The response I receive after telling colleagues that I plan to travel to and live in Africa is usually ” What made you want to do that?” … I typically respond by saying, “It’s something that I have always wanted to do”. In reality its more than that…

Solidarity is a token mantra among all people involved in grassroots organizing for any particular cause.

I became involved with HIV/AIDS advocacy while in undergrad and graduate school living in Washington, D.C.. That’s when I first adopted the phrase, “in solidarity”. I had made it my personal mission to exist in unity with people and communities that were striving for the right to biased-free, compassionate, affordable HIV/AIDS care.

I went to rallies, congressional hearings, community meetings, and by listening to those affected by poor access to basic health needs, I gained invaluable knowledge.

Structural and institutional “violence” leads to HIV medications that aren’t affordable, providers that only take certain insurance, housing companies that refuse to accept certain individuals, insurance companies that won’t cover medical care deemed necessary by your doctor, lack of healthy food choices in poor neighborhoods, failing school curriculums, sex education that isn’t evidence-based…

and the list continues. It becomes clearer that there is a causal relationship between poverty and HIV.

To understand why I am driven to travel to remote places and provide health care, then there are certain truths that you must know:

1. Health care is a basic human right.

Why are there countries with 10 doctors or less to provide care for hundreds of thousands, yet 10 doctors per floor at most large U.S. hospitals?

If you are unfamiliar with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, see Article 25 and read the entire document here:
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http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

2. Charity is not the answer.

The power to effect change lies in the hands of those living and experiencing inadequate health care delivery. “If you teach a man to fish…”

3. Solidarity involves a spiritual and emotional journey.

to move out of your comfort zone. to live and experience suffering along with the poor, despondent, and ill. to work alongside of sick communities to develop better strategies for health care delivery.

My goal if nothing else is always to listen. It is my hope to share my experiences with you, so that you will be able ‘to listen’ along with me.

In Solidarity,

S