World AIDS Day

Every December first since 1988 our culture and media highlight and reflect upon the global AIDS crisis. Today I'd also like to draw attention to a couple of powerful projects about AIDS. The first is a Magnum project called Access to Life - where eight photographers followed thirty people around the globe before - and four months after - they underwent antiretroviral therapy. The other is an audio AIDS diary from the Hearing Voices audio project. Both are extremely moving and important works of journalism. Coinciding with the day when President Obama will speak to Americans about the erroneous escalation of the war in Afghanistan - we might try instead to think about all the courageous people fighting to preserve life in the fight against AIDS...

© clockwise from top right; Paolo Pellegrin, Alex Majoli, Eli Reed, Steve McCurry



© Melikhaya Mpumela