HUGE: The fight aganst HIV in Latino communities gets a new ally

René Pérez from Calle 13 on the toll of HIV/AIDS:

I was thinking….

in my blood…my friends are my blood, my family is my blood, my father’s brother, tío José who died of AIDS, may he rest in peace, is my blood….Titi Rosi, one of my mother’s four sisters, is my blood. She was infected by tío Josean, her first love, may he rest in peace. She found out she was HIV positive the day more life came to her life, the day she found out she was going to be a mom, which we celebrated last Sunday here in New York [on Mother's Day]. My two cousins, her children, who thank God are negative, are also my blood.

I was thinking…

About the Caribbean, about how “polluted” we supposedly are, that for some, we are like a plague, just like AIDS. Because in the Caribbean we have been able to mingle as a people, because we are and have been able to take in all races, all colors…

And I was thinking…

That if I’m Caribbean… that if I am a son and I’m the blood of strong, brave and wonderful women, that I also have to have "the ovaries", the strength, to dare to be positive to HIV, to dare to get tested…. to dare to talk about it openly with my family….with my friends… And I call upon all Latinos to pay tribute to our mothers…and to be positive to AIDS. It's the best way to prevent it, to fight it, and to finally find a cure for it.

And I am still thinking…

With those words, the Puerto Rican reaggaeton superstar has agreed to become this year's International Ambassador for the Latino Commission on AIDS through a press release to be made public later this afternoon. His girlfriend, Denise Quiñones, who won the Miss Universe crown in 2001 and was also a past Ambassador for the Commission's, has long supported HIV/AIDS and LGBT rights as well, so it was along-time coming for the singer to publicly join her in advocating for an end to AIDS.

As perhaps the most popular singer in reggaeton, René's influence on Latino youth cannot be underestimated. It is my hope that he will use his newfound visibility on the issue not only to address HIV/AIDS in our communities but also how it overwhelmingly affects Latino gay men in what is still a homophobic culture. Calle 13 speaking out on homophobia and it's impact on the Latino community - and it's role on HIV transmission - would be the next step. Let's hope he goes there. And soon.