The Brooklyn Lives Project is a HIV/AIDS education and testing initiative that coincides with National Black AIDS Day. It is a day for Brooklyn residents to address the overwhelming number of Brooklynites who are infected and affected by this preventable yet deadly disease.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Borough of Brooklyn (one of the five boroughs that comprise New York City) is home to the largest Black community on the continent of North America.
• It is also the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City!
• Nearly half of the newly diagnosed HIV patients in Brooklyn are between the ages of 13-19.
• 1 in 4 people infected with HIV/AIDS are unaware of their infection and continue to spread the disease.
• The climbing rise in new HIV/AIDS cases tells us that in order to save lives we continue to educate and raise awareness about this disease that still devastates our communities.

Education
Each year the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Brooklyn continues to rise. The increase in the infection rate demonstrates that people are not being properly educated about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, or are unable or unwilling to act on it. Education is an important component of preventing the spread of HIV.

Educating the public about HIV/AIDS prevents new infections and improves the quality of life for HIV positive people. Anyone is vulnerable to contracting AIDS unless they know how to protect themselves. Education should be aimed at all parts of society, not only those groups who are seen as being particularly high-risk.

Empowerment
While abstinence is considered the most effective form of HIV prevention, safe sex education promotes self empowerment and decreases the likelihood of an individual contracting other std's oran unwanted pregnancy. Through education and testing we seek to empower individuals to make the choice to protect themselves and their partners when making the choice to engage in sexual activity of any kind.