Analysis of Ted Talk: Why I am an HIV/AIDS Activist

     Upon searching for a TED talk that would relate to my service organization, Moveable Feast, I began thinking of the criteria I was looking for within a speech. I wanted the speech I was analyzing to contain factual information, but also a more personal touch as well. In this TED talk, given by Annie Lennox, I found both facts and personal touch, as well as so much more than I could have ever imagined.
    Annie Lennox, founder of the SING campaign, which is an HIV/AIDs activism outlet for women and children, begins the TED talk at TEDGlobal by sharing her experience with the Nelson Mandela 46664 (pronounced 4 double 6, 6 4) Foundation.
**Fun fact: 46664 was the number that Nelson Mandela's had while he was imprisoned in Robbin Island**
Lennox shares that her and other artists of the benefit show (in which she had "the time of her life" performing) for HIV/AIDs awareness, were invited by Mandela to a world press conference he held in front of his former prison. She uses body language and strong eye-contact to empathize with the audience as she states how Mandela expressed the death rate of many in his country, especially the most vulnerable, women and children. 
     As a woman and mother, this statement by Mandela sparked a fire in Lennox that snow-balled into action as soon as she left South Africa. She shares about her increase in involvement in the 46664 Foundation and participation through her musical career in many outlets to reach the world (interviews, press conferences, etc.). Although she attempted to advocate for HIV/AIDs awareness in honor of Mandela's respectful reputation, Lennox was still positive that if she stopped a person on the street and told them what was going on in South Africa, he/she would be shocked to hear the effects of this wide-spreading disease. 
     Lennox then moves through her speech to discuss when she met Zackie Achmat, founder of the Treatment Action Campaign, and how it changed her life. Treatment Action Campaign consists of 80% women, mostly all living with HIV. Lennox mentions how in the photo she provides of Achmat, he is wearing the same shirt she is wearing. To the right is a photo of Achmat, and below is Lennox, both wearing the HIV-POSITIVE t-shirt.  

Lennox describes this t-shirt as a tool to her. She explains that the t-shirt places her in solidarity with HIV patients, and allows people to feel comfortable to talk about a once taboo disease while promoting awareness of the death rate of this captivating illness.

     Annie Lennox uses her campaign, SING, to raise awareness and give a voice to women and children living with HIV/AIDs. She utilizes visual aid in her TED talk to give the viewer a glimpse into her work across the world in raising awareness for this disease. She guides the viewer through her journey in becoming a United Nations AIDs Ambassador. Her main mission as a UNAIDS Ambassador is to eventually eliminate the transmission of AIDs from mother to child. She then directs her presentation to an image of her and an HIV-positive pregnant woman smiling, as the mother has been treated properly for her disease. Lennox shared that both are confident that the baby will be born complication, and most importantly, virus free. 

    Lennox finishes her TED talk with a story of her experience with a child named Avelile, who was born HIV-positive. Avelile was 7 years old, weighing the same as the average one-year-old. After care from doctors and a rigorous nutrition plan, five months later, Avelile is pictured happy, and most importantly, healthy. 

     Annie Lennox provides a heart-wrenching, factual message about HIV/AIDs awareness, and how important it is to advocate for the cure of the disease. If given the chance to speak again, I would suggest to Lennox to incorporate video aid, splitting up the multimedia she uses to keep the audience's full attention. The audience, which was the general public, came into this TED talk knowing little about the disease and its effects; however, after this presentation by Lennox, the audience left with knowledge about the disease and the next step that they as individuals can take to make a difference in the advocacy of HIV/AIDs.