以波士頓市發生的一宗火災為引，提出9點房東注意事項，並藉屋斯特市案例，討論分租一棟房屋給4人以上是否合法，視州法、市鎮法及租約細節而定。
波士頓亞裔房東會創辦人，中城地產潘樹仁為此特地整理出一份資料，提醒亞裔房東們，在出租房屋時須注意，舉凡出租樓宇的四週、入口、出口，以及公共區域，居住空間、睡眠區等，房東對房客都有安全、健康、舒適等方面的責任。
