While I recognize I am about to make a generalization, I do believe that African and Black communities in the Diaspora show incredible resiliency despite mounting disparities across the determinants of health because of our ability to "Make Do". While we aim to thrive, not just survive, developing strategies and responses that maximize our often underresourced community-led organizations and programs is a context many of us have adapted to.

With recent global debates around 'donor fatigue' in relation to the flood response in Pakistan, have our communities also become 'fatigued' in advocating and moblizing governements, multilateral donors, and civil society stakeholders to develop effective and well resourced commitments to address HIV/AIDS for African and Black communities in the Diaspora?

What if you had the chance to speak to a global leader about how we could "Do Better than Making Do"?  ABDGN works to facilitate opportunities for key global health leaders and stakeholders to dialogue and works to bring greater attention to developing world epidemics in the developed world.

But through an innovative contest linked to the United Nations Millenuim Development Goals (MDG) you might get the chance to become a UN Citizen Ambassador and make a impact on the response to HIV/AIDS in our communities globally, and talk to key leaders directly!

Make a 2 minute video about the MDG, ideally focused on our communities, and submit it to the UN for your chance to "Do Better". Here is the catch...the submissions are due this Monday August 23rd!  Now you see where I was going with my thoughts about making do:) Not a lot of time I know but who is up for the challenge?

we are the ones we have been waiting for

k