Where were you on this day, 20 years ago? Do you remember what you were doing? I, myself, can only recall being an innocent, early elementary school student who knew nothing about what had taken place or the impact it would soon have on my community and generation. 20 year later, the destruction has become a painful reality as AIDS is the third leading cause of death among black women aged 25 to 34 and black men aged 35 to 44 in America. World wide, the statics are extraordinarily more alarming. The silver lining is that there are a great number of preventive methods we can all take in an effort to combat this disease. The most important being  knowledge centered.

 This is what a post Magic HIV society meant; a culture that embraced HIV dialogue openly and often. By no means am I asserting that Magic was the first iconic figure to be diagnosed with HIV at that time. However, in retrospect, his announcement did serve a greater purpose. Reaffirmation that this wasn’t a cultural issue, but in fact a humanitarian problem that affects us all.  HIV had officially forced it’s way from beyond the shadows of naivety.

Magic could’ve chosen not to disclose his situtation. But he didn’t and for that, I will always hold him in the highest regard. He has turned tragedy into blessing through his philanthropic work and activism in the name of HIV awareness, prevention and research. It’s clear that Magic is doing his part 20 years later. The question is, are you?

-Jermon