"Status is Everything"

by: Hopeful

Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 05:22:30 PM EST

The social marketing campaign is a partnership between the African American Office of Gay Concerns and the Mayor's Office's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Commission to use traditional and modern social media to provide 24-hour instant access to local HIV/AIDS testing centers. The campaign will feature traditional large-scale outdoor advertising and cutting-edge interactive functionalities like e-cards, and social media integration on StatusisEverything.org, the campaign's official website.

"Since my administration took office in 2006, we have taken significant strides to unite create a healthier Newark," Mayor Booker said.  "Today is another example of a great community partnership which is using 21st-century technology to communicate a simple message to persons at risk: get yourself tested for HIV and AIDS. Only with the health of our residents can we build a stronger, safer, prouder City."

Timothy Daniels, a 22-year-old regional AIDS and HIV activist pictured below, said:

"Young people need to speak directly to other young people because they will listen. You can save your life by knowing whether or not you have HIV or AIDS.  This campaign reaches people's hearts and it the best way to get the message out there. By using social media and new technology, the organizers of this campaign have taken the time, and maintained the courage to get this message out into the community,"

According to the City of Newark, there have been 50,694 cases of AIDS in New Jersey and there were 13,218 people living with HIV or AIDS (PLWHA) in the Newark area as of December 31, 2008. The Ryan White act is important in their lives:

The Newark EMA's Ryan White program provides care and treatment to almost 7,000 people, which is approximately 51% of the total infected population throughout the EMA. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program was established by Congress in 1990 through the CARE Act and was last reauthorized in 2009 and renamed the Ryan White Treatment Extension Act.