When I think about National Black HIV and AIDS Awareness Day, I think about all of the effort that has contributed to the progression of our community's well-being.

NBHAAD is a day where people like me get to observe the work we do and the message we put out, in regard to the community and their knowledge surrounding HIV and AIDS. As a young Black man who works in the HIV prevention field, I believe that it takes more than just education, photos, captions, and trending hashtags on social media to get people motivated to not only be informed, but to live a lifestyle of wellness. This type of advancement takes for individuals to lead by example, optimal use of the power of influence, having challenging conversations, and prioritizing ourselves individually.

As I speak about prioritizing self, I am thinking with the lens of self-worth and self-love. As we move forward as a community in general, we as Black people are prioritizing more self-care into our daily lives and recognizing ourselves as worthy. Worthy of mental health, taking up space, advocating for ourselves and the ways we are treated in establishments, creating the lives we want to live, and showcasing this for others to do the same. This is extremely important, in relation to National Black HIV and AIDS Awareness day, because we have to use this same energy to shine light on what we need to do individually and as a community to overcome these numbers and statistics.”

Not only are we responsible for holding ourselves and the people in our community accountable, we are also responsible for using our passionate voices to acknowledge when we are not being treated with the respect, dignity, and care that we deserve.

During this time of recognition, it is also important to highlight the positions of power occupied by Black people in this field, who play a key role in helping to dismantle these challenges. I want to take the time to say thank you to everyone who advocates and moves for Black people in the field of medicine, public health, HIV and AIDS prevention, and mental health. I also want to honor and acknowledge the Black people who show up, knowing that their work, image, and overall embodiment in these spaces matters so much to those who truly need them. This NBHAAD, I hope that our people have a limitless view on how much we can accomplish to help each other. No matter sexual orientation, gender, or status, National Black HIV and AIDS Awareness Day is for us to make the most of what we do, so that someone else can make the best of their lives.

About Donnie Hue Frazier III

Donnie Hue Frazier III (Health Education Specialist, SoCal Club) is an artist, advocate, and entertainer, who uses creativity to spark social change. With a background in Sociology and Psychology, he applies his education to his talents. Donnie uses this strategy to raise awareness on topics and subjects that are not only interesting to him, but also with the intention to impact others in a beneficial way. As an advocate of sexual, mental, and emotional health, Donnie has created platforms and campaigns that push the message for overall wellness and personal development. His goal as the Health Education Specialist with SoCal Club, is to infuse education and entertainment to shine light on the subjects that engage the community to strive for personal improvement.