A staple figure in the fight against AIDS and HIV, today is Magic Johnson’s anniversary for his announcement of being HIV positive.
Today, he lives comfortably with HIV.
Years ago as an elementary student I pulled a piece of paper out of a hat, with the name Magic Johnson on it. I was to make a small presentation on Magic Johnson and his impact on the world, but as a ten year old, you don’t really get it. It’s only now, fully grown, do I really understand the triumph that is Magic Johnson’s life. Back then, I half-heartedly did the presentation, without defining, or really touching much on the subject of HIV. Needless to say, it wasn’t my best grade.
“Magic Johnson was an amazing point guard,” I was told by my uncle, when he heard I was doing the project, “Yeah, when you think of the Lakers being the best team, it really comes from the ‘Magic’.” Of course, I really based the project on that much information; I figured he was just a basketball player, and that I got the easy presentation. Further on, I began to hear more and understand that Magic Johnson had HIV, and even more, that he retired from the Lakers soon after learning about it. I read of the Magic Foundation, created in the wake of Magic’s awareness of the disease and the activism he supported. His foundation greatly increased awareness on the subject, especially to the more ethnically diverse communities, who were under the concept of HIV being a gay, white man disease. I saw the leadership and devotion that came with Magic’s support and his individual fight against HIV.
With the knowledge of HIV and AIDS that I know now, I can safely say that if I were to do a fifth grade presentation on Magic Johnson, you can believe I would be getting an A+ no question.
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