NBJC in the News

Today is National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD) , an annual observance designed to raise awareness about the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on gay and bisexual men in the United States. The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC)—America's leading Black LGBTQ/same gender loving (SGL) civil rights organization focused on federal public policy—joins leaders, activists, advocates, communities and families across our nation to highlight opportunities to disrupt the impact that this pandemic continues to have among Black gay and bisexual men in the United States.

My name is Calvin Tendai Pegus, and I am the Health and Wellness Summer Intern at the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Morehouse College’s Project IMHOTEP. I am also an advocate and health communicator. I encourage those within my community and beyond this National HIV Testing Day to know their status and get tested. No longer can we sit by idle and continue to feel brokenhearted as our brothers, sisters and other family members are the spoils of war in this battle against HIV/AIDS.

One year ago, in the aftermath of the Orlando tragedy, we came together in grief, in unity, and in solidarity with the Orlando community and millions of people everywhere, to condemn this act of hate violence and affirm that love conquers hate. That senseless act struck at the heart of the LGBTQ and Latinx communities, families, and close friends, and at the core of one of our nation’s greatest strengths: our diversity. The ensuing backlash against the American Muslim community led to hate speech and violence, shootings, and mosque vandalism that claimed even more victims.

This week, NBJC voiced strong opposition to the American Health Care Act. We have also joined a national cross-movement effort to mobilize our supporters to call their Members of Congress to speak out against the American Health Care Act. This dangerous piece of legislation has the capacity to take away health care insurance to 24 million Americans, which would disproportionately impact many of our loved ones, families and communities. We must use our voices this week and call Congress to say vote NO on this perilous legislation!