Audrey Lorde said, “I am myself – a Black woman warrior poet doing my work – come to ask you, are you doing yours?”

This Sunday Sept. 26, thousands of people will converge on Balboa Park to participate in San Diego’s 15th annual AIDS Walk. Despite the outstanding turnout that takes place each year, the money raised and the number of participants is still simply not enough.

AIDS Walk is San Diego’s single largest AIDS fundraising event. The proceeds directly benefit 32 San Diego HIV/AIDS programs, which in turn service thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS in San Diego County. If there was ever a time in which your dollar directly creates positive change in people’s lives – this is it.

San Diego HIV/AIDS programs need your support more than ever. Government funding from national, state and local sources have failed to step up to battle the increasing challenges of HIV/AIDS today.

Alberto Cortes, executive director of Mama’s Kitchen, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to providing nutritious meals to men, women and children who are affected by AIDS, says, due to funding cuts in the Ryan White Care Act in the food service category, funding to Mama’s Kitchen has decreased this year by $170,000, with the recommendation to cut another $20,000 for 2005. That represents a near 33 percent reduction in Ryan White funding.

At the local level, the city of San Diego has provided an annual $63,000 in funding to Mama’s Kitchen, which, this year, was reduced to $16,000 – a 76 percent reduction. Cortes went on to explain that all funding to Mama’s Kitchen from the city will be cut in the coming year as San Diego attempts to deal with its own fiscal challenges.

Bienestar, a community-based nonprofit organization meeting the social services, health and educational needs of Latino men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS, depends on AIDS Walk to complement and/or replace the government funding that AIDS organizations are not getting. With the recent San Diego HIV funding cuts and the increase of HIV/AIDS cases in communities of color, the burden has increased for organizations such as Bienestar.

Oscar De La O, president and CEO of Bienestar, discussed the impact funding cuts has had on their Los Angeles program. L.A. County cut Bienestar funding overall by 10 percent. While this may not seem like much, the drop in funding translated into a 50 percent reduction for the Bienestar food pantry. While San Diego County’s funding for Bienestar has remained steady, relatively small declines in funding result in hefty consequences.

The Center has also felt the affects of funding cuts. Shawn Ingram, The Center’s director of development, explained that competition for “dollars” increases, for example, in election years and after natural disasters such as the San Diego fires last October. Add this to the 10-20 percent overall funding cuts in San Diego County and it becomes increasingly more difficult to sustain current services, while the focus should be placed on expanding and improving upon existing programs.

While this may all seem pretty grim, the good news is that there is much that can be done on an individual level to ensure that these programs continue to thrive.

So this is the question: Are you doing your part, and if so, how?

Even if you’re not the walking type, or you can’t seem to drag your butt out of bed before noon, you can – and quite frankly should – still contribute. Try hosting an AIDS Walk fundraising party on Friday or Saturday night. Here’s a theme that is sure to add an element of sophistication to any event: Have everyone donate $10-$20 dollars at the door for AIDS Walk; 25 people at $20 a head is $500. Imagine if 20 fundraising parties took place this weekend and raised around $500 each: That would be $10,000.

Another easy and fun idea is a garage sale where all the proceeds go to AIDS Walk. Patrons may be willing to pay a bit more for your never-been-used rollerblades or your overused wig collection knowing that the money is going for a good cause. If you raise $50, put that in perspective: If 500 people hold garage sales this Saturday and raise an average of $50, that’s $25,000.

Perhaps the easiest way to raise additional funds and increase participation is if everyone attending AIDS Walk brings one additional person. Currently, 10,000 people are expected to attend. If each one of us brings one person with an average donation of $25, the pot just increased by $250,000.

Too often we fail to recognize how each of us as individuals can make a difference. Even if you can contribute just one dollar, bring that dollar and join us. Remember, the day isn’t just about raising money, it’s about remembering and honoring those who have been affected by AIDS, and educating and creating awareness about a disease still very much a part of our community. Just walking is a start. Take a step. Do your part.