When the Black AIDS Institute released its annual State of AIDS Report in 2009, there was something new in the air. America had elected its first Black President, one who came to Washington promising to change the political tone and to tackle problems that had long been kicked down the road.
A year later, the newness has worn off. As a country, it often seems as if we are now more divided than ever. Many Americans have forgotten what condition the country was in when President Obama assumed office and for every new problem addressed, it appears as if yet another one arises. Americans’ discontent was most vividly reflected in the November elections.
But now that we are well into this new era in Washington, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on the changes that have occurred in our country’s fight against one of the most significant of all health threats—the AIDS epidemic.