I was stunned to find out that a large majority of the HIV/AIDS cases in the United States are from the African American community.  I had no previous knowledge of this and frankly I was appalled to learn about the lack of effort to fight the disease.  It is not something that is openly addressed in the community.  The African American community needs to improve its efforts and the discrimination towards homosexual black males needs to cease.  I encourage the African American students of Whittier College to stand up and discuss the HIV/AIDS epidemic with peers, friends and family members.  I am the only African American student in my AIDS course and I feel that I need to help spread the word about what is going on to those who have never heard about it.  It will take everyone to fight against the disease in order for the percentage of prevalence and the number of cases to decrease.  When one person in the community suffers we all do. 

~ Genesis Allen, African American student of Whittier College