The City of Alexandria will host the Hoops in Virginia Basketball Tournament on Saturday, June 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. The event will feature a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, free human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, and information about National HIV Testing Day.
The basketball tournament is open to players ages 13 and up, with a three-person minimum and four-person maximum per team. Individuals can register a team for $30 here. Spectators are welcome. All attendees and participants will receive free lunch.
The tournament will feature an exhibition game by City leaders including Mayor Justin Wilson and Alexandria Health Department (AHD) Director David Rose.
The event will be hosted by AHD, the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS, Inova Juniper Program, Hoop Life, and the Northern Virginia Clergy Council for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS.
National HIV Testing Day is observed annually on June 27 to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their statuses, and talk to a health care provider about prevention, care, and treatment.
According to data from the Virginia Department of Health, as of February 2023, over 1,100 Alexandrians live with HIV. Due to systemic racism and barriers to care, HIV disproportionately impacts Black people in Alexandria and across the country. Still, anyone can be infected with HIV, regardless of race, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Testing and talking to a health care provider can help people treat HIV and prevent the spread of HIV in our community.
To talk to a nurse at Alexandria Health Department about HIV testing options in Alexandria, call 703.746.4992.
Visit alexandriava.gov/Health to find out more about the Hoops in Virginia Basketball Tournament. Teams must register by June 19.
For inquiries from the news media only, including inquiries about attending the event, contact Natalie Talis, at natalie.talis@vdh.virginia.gov or 703.746.4914. For reasonable disability accommodation, contact nechelle.terrell@vdh.virginia or call 703.746.4934, Virginia Relay 711.
Original source can be found here.
