African women and women of African descent are disproportionately infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.  HIV/AIDS targets the most vulnerable: women and children and women are most often also asked to carry the burden of caring for the sick and orphaned.

Today, 17 million women are infected with HIV and countless others’ lives are directly touched by this pandemic.  Women and HIV/AIDS: Confronting the Crisis reveals in sub-Saharan Africa, where women make up 57% of those living with HIV, young African women aged 15-24 are three times more likely to be infected than are their male counterparts (UNIFEM, 2004).

Given these sobering statistics, the goal of the CCA Women of Literature and HIV/AIDS Initiative is to engage the US-based literary community and specifically women of African decent, in an effort to raise funds for the mobilization of African and African American women affected by HIV/AIDS.

Through a series of regional journaling workshops sponsored by the U.S. literary community, CCA will assist in the coordination and creation of a literary anthology to share the untold stories of African and African American women infected and or affected by HIV/AIDS.  The intent of this endeavor is to mobilize communities through the process of creating “HIV/AIDS journals” which will be the basis for an annual anthology of Women and AIDS.  The anthology will then be recognized and promoted through an annual gala fundraising event featuring representatives of the U.S. and African literary community.

African women and African American
women are severaly impacted by HIV/AIDS

The process of creating this literary anthology annually will become a recurring financial resource through its sales and via funds raised at an annual gala event.  It will also serve as a continuing resource for the mobilization of communities who engage in the process.  In partnership with the National AIDS Fund, the CCA HIV/AIDS Initiative will direct funds to communities and U.S. corporations engaged in addressing the needs of African and African American women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Preliminary discussions have begun with Dr. Helene Gayle of the Gates Foundation to assist CCA in acquiring external support for this activity.

Please contact Victor Barnes at for more information.