FACT: One organization on the North side of Chicago gets approximately
$17 million annually for its HIV/AIDS work, while 75 organizations funded
under the State of Illinois African-American HIV/AIDS Response Fund must
share the $3 million a year the fund provides.

For too long, individual service providers have worked, mostly alone and within specific neighborhoods, to raise awareness about the disease and provide prevention and treatment services. Though progress has been made, it hasn’t been sufficient.

Infection rates are rising in our communities and the funding needed to develop culturally competent prevention campaigns and to provide comprehensive treatment services has eluded most African American agencies.

Individual efforts, while admirable, are simply not enough to fight the spread of this disease.

The Let’s Talk, Let’s Test Foundation, a coalition of 80 African American HIV/AIDS service providers, faith organizations and businesses, recognizes the critical role unity plays in the fight against the African American HIV/AIDS epidemic.

With One Agenda and One Voice we work together to ensure that state government makes funding for African American HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment a top priority. We work as one to raise awareness – on a much larger scale – within Illinois’ African American communities. Together, we raise our collective voices to empower African Americans to take control of their health and their lives.