ONE STEP CLOSER TO A CURE
By Michael W. Sasser & Rafa Carvajal
Once again, the South Florida community will come together to combat the ongoing challenge of HIV/AIDS. The 27th annual AIDS Walk Miami: One Step Closer to a Cure kicks off at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) on Sunday, April 26, 2015.
Designer and television personality David Bromstad will act as Grand Marshal. Bromstad is the original winner of HGTV's Design Star and became host of his own series, Color Splash. He has also appeared on other HGTV programs including HGTV Showdown and Bang for Your Buck. Emmy award-winning reporter and WSVN 7 News anchor Robbin Simmons will act as master of ceremonies.
The 5.15K (3.1 mile) walk-a-thon fundraiser benefits Care Resource and the Food for Life Network. Care Resource provides comprehensive primary medical and preventive care, including health, oral and mental health/substance abuse services. Funds raised by AIDS Walk Miami benefit diverse communities in need in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
AIDS Walk Miami registration begins at 8 a.m., with the Walk beginning at 9 a.m., at the MBCC, 1901 Convention Center Drive, and ending at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive. To register visit www.aidswalkmiami.org
Wire Magazine sat down with Care Resource's Jonathan Welsh and AIDS Walk Miami volunteer Nicholas Regueiro to learn more about this year’s walk and its importance.
Rafa Carvajal: Tell us about this year’s AIDS Walk Miami.
Jonathan Welsh: Care Resource is proud to present the 27th Annual AIDS Walk Miami: One Step Closer to a Cure on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at the Miami Beach Convention Center located at 1901 Convention Center Drive in Miami Beach. Care Resource is also proud to announce and welcome David Bromstad, American designer and television personality as this year’s Grand Marshal. Artist, designer and television personality, David is the original winner of HGTV's Design Star, which led to his gig as host on his first hit series for HGTV, Color Splash, where he completed more than 150 makeovers around the country including in San Francisco, New York and Miami.
Care Resource is equally as proud to welcome Emmy award-winning reporter and co-anchor of the weekend editions of 7 News, Robbin Simmons. Robbin has covered several major stories locally and abroad, including the Million Man March in Washington D.C., the Gianni Versace murder, the Elian Gonzalez saga, Timothy McVeigh's execution and the widely disputed 2000 Presidential election. Pregnant with her first child, she covered the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. Moreover, Robbin Simmons was the only South Florida reporter in Vatican City for President Obama's visit with Pope Francis.
Rafa Carvajal: Describe your experience supporting AIDS Walk Miami last year.
Nicholas Regueiro: Both last year and this year, I volunteered in helping with fundraising, in putting up posters and in recruiting other college students to participate in the Walk. On the day of the event, I also helped Jonathan with the media, with cheering on the teams and with incorporating some new social media techniques to help him in his marketing efforts.
RC: Why is AIDS Walk Miami so important for raising awareness and funding?
JW: In earlier years the community came together because there was a sense of crisis. It still is (a crisis) for individuals who are suffering through it. The changing face of HIV/AIDS in this nation reflects a devastating number of people in South Florida. A high percentage of HIV- positive residents in South Florida are not in care and hundreds more do not even know their HIV status. The state of the epidemic continues to grow and change; therefore, the support of the community for HIV education, prevention, research and treatment is crucial.
RC: What do proceeds from AIDS Walk Miami help fund?
JW: Funds raised during AIDS Walk Miami help meet the critical needs of South Florida's diverse communities. Last year, for example, this annual fundraiser helped make it possible for Care Resource and Food For Life Network to: • Serve over 79,850 client encounters with over 17,224 medical visits to 5,426 patients. • Perform over 13,895 HIV and STD screenings. • Deliver over 25,150 meals to home-bound clients. • Extend dental services to over 1,307 clients through 4,837 dental visits.
RC: How many participants did you have in AIDS Walk Miami last year and how many people do you expect to participate this year?
JW: There was a time that we had thousands upon thousands of walkers. Last year, we had approximately 1,400 walkers. I expect the same number this year too. However, I want to increase that number and bring in a whole lot more young people as well. People think HIV/AIDS is no longer an emergency because it has become a manageable disease. Society is now more for battling cancer or Alzheimer’s, but the fight here isn’t over. We’re seeing clients come in that are younger and younger. HIV/AIDS has always been hard to address because of the stigma around it and the issue with discrimination, but now it’s even more so with the idea that it’s not a pressing need. While advancements in medical treatment should be celebrated, they should not allow the community to lose sight of the epidemic’s continuing challenges — especially as medical needs grow larger with aging populations.
RC: Why should young people support AIDS Walk Miami and get involved?
NR: It is important that young people become involved and continue to carry the torch for a cause that has affected so many in South Florida. The nonchalance that people have toward HIV, however, has thwarted ongoing efforts to push back against the virus and ensure that the infected live long, fruitful lives. Young people today have not seen the epidemic killing their friends and partners like those at-risk did in the 1980s. Among many young people, this has led to the development of a somewhat nonchalant attitude about HIV risk. Many young people do not understand the difficulties they will face if they acquire HIV infection and the enormous challenge of HIV treatment. I am healthy, I don’t want those enormous challenges and I want all of my friends to stay healthy too.
RC: What does AIDS Walk Miami mean to you?
JW: There was a time when many really good people had nowhere to turn after their diagnosis. I feel sadness when I think that they might still be alive if they had they had the availability and support of a great organization like Care Resource. To me, this Walk ensures that members of our community have a medical home, a place to receive care for their condition, a place that will commit and fight the good fight until a cure is found. NR: I believe every life deserves hope, and with the community’s support, we can really make a difference for those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS right here in Miami.
RC: What is the most important objective of AIDS Walk Miami this year?
JW: The Miami metropolitan area still ranks No. 1 in the nation in new rates of HIV infections. The objective is to curb that trend. When we say that we are walking to end HIV or becoming one step closer to the cure, this is not just a pipe dream. Even without a cure or vaccine, through testing and early detection and a comprehensive care plan, we can create an AIDS-free city and be moving towards ending HIV. Now we need everyone’s participation and support to make it a reality.
RC: Why did you select David Bromstad as this year’s Grand Marshal? JW: I like to utilize local talent. Although he travels a lot for work, Miami is where David considers home, so he knows first-hand the issues that our city faces. He has had many friends and acquaintances that have been affected by this condition and is passionate about ending this disease once and for all.
RC: Is there anything else you would like to share with Wire Magazine readers?
JW: I am so proud of all my fellow staff at Care Resource. They have been doing so much internally to fundraise and build awareness about the Walk — either through baking cupcakes, cooking big Cuban meals, creating raffles, hosting small events and so much more. There is so much team spirit. That spirit and the good work that is done every day in our offices inspire me to work harder.
NR: I love Miami’s rich culture and diversity. It is a mecca for fashion, great food and for amazing nightlife. As a student here, Miami is now my adopted home and I have a unique responsibility to do all I can to make it a little better. I want to channel my energy into a cause that affects my community. See you April 26th at the Miami Beach Convention Center!
This article was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 16.2015