Black Americans accounted for about 38 percent of HIV diagnoses among people aged 13 or older in the U.S. in 2023, the latest year for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But they make up only about 14 percent of the population. The HIV diagnosis rate among Black Americans was 42 per 100,000 people, whereas the overall rate was 13.7 per 100,000. Black Americans accounted for 43 percent of HIV-related deaths among people aged 13 or older.
"The first episodes actually take Penny and her family around the world, right? And that's fun to see the family on vacation. So, you know, we start in Paris and we go through Brazil, Nairobi, and it was important to tell that story because, A) it was good to see the family kind of unified to take this adventure, and then B) because you get to see a spectrum of blackness all around the world," said Smith.
The Live Nation Urban Creator Network offers brands a direct link to thousands of top Black creators while giving creators access to infrastructure and high-profile campaigns.
Thais-Williams opened Jewel's Catch One in the early 1970s, recognizing the need for a specific haven for Black LGBTQ+ people in Los Angeles. With an intention of creating a gay space, Catch One quickly grew to attract 1,300 attendees nightly, including celebrities like Madonna and Janet Jackson. Over 42 years, it became a safe, inclusive home for the Black LGBT community, standing as a testament to Thais-Williams' vision.
Nwandu’s transformative story from a difficult past to becoming a prominent leader in the online Black community highlights resilience and the journey of a self-made entrepreneur.