DC Community Examiner, October 1, 2009

On Sunday, October 4 at Jojo’s on U Street, ‘Ol Soul Project presents a benefit concert to fund the upcoming documentary “Seen But Not Heard” by New York-based director Cyrille Phipps. The documentary addresses the illness’ ravaging effect on Black women across the country.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, blacks have accounted for 397,548 (42%) of the estimated 952,629 AIDS cases diagnosed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The DC area has the highest rate in the country of AIDS cases proportionate to its size and population.  Of all black women living with HIV/AIDS, the primary transmission category was high-risk heterosexual contact, followed by injection drug use.

Black women are most likely to be infected with HIV as a result of sex with men who are infected with HIV . They may not be aware of their male partners’ possible risk factors for HIV infection, such as unprotected sex with multiple partners, bisexuality, or injection drug use . Sexual contact is also the main risk factor for black men. Male-to-male sexual contact was the primary risk factor for 48% of black men with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2005, and high-risk heterosexual co ntact was the primary risk factor for 22%.

Performers at the benefit concert feature several DC and New York-based poets and musicians, including Hari Jones, Agei Tyehimba, Colie Williams and Baltimore’s LOVE the poet. A showing of excerpts from the documentary will also be shared by Cyrille Phipps.

For further information, email info@urbanmediawarrior.com and visit http://theuntoldwar.urbanmediawarrior.com/.