February 4, 2020 BY imani leave a comment
A new exhibit opened at The Valentine last month highlighting Richmond Virginia’s HIV/AIDS epidemic through the stories of survivors, caregivers, activists, and others on the front lines. “Voices from Richmond’s Hidden Epidemic Puts Faces and Stories to Richmond’s HIV/AIDS Crisis” opened Thursday, January 23 and runs through May 25, 2020. Featuring oral histories collected by Laura Browder and Patricia Herrera with accompanying photographic portraits by Michael Simon, the exhibit offers a nuanced look at the HIV/AIDS crisis and the trials and triumphs of each person featured in it.
According to the Valentine Richmond’s rate of HIV infection is currently ranked 19th nationally, and is exacerbated by high concentrations of poverty, lack of sex education in public schools and the continuing opioid epidemic. Despite years of medical and social progress, misconceptions about HIV/AIDS persist today.
See and learn more about the “Voices” through May 25, 2020. The Valentine is located at 1015 East Clay Street in Richmond, VA. For more information visit https://thevalentine.org/ or call 804-649-0711.
