Severe Epidemic HIV Rates in Our Own Backyard

Most AIDS rides are intentionally routed through small towns and rural areas. Rider safety is one, but not the only reason. Most HIV/AIDS services are concentrated in large cities where subway stops, park benches and city buses are frequently plastered with safe-sex messages reminding us that HIV is still alive and deadly.

Stands to reason the greatest need for HIV/AIDS awareness would lie outside these cities. Sunday's Washington Post headline proves HIV rarely stands to reason when it revealed at least 3% of the residents of our national's capitol have HIV or AIDS.

"Our rates are higher than West Africa," said Shannon L. Hader, director of the District's HIV/AIDS Administration, who once led the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's work in Zimbabwe. "They're on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya."

The DC data is pretty equally spread across all modes of transmission and indicates a smattering of stigma and ignorance compounded by a lag in prioritized attention.

The NYCDC AIDS Research Ride doesn't enter Washington, DC via the scenic, well-travelled route. We ride, and even walk, through some of the more sketchy neighborhoods on our way to Capitol Hill. We'll ride into Washington, DC again on September 13. It's just one day, and a simple message, but one that needs to be heard unceasingly, until there's a cure.

An Off Season

“Spring” forward the clock with a forecast of snow got me thinking of so many other paradoxes of the past few months – the world’s economy in the toilet, a historic new President, a jet makes a safe river landing and another simply falls from the sky; do I have a job today and will we still be in business tomorrow? Good or bad, things feel “off”.

How does it make you feel? Have we ever been so called to constant collective reflection? Thanks in large part to what I’ve observed in others, I’m learning to welcome that daily check-in to my psyche. Peel away the anxiety, fear and loss of control to find I’m invigorated, inspired and determined to not only keep my head above water but to hold my neighbor up too.

All this came to mind while writing about the start of a new biking season which, for the 11th year, begins in early March and ends in a late summer AIDS ride. My off-season activities have evolved over time but the annual process is really quite unchanged. I allowed myself one of those daily reflections to consider how events of this “off" season might impact my ride plans.

I invite you to read the results then share your comments about how we can best help ourselves AND the most vulnerable among us to get through this off season and back on the road.

Movers & Shakers & Regular Joes

It's not possible to walk the hallowed marble halls of government and not be impressed. It's easy to get tongue-tied in the presence of Legislators, Attorney General and the big city Mayor usually seen on a TV screen or campaign flier. But if you're lucky enough to have elected a few of the good guys, they'll greet you at the end of a long day as if yours was their most important appointment, look you in the eye and take humble interest in what their constituent has to say. I'm one of the lucky ones.
In addition to EIP, we encouraged our District 1 officials to retain funding for the critical nutrition and prevention programs that put Washington on the leading edge in the early war on AIDS. At a time when HIV-infected individuals are living longer, in growing numbers, yet a poor economy makes it increasingly difficult to afford expensive medicines and proper nutrition to maintain effectiveness, now is not the time to make the most vulnerable more so.
I've walked this road before but today it took a turn. Our elected officials listened intently and nodded knowingly but more slowly and with a sadness in their eyes. As is likely playing out in every state across the union, they appeared downright defeated by the monumental challenge of balancing a budget with an ever deflating dollar. They spoke of essential services, protecting the most vulnerable, and maintaining a shred of dignity in their decisions to cut the rest or dare impose a tax. I do not envy them and from today's experience have an even greater respect for those regular Joes working to make the best of a very bad situation.

District 1

Is well represented by 7 constituents including 1 young person about to reach voting age. Over the course of the afternoon, we'll have a 10 minute meeting with our Senator and each of our 2 State Representatives. For one, we're seeking to retain funding for the HIV Early Intervention Program that provides HIV medications and subsidized insurance to low-income residents who do not qualify for Medicaid.
Bret relied on this program 15 years ago to cover his insurance which at the time was more than $750/mo. It also covered the bulk of his drug costs. I saw the bill for one 30-day supply of only one of the many drugs he took daily. It was $350 - in 1995. Those I've talked to today are spending in the neighborhood of $1500/mo on their treatment regimen.

The March

More than 450 Washingtonians from 45 of the state's 49 Congressional districts marched onto the Olympia campus of our state capitol.