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The Red Pump Project is sponsoring the “Rock the Red Pump Blogging Event!” to raise awareness for women with AIDS.

The red pump project was founded in March of 2009 by Luvvie Ajayi and Karyn Watkins.  “They believe that the red pump is a feeling of empowerment to represent the strength and courage of women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.”

The “Rock the Red Pump” campaign is an annual initiative to commemorate National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It has become the group’s biggest initiative, and is what started The Red Pump Project. According to its website, “Since 2009, when we had over 100 bloggers  “Rock the Red Pump,” we have started the “Rock the Red Pump – 500 in 50” to get 500 blogs to participate in the 50 days leading up to NWGHAAD.”

The more bloggers who get the word out the more people will be more aware and go and get tested.

I was looking at The Red Pump Project website and saw some startling statistics.

-There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and almost 280,000 are women
-High-risk heterosexual contact is the source of 80% of these newly diagnosed infections in women
-New York has the highest number of women living with AIDS – 22,532

HIV is the:

* Leading cause of death for Black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years.
* 3rd leading cause of death for Black women aged 35–44 years
* 4th leading cause of death for Black women aged 45–54 years
* 4th leading cause of death for Latina women aged 35–44 years
* The only diseases causing more deaths of women are cancer and heart disease.

These statistics made me realize how much the word needs to get out.  We can write posts, tweet, do whatever we can to spread the word.

Sources
The Red Pump Project

Bloggers are getting on board in a big way because The Rock the Pump project has surpassed its goal of 500 bloggers. Over 850 have joined the cause and the count is growing daily.

“Join The Red Pump Project on March 10, 2011, for their Twitter Townhall in commemoration of National Women & Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). Starting at 1pm CST, they will kick off a discussion on Twitter surrounding issues around HIV/AIDS and women. They want to hear what you have to say about the epidemic and its effect on women. Be sure to use the hashtag #redpump.”

So if you have not joined The Red Pump Project then please do so now and add their link to your blog to raise awareness.

The Red Pump Project

Postscript

1200 Bloggers signed up for the cause so The Red Pump Project is a great success.  Next year I know there will be even more bloggers joining in to spread the word on HIV/AIDS.

If you didn’t get a chance to “Rock the Red Pump” on March 10th please go over to  The Red Pump Project website to join their Facebook page, follow them on twitter, and check out the different ways you can get involved because it is so important for all of us to get the word out.