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December 3, 2008

Maria Davis: AIDS Survivor Tells Her Story


In 1995, Maria Davis was a successful New York hip hop promoter (featured prominently on Jay-Z's first album 'Reasonable Doubt') when her world was turned upside down. An HIV test she had taken as part of an application for a life insurance policy came back positive. She had unknowingly contracted the disease from her soon-to-be husband, and three years later she was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS.
That same year, in 1998, Davis became an activist to help others learn about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. Davis represents a group that has been disproportionately affected by the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. and abroad.
According to the CDC, African-American and Hispanic women account for 80 percent of AIDS cases in the U.S., even though they represent less than a quarter of all American women. Nearly 70% of these women contracted the disease through heterosexual relations. Davis hopes to inspire others to find out their HIV status and learn safe-sex practices through her non-profit organization, Can't Be Silenced. In honor of World AIDS Day, for which Davis is a national spokesperson, she shared her story with Black Voices. Source

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know her. I used to go to college with her daughter. She came to the school and spoke to us. She's really nice...

LISA VAZQUEZ said...

It is great that she is raising awareness...

Maybe black women will realize that celibacy is a lifesaver!!

Beauty Is Diverse said...

Amen Lisa

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