May 19 is National Asian and Pacific Islander (API) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The Banyan Tree Project -a national campaign to end the silence and shame surrounding HIV/AIDS in Asian and Pacific Islander communities-is the lead for this day.

Two-thirds of Asians, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders have never been tested for HIV. In fact, Asian Pacific Americans have the lowest HIV testing rates of all races and ethnicities: 37.9% of Whites, 57.8% of Blacks or African Americans, 42.7% of American Indian or Alaska Natives, and 42.4% of Hispanic/Latinos report having been tested for HIV.

Low testing rates and annual increases in HIV infections mean that more Asian Pacific Americans are getting HIV. It is estimated that 1 in 3 Asian Pacific Americans living with HIV don't even know it.

For more information, read this fact sheet on the Banyan Tree website