Why are there HIV info signs on the Charlotte Rail Trail?
Ever since the Charlotte Rail Trail got streaked with the Magic Carpet Murals, I’ve thought of if it as more artsy than advertise-y. Sure, you’ll notice a smattering of signs like an advertisement for the Design Center in South End or a “Sweet Summer Deal” at McDonald’s. But what’s more noticeable is the tangle of sculpted flowers outside the Charlotte Art League, and the bright red exclamation point near Publix, and the weird caged chickens by Futo Buta.
So why have signs promoting HIV education and prevention popped up along the Rail Trail at several stations this month? The question came to us from a C5 reader, so we decided to look into it.
The answer: It’s an ad campaign coordinated by the Ryan White Charlotte TGA Quality Management Committee. The Ryan White Program is a federal grant program offering medical treatment and support services to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. White was a teen who rallied for his right to attend school after contracting AIDS through a blood transfusion in the ’80s.
According to the committee’s Facebook page, their infographics/campaign subcommittee launched this new, three-month prevention/treatment ad campaign for the Charlotte metro region with an ad that will be visible on 300 area buses, multiple bus stations and the light rail.
“Campaigns are conducted every year, but not always of this magnitude,” said Valetta Rhinehart, Senior Quality & Training Specialist for the Ryan White Program Charlotte TGA. “This is our second campaign with CATS. Our last campaign, ‘A Roadmap to Your Healthcare,’ ran for a period in 2012. As Mecklenburg County moves to eradicate new cases of HIV; the goal being set for the year 2020, the conversation regarding transmission, stigma, safe sex practices and testing has to start somewhere. This is a community issue and all solutions cannot rest expressly with those who are HIV positive.”
Which is why you’ll notice that the ad carries the statement: “Everyone has a part to do to stop HIV.”
Everyone across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, for that matter. A 2014 report showed that more than 5,300 were living with HIV in Mecklenburg County, predicting that many as 700 more may be infected but unaware.
The ads along the light rail are not meant to target South End and uptown, specifically. “We have to remember that HIV/AIDS does not limit itself to specific geographical areas and neighborhoods,” Rhinehart said. “Thousands of people from all walks of life travel through uptown and the campaign brings awareness as well as treatment and care information.”
As far as why the committee would plant the ads in the community via public transportation, Rhinehart said, “A large majority of the Mecklenburg County population use public transportation and this provides more campaign exposure. Campaign posters are also distributed and displayed in medical clinics, as well as community based organizations such as churches, barbershops, laundromats or and other community businesses.”
The ad points out that everyone who is HIV- can get tested and take PrEP (an anti-HIV medication); everyone who is HIV- or HIV+ can practice safer sex and stop stigma (compassion is key); and everyone who is HIV+ can get treatment and always take their medications.
“If we are to stop stigma and eradicate new cases of HIV, everyone as a community has to get involved,” Rhinehart said.
Photos: Katie Toussaint
This story was originally published July 28, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Why are there HIV info signs on the Charlotte Rail Trail?."