about 30 million people have died to date and every year we lose 1.8 million more who
struggle to survive but didn't have the means to pull through.
The majority of those lost each year live in sub-Saharan Africa with little ability to
access treatment. Over the past year, while we were working, laughing, breathing, loving,
2.7 million people were infected with HIV, 2.7 million lives were changed forever, and we
went on living life, mostly unaware. 390,000 of them were children, victims of mother-to-child
transmission, which was almost entirely avoidable with treatment. There were 2,344 infections in
kids between ages 1 through 19 in America, meaning that nearly one in every 9,500 teens
are faced with the threat of death. Who wants to know? Among 20 to 24 year olds, AIDS is the
second most common cause of death. It is the single largest infectious killer across the globe.
In America today, 1.5 million people live their daily lives while combating HIV.
This past year, 191,000 people became victim to the infection. It's more apparent than anything.
Every 637 people in America have AIDS. For most of us, that's at least one or two
Facebook friends infected, and at least one person in the theater, possibly next year.
Could have it too. Those who live with HIV are just as much a part of humanity. As you. As me.
Instead of fearing, we should be understanding. Instead of avoiding, we should be helping.
Just like all of us, they want to live great lives.
They will not infect you with a cough or a touch. It can't rub it off on you.
It cannot be shared by vomit, feces, nasal fluids, or saliva. Because AIDS is transmitted by
blood contact, needle sharing, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk from a mother, and during
pregnancy, the disease is as real. As you. As me. It's a threatening possibility. Far-reaching.
Affecting millions. Like you. Like me. Remember, we're not invincible, but we are capable.
We are not superhuman, but we are human, and can love, understand, men. Help each other out.
Talk to someone. Let them know. We must start at the source. Education. Education. Education.
Education. Because. One in five. One in five people don't know that they are infected.
About it at all. Just keep your head low. Don't think about it at all.
But anti-retroviral treatment was available to 47% of low-income countries in 2010.
It's so special to see teenagers take, like, huge chunks of time out of their schedule,
completely voluntary, to reach people, like, across the globe. It's really powerful to watch.
They're dedicating their weekends, their time, working every day.
We have such a diverse group of people. The kids have come together to support a cause that, like,
normally probably wouldn't, like, socialize in a high school environment. I do it because
I can dedicate time. That's what I can dedicate. That's what I have to give.
The commitment that, like, young teenagers can make at such an early age
to help people that aren't even immediately related to them is so hopeful.
Teenagers here in America are doing this for someone in Sub-Saharan Africa. We can make a
difference. Telluride AIDS Benefit is so powerful because we bridge the distance. Take art and take
music and take dance and transform it into something that is so meaningful and can reach people.
And they, like, they felt the desire to support a cause that's bigger than us.
We're transitioning from, you know, the past where we're filled with hate for people and things
that are different or we don't understand. It turned into a better mindset about acceptance
and love. It just shows how much people we're growing. I really think this show shows that
there's hope.
We should never forget and let ourselves become naive about kids and adults and people from all
walks of life that are suffering and whose lives are endangering even though, like, our own lives
might be perfectly stable. People are beginning to realize that this is something widespread and
real. It's not something that just affects one group of people. This is the actual reality and
we need to act up and fight AIDS and it needs to get better. There we go.
You
