New AIDS Vancouver ambassador Bif Naked releases benefit single "Intellectual"
by Craig Takeuchi on Dec 2, 2014
Local rocker Bif Naked has been displaying her activist side for social causes in Vancouver. She participated in the Welfare Food Challenge in October and she's now drawing attention to AIDS/HIV.
On World AIDS Day (December 1), Naked attended AIDS Vancouver's open house where she and local entertainer Ryan Steele were introduced as ambassadors for the organization.
The personable Naked explained to the Georgia Straight at the event, where she posed for selfies with attendees, why she felt she needed to get involved.
"I think it's really important because AIDS Vancouver has worked in this community supporting our community members who are HIV-positive and have AIDS, and I think that it's fallen off the radar a little bit. AIDS Vancouver has worked really tirelessly since 1983 so the work that they've done has been integral in this city, supporting this population. People are not dying as much here from AIDS but they're living longer with HIV, and that is a vulnerable population that needs our attention."
She said she thought World AIDS Day is a great opportunity to "try and reignite a fire in our community just for this group of people."
AIDS and HIV has hit close to home for her, and she's watched the developments in the HIV-movement from a close vantage point.
"I have a number of friends who have been living with HIV for almost 15, 20 years, so it's amazing," she said. "And to be friends with them on their journey all this time and see the changes and the great evolution that's been made, it's really inspiring."
Naked isn't simply donating her image to the cause. As an illustration of her devotion, she has recorded and released a new single, the dance-beat-driven groover "Intellectual", from which all proceeds will go to AIDS Vancouver.
The single, which was celebrated at a party at Pump Jack on December 1, is available on iTunes.
On Giving Tuesday (December 2), AIDS Vancouver is welcoming donations to help support people living with HIV/AIDS.
For World AIDS Day, AIDS Vancouver honoured three Red Ribbon award recipients and also launched their new awareness campaign: The New Face of HIV -What it Means to be Undetectable . The campaign is designed to help the public understand that some people who have been diagnosed with HIV can have negative test-results due to anti-retroviral treatment.
For more information about AIDS Vancouver, visit their website.
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Source: http://www.straight.com/music/781396/new-aids-vancouver-ambassador-bif-naked-releases-benefit-single-intellectual
"Reproduced with permission - The Georgia Straight"
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