A first-time webcast focusing on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and disabilities in Africa will broadcast on November 29 from University of Victoria’s Cinecenta theatre.
As part of the webcast, a live international panel will discuss the issues around stigma, gender, human rights, and self-worth. The panel is taking on the challenge of addressing these controversial topics in the African community, something that coordinator Judy Woo is excited about. (The event is co-sponsored by Camosun’s African Awareness Committee.)
“I’m trying to eradicate the stigma of having AIDS or being HIV positive in the African community here in Victoria and also around the world,” says Woo, who is also an intercultural education training candidate at UVic. “I wanted to make this strictly about Africa in Victoria because there is a lack of voice, a lack of people talking about it.”
This webcast will incorporate social media to connect with more people and gain the voice Woo mentions. These elements, as well as keynote speaker and HIV educator Minneh Bushby, will help take this local event worldwide.
“I want to use modern social media to give Minneh an international platform and discussion about AIDS and disabilities,” says Woo. “We’re hoping to get people interacting on an international level.”
Bushby fled Kenya for Canada in 1996 because of the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and for her personal safety. She now works within the community to educate people on HIV/AIDS by going to local schools, as well as through her own educational workshop, San-Fan, here in Victoria. Bushby uses the power of her own personal story to educate and connect to others about stigma, gender, and self-esteem issues.
When trying to share Bushby’s story, Woo discovered that one of the main challenges with stigma eradication and education is gaining a voice in a community that is not yet encouraging of events such as this. She says that she’s had several posts on social media taken down.
“It’s a very controversial topic,” says Woo. “The African community, some of them are not happy… some of them are upset I’m doing this. I’ve been trying to talk to people out in Africa, and trying to get them to come in with the discussion, but it’s a male-dominated Facebook, so they took my postings out.”
Correction
In the print version of this story, we extracted and highlighted a quote from Woo without making it clear that she was talking about something Bushby said.