“Real Housewives” stars NeNe Leakes, Phaedra Parks, Erika Jayne and Melissa Gorga attended the “Housewives on the Hill” for HIV prevention on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Tristan Schukraft, CEO of MISTR, flew NeNe, Phaedra, Melissa and Erika to Capitol Hill to attend the “Housewives on the Hill” for HIV Prevention panel presented by MISTR in Washington, DC. on Wednesday.
MISTA provides free PrEP pills online for those who qualify.
The ladies spoke with lawmakers about promoting pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention (PrEP) among Black women.
Approximately 83% of new HIV cases are among Black women in the U.S.
Phaedra is pictured with Tristan Schukraft (left) and Senator Raphael Warnock, of Georgia, at the “Housewives on the Hill” for HIV Prevention presented by MISTR in Washington, DC.
NeNe said she wants to use her platform to ask questions about HIV and PrEP.
“Going back to Housewives, like, I’m the perfect person to ask all of the questions — I will ask them anyway. Literally, I ask them anything,” NeNe said. “We usually all bust out laughing, but I need to understand, I need to know.”
Phaedra, from Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” said that speaking about HIV today is more important than ever. “Originally, when [HIV] came out, it was so stigmatized. People were so fearful,” she said. “We know people that have died from it, but we know people who have survived and they’re living very normal lives.”
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph has helped to raise funds and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS for more than 40 years.
She worked the room at Elton John’s Oscar viewing party, educating women about PrEP which reduces the risk of HIV infection.
Sheryl noted that HIV rates among Black women are increasing across the South.
“It is spreading. We are still seeing upticks across the South, especially in women of color, and it is something that needs to be paid attention to,” Sheryl added. “And also, I think about the fact that as we spread awareness, so many women have no idea that PrEP is also for them. It’s not just for men. So there’s so many reasons to be here at the Elton John event as we continue to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.”
Critics argue that promoting PrEP to Black women takes the responsibility off of men to inform their partners of their HIV status.
Black men have the highest rates of HIV in the United States.
