Marissa's blog

Compartir tu historia públicamente, especialmente con desconocidos, no es fácil. Pero es poderoso. Porque nunca sabes quién está escuchando, quién está esperando una confirmación de que no está solo...

To share your story publicly, especially with strangers, is not easy. But it's powerful. Because you never know who's listening, who's waiting for confirmation that they're not alone...

If you had told me that 2025 would start with so much nonsense, heartbreak, and unexpected challenges, I probably wouldn't have believed you.

What's the balance in life as a regular human being with needs, wants and desires that just so happens to also be a person living with HIV who simply desires to live a normal non-stigmatized life?

Tenía una imagen en la cabeza de cómo debería ser la defensa, y a menudo comparo el trabajo que hago, o no hago, al abogar por nuestra comunidad con VIH. Lo que he aprendido es que no hay una forma correcta o incorrecta de ser defensora.

I had this image in my head of what advocacy should look like, and I often would compare the work I do, or lack there of, when it comes to how I show up for our HIV Community. What I learned is that there's no right or wrong way to advocate.

At the time of this blog being published, I will be in route to Mexico in preparation for my weight loss surgery! ...It was finally time to put my health first and put my full faith in God!

Many may be able to relate that diagnosis day is rarely filled with happy memories. As time goes on, we cope and come to terms with our diagnosis and live out our bad ass lives, but there's still always that reminder.

We all have baggage, we are carrying emotions we weren't meant to carry, and have allowed them to shape our identity!

I've told my story a ton of times about what led to me contracting HIV. I was always cautious as to not say certain things that could point to the person I contracted from or even more tell a story that wasn't mine to tell