By Phill Wilson, Black AIDS Institute

About six months ago a young man named Mike Sacco walked into my office with an idea. He had been reading about the AIDS epidemic in Black communities and he wanted to do something. "That's great." I said, "So what do you do?" I asked. "I'm a runner," he replied. "I've been reading about all these new statistics about HIV and AIDS and people are acting like the epidemic is over. I felt like I had to do something.

When I found out about what the Black AIDS Institute was doing and the devastating impact the AIDS epidemic is having on Black communities, a light went off in my head. Maybe I could raise money to fight AIDS and remind people that the AIDS epidemic is not over by combining my love of running and my dream to run from San Francisco to Los Angeles with my desire to do something about the AIDS epidemic?"

I have to admit, when Mike first walked into my office, I found myself in a paradox. My favorite quote is from Calvin Rolark "Nobody can save us from us, but us." I'm the executive director of the Black AIDS Institute. Our motto is "Our people, Our problem, Our solution!" Our mission is to get Black people involved in fighting HIV/AIDS. On the other hand White people should not be given a pass just because Black people bear the brunt of the AIDS epidemic today.

I was there during the early days of the epidemic when "white gay men, politicians and celebrities were pledging to be in the fight until the end.", Now that AIDS is primarily about Black and brown people-gay, straight, male, female, young, old, whatever-where are they? Did I miss another " Mission accomplished" photo op?

Did they end the AIDS epidemic without telling me? And if so, why do we still get those late night calls, those early morning calls, those middle of the afternoon calls, those calls from young men and women who just found out they have HIV and they don't know what to do. They either didn't know how to protect themselves-apparently abstinence only doesn't always work-or worse yet they didn't think their lives were worth protecting-fatalism, hopelessness and despair can kill you. Often they are more afraid of the stigma than they are of the disease.

I thought "Wow, here is a young white guy who understands that the AIDS epidemic is not over and we all have a moral obligation to do everything in our power to fight this deadly disease until it is over, no matter who might be most impacted at the time.

After a minute, I remembered that the KKK didn't care that Andrew Goodman and Micheal Schwerner where white when they murdered them along with James Chaney in the summer of 1964. In my minds eye I saw the mosaic of America -- Black, White, Brown, yellow, young, old, rich, poor-that that made up Martin Luther King's vision of the civil rights movement.

And I remembered asking my parents why I had to do chores. My parents told me that we were a family and the only way for our family to survive was for each of us to do our part. In fact that is the only way for any family to survive. This quirky white kid from Underhill, Vermont reminded me that we are all a part of a family-the human family. And our human family has AIDS. And, we need everyone in the family, regardless of color, to do their part.

On December 1, 2007-World AIDS Day-I joined Mike, his running partner Lejon Boudreaux and their team on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County to kick off the 510 miles of Run in a Million to end AIDS. Over the next 14 days Mike and Lejon, followed by their Test One Million pace care, will be running down PCH thru Santa Cruz, Dig Sur, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Malibu, finally ending up in Los Angeles on December 14th.

Everybody can't run the entire 510 miles, but everybody can do something. Some people can come out and meet Mike and Lejon on Pacific Coast Highway and run with them for a day or an hour or just a mile? Others can come out and stand by the side of the road when the runners come thru their town and cheer for them to offer moral support. People can buy a Test One Million T-Shirt or button. And of course, we can go to the website and donate money to support the run and raise much needed funds to fight HIV/AIDS.

The run in a million is a part of a larger campaign conceived by Tony Wafford called Test One million. The "The Test 1 Million" campaign is a call-to-action for 1 million Americans to get screened for HIV by June 27, 2009.

Eleanor Roosevelt said "Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. It is the only thing that ever has." The Run in a million is about the power of one. Too often we wait for someone else to lead. We wait for the government or big organizations to take action. "As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Every one can be great because everyone can serve.".

We all have a moral obligation to do everything in our power to fight this deadly disease until it is over, no matter who might be most impacted at the time. Mike is right; there is power in one person's commitment to do their part.

Lejon probably summed it up best when he said, "It seems like these days, everyone is waiting for the next big thing. People forget about the power of one. One person can make a difference. I believe that with all my being. I never thought I could do this. But I am. And I know it is exactly what I should be doing!"

The Route:

After running across the Golden Gate Bridge , the runners made their way to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and down to Pacifica . They will continue thru Pescadero, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, Lucia, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Malibu before ending up at Nike Town in Beverly Hills . Nike is the lead corporate sponsor for the event.

Mike Sacco is just one person and he is making a difference. You can make a difference too. For more information about the Run in a million or the larger Test 1 million campaign go to www.BlackAIDS.org or tune in to the daily blog at http://www.myspace.com/runinamillion. To join the team to run part of the way or find out when the run will be coming through your community call (213) 353-3610.