Local HIV awareness is growing.

Lloyd Kelly, director of the Let’s Talk, Let’s Test Foundation, and State Rep. Constance Howard (D-34th), spoke to the NIU community Monday night about Illinois’ growing concern for blacks affected by HIV.

The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority invited both speakers to the event to be a part of HIV/AIDS awareness week, which started Monday.

“African-Americans are not accepting the number of HIV-affected that is growing rapidly,” Howard said.

Kelly said he knew 247 people who have died from the disease.

Two or three of the audience members raised their hands and said they also knew someone with HIV.

According to Howard, when she first started seminars concerning HIV, there would be a panel of 35 and an audience of 26.

“It was unbelievable the lack of concern of HIV in our community,” Howard said.

At Monday’s meeting, every seat was filled.

Both Howard and Kelly have been working to get legislature passed to get resources they need to help those with HIV.

Howard sponsored legislature for instant testing of HIV. In the past, people had to wait two weeks for their results. According to Howard, some people wouldn’t even come back.

Kelly asked people to call their congressman.

“That’s where our fight is,” said Kelly. “It’s in public policy.”

However, Kelly noted he also noticed progression in legislature.

Howard said she wanted to make a separate, distinct HIV effort for the black community.

“We recognize HIV is something pretty bad for society, particularly in the African-American society,” Howard said.

According to Kelly, blacks are the number one group affected by HIV.

He also said that 15,800 people have HIV in Illinois. Each person spends about $50,000 a year to treat the disease. Kelly said $786 million a year is a lost that could be used for other purposes.

While many may think the solution to just wear a condom is easy, Kelly believes there are very few people who want to hear that.

“[This is] a fight we need to stay on top of,” Kelly said. “Every year, the prices of medication go up and federal funding goes down.”

The Let’s Talk, Let’s Test Foundation also helps smaller organizations who have “good hearts but not the resources to do it,” Howard said.

“I have a mission to try and make sure the community does not continue to suffer from this disease,” Howard said.

Lashawn Wallace, vice president of Zeta Phi Beta, said they will continue to work with the foundation.

“Hopefully, we can give a portion of proceeds to the foundation next year,” said Wallace.