In an ongoing effort to reduce the impact of HIV, the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Department of Health, in close collaboration with Women with A Vision and numerous community-based organizations, are launching Get Loud Louisiana.
Get Loud Louisiana includes a coordinated public engagement and awareness campaign and a series of virtual launch events to publicize the complementary Ending the HIV Epidemic plans developed by New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Department of Health.
The development of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Louisiana Ending the HIV Epidemic plans is part of the national initiative known as Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. This bold plan aims to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030 through increased collaboration and planning at the local levels.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Louisiana ranked 4th in the nation in case rates in 2018, while Baton Rouge ranked 3rd and New Orleans ranked 7th among metropolitan areas. Based on these case rates, Baton Rouge and New Orleans were included in a group of 57 priority jurisdictions to receive funds from the federal government, which were used to help develop the citywide plans. The three plans were developed in a coordinated effort and will work together to address the incidence of HIV, issues surrounding access to care, and HIV-related stigma across the state.
“The state has shown a strong commitment in working toward our goal of eliminating new HIV infections and improving access to care for people living with HIV, but there is still more that needs to be done,” said Dr. Courtney Phillips, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. “By working with our local and community partners, we’ve shed light on the need for people to know their status and know where to be connected with a healthcare professional to assist in their treatment if they are diagnosed with HIV. Initiatives like this allow us to build on the progress we’ve made so far.”
“Residents throughout our parish are affected by HIV – regardless of income, the zip code they live in, or their skin color. It is imperative upon community and healthcare leaders to take every action within our purview to end the HIV epidemic,” said East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome. “Through our work with the Louisiana Department of Health and local community-based organizations, clinics and hospitals, we have made significant progress in this effort and I am confident our work will continue to create change within our community.”
Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, supports their statements and added, “The City of New Orleans and the City of Baton Rouge have joined forces with the State Health Department to launch a campaign to end the HIV epidemic. We want you to 'Get Loud' and encourage everyone to get tested for HIV and get into care, because if you are undetectable, you cannot transmit the HIV virus. I encourage everyone to know their HIV status because we are working hard to ensure that every person, regardless of their status, is living a fulfilling and healthy life in the City of New Orleans.”
The virtual launch events will take place the first week of December, following World AIDS Day on December 1. Links to virtual events can be found at www.getloudlouisiana.org.
Baton Rouge - December 4, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., virtual event
Get Loud Louisiana includes a coordinated public engagement and awareness campaign and a series of virtual launch events to publicize the complementary Ending the HIV Epidemic plans developed by New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Department of Health.
The development of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Louisiana Ending the HIV Epidemic plans is part of the national initiative known as Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. This bold plan aims to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030 through increased collaboration and planning at the local levels.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Louisiana ranked 4th in the nation in case rates in 2018, while Baton Rouge ranked 3rd and New Orleans ranked 7th among metropolitan areas. Based on these case rates, Baton Rouge and New Orleans were included in a group of 57 priority jurisdictions to receive funds from the federal government, which were used to help develop the citywide plans. The three plans were developed in a coordinated effort and will work together to address the incidence of HIV, issues surrounding access to care, and HIV-related stigma across the state.
“The state has shown a strong commitment in working toward our goal of eliminating new HIV infections and improving access to care for people living with HIV, but there is still more that needs to be done,” said Dr. Courtney Phillips, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. “By working with our local and community partners, we’ve shed light on the need for people to know their status and know where to be connected with a healthcare professional to assist in their treatment if they are diagnosed with HIV. Initiatives like this allow us to build on the progress we’ve made so far.”
“Residents throughout our parish are affected by HIV – regardless of income, the zip code they live in, or their skin color. It is imperative upon community and healthcare leaders to take every action within our purview to end the HIV epidemic,” said East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome. “Through our work with the Louisiana Department of Health and local community-based organizations, clinics and hospitals, we have made significant progress in this effort and I am confident our work will continue to create change within our community.”
Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, supports their statements and added, “The City of New Orleans and the City of Baton Rouge have joined forces with the State Health Department to launch a campaign to end the HIV epidemic. We want you to 'Get Loud' and encourage everyone to get tested for HIV and get into care, because if you are undetectable, you cannot transmit the HIV virus. I encourage everyone to know their HIV status because we are working hard to ensure that every person, regardless of their status, is living a fulfilling and healthy life in the City of New Orleans.”
The virtual launch events will take place the first week of December, following World AIDS Day on December 1. Links to virtual events can be found at www.getloudlouisiana.org.
Baton Rouge - December 4, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., virtual event
- Baton Rouge HIV Summit: Humans of Impeccable Valor-Rewriting the Story
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/453346995654119/
- EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2020-baton-rouge-hiv-summit-tickets-
- 129629604637?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch
New Orleans - December 4, 3 p.m., in-person and virtual event
- Wreath Laying Ceremony at Washington Square Park; Live stream via Facebook
- Those planning to attend in person will be expected to follow COVID-19 guidelines, which include
wearing a face covering and maintaining a physical distance of 6 feet. - Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/438003597196119/
- Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/130319720793
Louisiana Statewide - December 5, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., virtual event
- Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/803411673562867
- Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-loud-louisiana-launch-party-tickets-129666519049
To learn more about Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America, visit https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview.