On Monday, January 18, 2021, Martin Luther King (MLK) Day, AHF upheld our tradition of honoring the holiday and the man himself. AIDS and HIV are a civil rights issue, so we feel it is important to honor MLK Day and be proactive in doing work that represents his vision. HIV disproportionately affects Black communities. According to the CDC, in 2018, Blacks/African Americans accounted for 42% of new HIV diagnoses.
AHF is a major sponsor of the King Center, which was founded by Coretta Scott King (the wife of MLK) and is currently under the leadership of Dr. Bernice A. King (MLK’s youngest daughter) who recognized AHF as one of the reasons the King Center remains financially secure. AHF has historically taken MLK Day as an opportunity to participate in parades and provide free HIV testing. This year, with COVID-19 preventing in-person events, our participation looked a little different but still held firm.
AHF was the primary sponsor of The Beloved Community Global Summit. The Beloved Community Global Summit was a virtual event that attracted thousands of attendees worldwide. The Beloved Community Global Summit is a two-day event where mission-aligned organizations and individuals have the opportunity to come together and share their vision for a more just, humane, equitable, and peaceful world. The Summit focused on the first step of creating the Beloved Community, which aligns with Dr. King’s six principles and six steps of Nonviolence 365®, information gathering, and educating. The event was live-streamed on thekingcenter.org, Facebook, and Twitter where participants were provided with actionable takeaways.