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Magic Johnson Continues the Fight Against HIV - On Tuesday, Nov. 19 Magic Johnson was a featured guest on a panel discussion on AIDS/HIV awareness and the African-American community. On Dec. 1, World AIDs Day, BET.com looks at his thoughts on the moment he announced that he was HIV-positive, the progress Blacks have made in spreading awareness and the steps needed to move forward.  — Natelege Whaley (Photo: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images)

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“A Gift and a Curse” - It has been 22 years since the former NBA champion told the world that he was HIV-positive. He called it a “gift and a curse,” during the panel, as he soon established the Magic Johnson Foundation to "promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, digital literacy, and college access." His organization has helped educate communities that would not have access to sexual health education. (Photo: Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Showtime)

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Magic Johnson on the Arsenio Hall Show - After Johnson announced his status, he went on the Arsenio Hall Show to speak to his friend, because he felt it was a safe space to open up. “I felt we could give the world a great message, instead of somebody I don’t know or I don’t trust,” he said. “What was a blessing is a lot of people went out and got tested…I raised the awareness level 22 years ago, but we need to do that again now,” he continued. (Photo: Valerie Goodloe/PictureGroup)

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Support System Helped Save His Life - Johnson said the late Elizabeth Glaser, an AIDS activist, helped him find some peace with his condition early on. “I had to find somebody I could talk to,” Johnson said.  Glaser educated him on what to look out for and the medicines that were soon to come. “She told me I would be here a long time. And she said, ‘The only thing I ask in return is that you become the face of the disease.’ And so I owe her a lot,” he shared. 

Photo By Photo:  Harry How/Getty Images

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AIDS Epidemic in the Black Community - HIV/AIDS has the most “severe burden” on Black Americans, according to the Center for Disease Control. African-Americans were 44 percent of all new HIV infections among adults and adolescents in 2010. Black gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men accounted for 72 percent of new infections among all Black men. HIV infections for Black women decreased for the first time, from 50 percent in 2008 to 50 percent in 2010. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Continuing the Conversation - “We gotta continue to dialogue and continue to work together,” Johnson said. He plans to talk to ministers around New York and D.C. about how they can spread the message of HIV/AIDS awareness to their congregation. He also said that media outlets whose audiences are young and African-American can also use their power to spread awareness about the disease to younger people. (Photo: Courtesy of Mountairybaptist.org)

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Getting Tested Together - The panelists also discussed keeping the conversation going within our personal lives. Couples who are sexually active or considering being sexually active should get tested together. “If a man loves you, he’s going to get tested with you,” Johnson said about those in relationships, who may face opposition from their partner during a conversation about testing. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Oraquick HIV Testing Kit - Johnson says at-home testing kits can help take away the stigma that some may have about the disease. “OraQuick has made it really wonderful for — especially people of color — we’re private people, and so now you can take the test in the comfort of your own home, hopefully with your family members, husband or wife, and find out the results,” he said. OraQuick and the Reed for Hope Foundation sponsored the panel.  (Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters)

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Where to Get Tested - The Magic Johnson Foundation hosts a series of free HIV/AIDs tests yearly and has tested nearly 40,000 people to date. A person interested in finding free HIV testing in their area can find out more information by logging on to the National HIV and STD Testing Resource, provided by the Center for Disease Control. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Life After HIV/AIDs - A person who has been diagnosed with HIV must come under the care of an infectious disease specialist to receive proper treatment. “Early detection saved my life,” Johnson, 54, said. “I make sure I take my meds. I work out five days a week.” In the early days of the HIV epidemic, people were expected to contract AIDS within 10 years and in one to two years die. Advancements in modern medicine have allowed people to live much longer. 1.1 million people are living with HIV in the U.S. today. (Photo by Dana Nalbandian/Getty Images for Free The Children)