CAPAC Members Observe National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Washington, DC – Today is National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. To coincide with this day, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Vice Chair Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (GU) introduced a resolution “Supporting the goals and ideals of National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.” Members of the CAPAC also released the following statements:
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair:
“HIV/AIDS is a significant public health concern, one that is often amplified and complicated within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community due to strong cultural stigmas and problems surrounding awareness. As a result, AAPIs are one of the only racial groups that have experienced a continued increase in new HIV infections despite an overall decrease nationwide.
“As a co-sponsor of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo’s resolution to recognize National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I am committed to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigmas and to encourage our communities to prioritize their health and get tested.”
Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (GU), CAPAC Vice Chair:
“National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day honors the memory of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders we have lost to AIDS, and recognizes those who are still living with HIV/AIDS the United States. Thirty-six percent of HIV diagnoses among AAPI communities progress to AIDS in less than twelve months, and among AAPIs living with HIV/AIDS, twenty-two percent of Asian Americans and twenty-seven percent of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are unaware they are infected with HIV. Today I reintroduced a resolution along with several of my colleagues on CAPAC that supports the goals and ideals of National API HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and draw attention to the stigma and disparities that hinder proper treatment and prevention within our community. I look forward to working with my colleagues to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigmas and increase access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment.”
Congressman Mike Honda (CA-17), CAPAC Chair Emeritus:
“We have lost too many of our Asian American and Pacific Islander friends in the battle to eradicate HIV/AIDS. API AIDS/HIV Awareness Day is an opportunity to renew our commitment to combat the cultural stigmas and encourage people to get tested. As Chair Emeritus of CAPAC, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the House Resolution supporting the ideals of National API HIV/AIDS Day, and of the strides we have made to raise awareness about minority health issues.”
Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), CAPAC Whip:
“National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a reminder that HIV/AIDS is a threat to all ethnicities, especially the AAPI community. While we have made significant gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we must overcome the stigma of this deadly disease and educate our community on its causes and how to prevent contracting it. I encourage everyone to get tested and know their status. Doing so would help our nation, and our community, fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and create an AIDS-free generation.”
Congressman Ami Bera (CA-07), CAPAC Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair:
“As a doctor, I know it’s important for people to get tested for HIV so they are empowered with the information they need to care for themselves. Unfortunately, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 5 Asian Americans living with HIV do not know they have it. That’s why this National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day we need to encourage our communities to get tested and to speak up against the cultural stigma of HIV/AIDS.”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), CAPAC Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair:
“National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day serves as a vital reminder that serious health disparities exist in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. As CAPAC’s Health Task Force co-chair, I am proud to be working with my CAPAC colleagues to ensure that all Americans have access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care. We must ensure that no community is left behind in the fight for an AIDS-free generation.”
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The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of Members of Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and Members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Currently chaired by Congresswoman Judy Chu, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life since it was founded in 1994.