Community unites to respect Aboriginal AIDS Day

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A small but committed group came together to celebrate Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Day on Dec. 1 at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre. The gathering was sponsored by the Healing Our Spirit BC Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Society and the Red Road HIV/AIDS Network.

Healing Our Spirit is a non-profit organization with 10 years' service providing education, advocacy and support for Aboriginal people with HIV or AIDS. Red Road is a coalition of AIDS service organizations.

After an opening prayer and song by Robert George, Tsleil Waututh, the gathered crowd heard from a series of speakers. These included representatives from the sponsoring agencies, as well as local health professionals and politicians including Libby Davies (MP Vancouver East) and Jenny Kwan (MLA Vancouver Mount Pleasant). Davies spoke of the need for all levels of government to address the treatment of AIDS in the Aboriginal community. Kwan spoke of the effect the disease had on her constituents and the need to ensure both proper treatment and education.

Following the speeches a moving candlelight vigil was held to honor the victims of HIV/AIDS both inside and outside the Aboriginal community.

The theme of this year's event was stigma and discrimination. According to Bernice Doucet-Ryan, co-ordinator for the Red Road HIV/AIDS Network, these things are a huge problem. She said they affect the spread as well as treatment of AIDS, because people are afraid to talk about it and to get tested for it. She also added that education is the most important tool in fighting the disease.

Shannon Ryan also spoke to the same issues, saying that if the disease was brought out in the open it would be much easier to fight.

After lunch the day was brought to a close with a panel discussion and cultural sharing that included the Heiltsuk Dance Group, Westcoast Dancers, powwow singers, Metis jiggers, Eastern Tribz, the Mt. Currie Child Dance Group and Grama Sara.