One of several videos in the ’We Are Family: Georgia’ campaign by Greater Than AIDS.

 More than one in four African Americans living in Georgia have a family member affected by HIV, and 46 percent of Georgians know someone who is HIV positive, according to statewide survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The survey was conducted along with a new public service campaign called “We Are Family” by Georgia Greater Than AIDS (Georgia>AIDS). The multimedia campaign highlights inspiring families across that state and shows that HIV-positive people with strong support systems are more likely to stay in care, which in turn helps them remain healthy while lowering their risk of passing on the virus.

Most of the families in the campaign are African American.

“Getting Georgians tested and linking HIV-positive patients with treatment is essential to reducing HIV transmission in Georgia,” said Patrick O’Neal, MD, director of health protection for the Georgia Department of Public Health, in a press release for the campaign. “An HIV-positive person is 96 percent less likely to pass the virus to others if they’re adhering to an appropriate treatment regimen.”

Georgia has the fifth highest number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the country, according to the press release, and blacks are disproportionately affected, accounting for 67 percent of new diagnoses in the state.

“HIV has touched many lives, yet it’s not talked about even with those closest to us,” added Tina Hoff, senior vice president and director of health communication and media partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation, which directs Greater Than AIDS. “Too many are getting HIV, and even dying, because of the stigma and silence.”

William talks about being raised by his grandmother and the black church and testing HIV positive.