domestic violence, abuse

My parents are from the Caribbean. I was born and brought up in London, UK. I found the love of my life when I was 49 and I am engaged to be married. I have been living with HIV for over 17 years.

When I was diagnosed with HIV almost 17 years ago I dove head first into activism. I was angry and I needed something to do with that anger or I would have turned it onto myself. What I didn't realize is that I had already done that and what I did not know is that I would let that anger build for almost two decades before I accepted it.

I just heard a new word today that struck my heart in a sickening way: "Gendercide", "the deliberate effort to destroy traditions of gender fluidity…". That was a quote from an extremely insightful book...

As part of a collaboration with our longtime partner organization Christie's Place, The Well Project will be sharing stories from their book "Healing Hope: A woven tapestry of strength and solace" as...

El primer relato es la historia de los eventos que me provocaron traumas antes de mi diagnóstico. Comienza en el ambiente en el que nací y cómo este generó las oportunidades para que me ocurrieran experiencias traumáticas a temprana edad.

Cuando vi la luz por primera vez, aprendí rápidamente que a los padres no se les da un manual para criar a los hijos, sino que van sobre la marcha con los valores y comportamientos de sus generaciones pasadas.

When I first saw the light, I quickly learned that parents are not given a manual on "parenting skills", but were walking around with their own past generation's values and behaviors.

Me salí de mi casa a la edad de 14 años y empecé con alcohol y drogas. Siempre me sentí inferior a las demás. Desde mi actividad sexual me hacía estudios de sangre, aunque mis relaciones no fuesen constantes. Ya existía en mí el temor a una enfermedad de trasmisión sexual. Había ocasiones que regresaba a casa y mi familia siempre me recibía con amor y podía sentir su tranquilidad cuando me veían llegar, pero yo fallaba cada que mi ansiedad volvía.

I left home when I was 14 and I started drinking and doing drugs. I always felt like 'less' than other girls. I'd get blood tests since I was sexually active, even if I wasn't having sex all the time. I lived with the fear of sexually transmitted diseases. There were times when I would go back home and my family always greeted me lovingly.

Hello! I'm Kenya. I'm 28 years old, married, I have three daughters, and yes, I am HIV positive. I was diagnosed four years ago, and I'm still standing, fighting, moving forward, and even with all the stones along my upward path, my tireless feet continue to climb! But it wasn't always like this...