People around the world are seeing red today.
Red ribbons are a longtime symbol of support and awareness for those living with HIV and can usually be seen in abundance every Dec. 1 for World AIDS Day.
This year, the theme for the international day of awareness is Getting to Zero. After 30 years of combating a disease which has devastated millions of lives, the goal is to have zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination for those with the disease.
This theme ties in with the work local organizations do year round and, in some areas, there has been progress.
"I've been doing this work since the beginning of HIV," said Mary Jackson, executive director of the Northern HIV and Health Education Society, who provides workshops to students and other groups. "I definitely see a decrease in youth - they're not stigmatizing people living with HIV. I ask them 'how would you stereotype people living with HIV?' and they don't even know."
While the occasional student may draw a connection between the disease and gay men or sex workers, for the most part, "they don't tend to stigmatize like back in the '80s," Jackson said.
But that stigmatization is still there, regardless of how far education has come. "We still hear members talking about having their families wash their dishes separately or giving them paper plates or washing the sheets," said Positive Living North's education services manager Sandra Sasaki.
While other diseases are openly discussed and supported, those living with HIV may be afraid to talk about their own situation because of a general ignorance about how it's contracted or how it's spread. But the message is getting through.
Positive Living North has a mandate to advocate, support and educate the public about HIV and Hepatitis C.
The Aboriginal-focused organization is teaming up with Youth Around Prince (YAP) to continue to encourage that development among young people.
They are joint hosting a dance tomorrow night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The free event is open to young people between the ages of 15 and 30.
"They're the ones that can change and reduce the stigma," said Sasaki, but added that since she started with the organization more than two years ago, the community has become more receptive.
The youth dance also serves to kick off Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week.
Aboriginal people, especially women, account for a disproportionate amount of new infections, Sasaki said.
However, overall in the province, the number of positive tests have decreased.
"We've reached a lot of people in the last couple of years," Sasaki said. "It's getting out there more and more."
She said one of the largest steps to helping eradicate the disease is for people who are sexually active to get tested often and early.
"Twenty-five per cent of people with HIV cause 75 per cent of new infections if they're not aware they have it," Sasaki said.
To commemorate the day, University of Northern British Columbia students are hosting a panel discussion this afternoon between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the Agora Building, room 7-212. It will feature speakers from UNBC's nursing faculty, Positive Living North and Northern HIV and Health Education Society.
In addition to taking the opportunity to educate the public, World AIDS Day is also a chance to remember those who have been lost to the disease.
"A solemn candlelight vigil will be held at the Fire Pit tonight from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to remember those who have been lost to AIDS with an opening prayer and smudge led by centre elder Violet Bozoki and dinner to follow.
