It was too hot and too early in the morning for many students to be awake, much less to walk five kilometers. But for some in the Loyola community, the cause was worth a few hours less of sleep.
The annual NO/AIDS Walk drew people from around New Orleans to Audubon Park on Sunday, Sept. 20 to make the trek. Each participant walked with the goal of raising money for the NO/AIDS Task Force and other AIDS service organizations around Louisiana.
Zachary Krengle, music education sophomore, had personal motivation in getting involved.
“I have a friend who passed this past year (from AIDS), so it’s kind of important for me,” he said.
Roger White, political science professor and vice provost, participated as the adviser to Loyola Society for Civic Engagement. He noted the diversity of the participants.
“We’re building a community,” he said. “Building a community is our primary mission as people.”
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the walk. The NO/AIDS Task Force, an AIDS service organization in New Orleans, puts the event on each year to raise money for its work as well as other similar organizations in Louisiana.
The NO/AIDS Task Force offers such services as food distribution, counseling and prevention education.
This year’s walk brought in the support of Jack Mackenroth, a former Project Runway contestant who founded Living Positive By Design, an AIDS and HIV education campaign, in conjunction with Merck & Co., Inc.
“Our focus is to fight the stigma of HIV,” Mackenroth said.
Mackenroth, who has lived with HIV for 20 years, has been bringing the campaign to different AIDS awareness events around the United States with the goal of encouraging those with HIV or AIDS to maintain a positive outlook and get proper treatment.
“If people are ashamed of a medical diagnosis, which is so ludicrous, then they’re not going to be honest with their partners, they’re not going to be fully disclosing with their doctors,” he said.
Dr. Pedro Gonzalez, an infectious disease specialist in New Orleans, noted the high rate of new AIDS cases in New Orleans and Louisiana. According to the Centers for Disease Control, New Orleans ranks second for new AIDS cases among large metropolitan areas in the United States. The CDC ranked Louisiana ninth among states for new HIV cases in 2007.
“It’s here and it can affect anybody,” Gonzalez said. “Based on that, we have to have open forums and educate. People are very receptive, and especially students.”
Mackenroth also emphasized the importance for students to stay educated and get tested. He contracted HIV when he was 20.
“Everyone should consider HIV testing, at least as part of their annual physical,” he said. “I just think number one, you can only protect yourself.”
Mackenroth hopes he can fight misconceptions about being HIV positive. He recalled his feelings when chosen to be a contestant on Project Runway on Bravo.
“I was thinking, ‘You know what? I think it would do a lot of good for the HIV community by being visible and talking about it very matter-of-factly and people can see someone who’s at the height of their career doing great things and living a normal life,'” he said.
He believes his message can reach those who are not directly affected.
“If you’re HIV negative, look at me as an example of someone who’s HIV positive and hopefully that fights the stigma,” he said. “There shouldn’t be a moral judgment attached to being HIV positive.”
Masako Hirsch can be reached at [email protected]
