I have lived in many places and I have been fortunate enough to become a wise woman from the experiences that I have had in my lifetime, which is why I find it to be incredibly ironic that when I found out that I contracted HIV I was, am still, living in Omaha Nebraska, where HIV is still very much a stigma. It is still looked at as the bubonic plague. The stigma associated years ago with someone who has HIV is still very much alive here.

But the thing that completely just throws me is the fact that here and in so many other places, especially in America where we can fight for our rights, why is it that it is the people who do not have to live with this disease every day that are fighting for us. I mean why are we as HIV positive individuals so afraid? I understand the hate people can feel without knowing you or your story or anything actually, just blind ignorance and fear, but why instead of allowing those people to hurt us do we not stand up and say no I will not give you that power. I am BEAUTIFUL, I am SMART, I am EDUCATED, I am KIND, I am MOTHER or DAUGHTER or SON or FATHER or SISTER or BROTHER and YES I AM HIV POSITIVE but I am a PERSON. It is the most liberating feeling I have ever experienced when I meet someone and I can actually take the time to educate them because, I am told, that no one would ever think someone like me would have HIV, and then I say oh thank you may I please take a moment more to blow your mind with the sheer numbers and facts. I say do not allow others ignorance, fear, and miseducation to dictate who or what you are, no matter where you are living whether it is a city where HIV is openly discussed or a town where there may be 0ne if any other people use what you have experienced to spread the message of prevention for this disease, educate all you come into contact with, be the awareness we need, and use your knowledge to feed the hungry minds of our youth, S.P.E.A.K.