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| Alison Hinds performing at the inaugural Mahalia’s??Corner??event. (C. Pitt/BGIS) |
High profile, popular persons such as singers, sportsmen and women, and public figures should use their fame to bring attention to social causes such as HIV and AIDS in a positive manner.
This view was expressed by Caribbean Soca Queen, Alison Hinds, following her performance last Friday at the Naru Restaurant and Lounge for the fundraising event, Mahalia’s Corner, which featured Alison Hinds ???unplugged’.??
The event was sponsored by the Internal HIV Education Committee of the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) and hosted by the band Nexcyx, as the first in a series of weekly activities.??
In an interview with the BGIS, Ms. Hinds stressed that it was critical for public figures and celebrities to lend their voices to initiatives that brought awareness to HIV and AIDS.
"It is important for people like me, who are out there in the public and people [who] see quite often, to connect themselves to a cause or causes, and draw attention to those causes," she said.
She reasoned that the messenger was crucial in educating the public and ensuring that specific target groups were reached.
"Sometimes [when the message] comes from a government official or [authority figure], not everyone may listen.?? But, if persons like an artist’s music and they follow that artist… they may tend to lock on and listen a bit more [to information on HIV and AIDS] coming from that artist," the Soca Queen opined.
Stating it was a ???good thing’ that Mahalia’s Corner had partnered with the BGIS to raise funds for the HIV Food Bank, she described her ???unplugged’ performance as "absolutely amazing" and thanked the group Nexcyx for inviting her to be a part of the series.??
Furthermore, the entertainer said she was a "huge fan" of Mahalia’s Corner and encouraged the public to attend, so that they too, could discover some "untouched and undiscovered talent, up and coming singers and spoken word performers, and established artistes, while contributing to a worthy cause".
This week’s event will be held under the theme Safe Sex Can Be Sexy.?? Nexcyx will open the show, while musician and lyricist, Adaeze, as well as, poet and spoken word artist, Blake, will be the featured artistes.?? An open mic session will also be held.
It will take place at the Naru Restaurant and Lounge in Hastings, Christ Church. Showtime is 8:00 p.m. and an admission fee will be charged. ??Part proceeds will be donated to the HIV Food Bank and a dress code will be in effect.??