HIV/AIDS awareness takes center stage at fashion show

Students ripped the runway with fashion, music, dance and poetry in the name of HIV and AIDS awareness as part of Kappa Alpha Psi's fraternity week.

The event, titled Klassik Kouture Love, was free but donations were accepted on behalf of the HIV and AIDS Council of Columbia.

A number of students did not even realize the event was held to raise HIV and AIDS awareness. Alex Kinlaw, a second-year political science student, said he was just there to see the models.


"People told me there was a fashion show but they didn't say anything about it being for HIV and AIDS awareness," Kinlaw said. "It was on the flyer, but it was in small writing at the bottom."

Todd Reese, a fourth-year education student, agreed with Kinlaw about the small print.

"The main attraction was the fashion show itself," Reese said. "People may or may not have known about the donations to the council, but once they came to the show, they realized the real reason for the show and were enlightened."

Other students knew about the fundraiser part of the event. Keith Rasberry, a second-year computer science student at Tuskegee University, said it was clear.

"One of my friends, who helped coordinate the event, mentioned it several times," Rasberry said.

According to the USC Campus Wellness Program Web site, http://sa.sc.edu/Wellness/mhc.html, South Carolina ranked 6th in the nation for AIDS cases in 2001. The site also pointed out that three out of four people infected with HIV/AIDS were black.

USC Campus Wellness also provides HIV/AIDS awareness education programs like workshops and counseling. The program also provides free Orasure HIV testing to students who want to know their status.

Rasberry said the fashion show was a good way to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, especially among minorities.

"People may not know how to get tested or where to go," Rasberry said. " Others may simply fear what the results may say. Bringing this issue up through an attractive medium, like a fashion show, is a good way to educate people and ease the tension and fear surrounding it."

On a state level, the South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council offers programs like "I-C.A.R.E." to provide awareness education and resources for people living with HIV/AIDS.

"Like the commercial on BET says, 'Wrap it up,'" Kinlaw said.