The National AIDS Memorial has released its latest mini-documentary, “The Black Community & AIDS,” the seventh film in its oral history project.
“The Black Community & AIDS” chronicles the personal stories of nearly two dozen survivors and advocates from across the country who are thriving, sharing their hopes and struggles about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its disproportionate impact on the Black community.
The film opens with words from Phill Wilson, founder of the Black AIDS Institute, who says, “My grandmother used to say, ‘When white people get a cold, Black people get pneumonia.’ And so I thought … if white people are getting the plague, what in the hell are we going to get?”
The 17-minute film can be viewed at http://www.aidsmemorial.org/surviving-voices and on the Memorial’s YouTube channel.
In addition to the mini-documentary, viewers can watch individual interview segments which provide candid, deeper conversations with the film participants.
Prior to its official release, “The Black Community & AIDS” was exclusively featured at several major film festivals and HIV/AIDS events throughout the country, including Frameline, SF Queer Film Fest, New York City Black Pride, Positive Living Conference, and Atlanta Black Pride. The film was recognized for its powerful storytelling, including being honored with the prestigious Jury Award at SF Queer Film Fest. The film will also be shown as part of the National AIDS Memorial Change the Pattern initiative that is partnering with Southern AIDS Coalition and Gilead Sciences to bring the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the South as a teaching tool with Quilt displays and programming to reimagine the fight to end HIV.
Created in 2015, this multi-year AIDS oral history project helps ensure that stories and lessons of the epidemic are captured, curated, and retained for future generations. Additional featured films include “Substance Users, the Recovery Community & AIDS”, “The Transgender Community & AIDS,” “The A&PI Community & AIDS,” “Women & AIDS,” “The National Hemophilia Community & AIDS” and “The San Francisco Leather Community & AIDS.”