Another Year: April 11 I Turned 53… and Today, April 18, I Celebrate 38 Years as a Long-Term Survivor

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Another year. Another chapter. Another breath of life that I do not take for granted.

On April 11, I turned 53 years old. And today, April 18, I honor 38 years of living with HIV. Thirty-eight years of resilience, growth, lessons, and transformation. I am still here not only surviving, but thriving.

Yes, I have fallen. Many times. But each time, I have risen again wiser, stronger, more grounded, and more aligned with who I truly am. Today, I stand in my truth as a full woman, intuitive, peaceful, and deeply rooted in self-worth. I am no longer just surviving life; I am allowing myself to receive all the good that life has to offer, because I am worthy. Because I deserve it.

With the energy of this Full Moon in Aries, and the powerful alignment of planets amplifying this fire within me, I feel elevated, my spirit lifted, my vibration higher. And when you vibrate higher, you begin to attract higher. I welcome that. I embrace that. I trust that.

Today, I also reflect on the love that surrounds me. My family, my heart. I cherish every moment with my niece Angelina, my nephew Nicholas, my little niece Sophia, and the beautiful baby girl who is soon to arrive into our lives. In many ways, I continue to experience and express my motherhood through them, and that love fills me beyond words.

Through my journey, I have made it my mission to give hope, to lead by example with dignity, self-respect, and truth. Living with HIV is not something to be ashamed of. It is a human condition, and I have lived through it all and overcome it all.

I am not alone in this journey, we uplift one another. It is a full circle of empowerment, inspiration, and shared strength.

I always say: everything in life has a solution except death. If we do not like something, we have the power to change it. We must work on ourselves, ground ourselves, and remain centered, especially in the times we are living in today.

To anyone reading this who may feel lost or afraid: do not lose hope. This is not the end of your story.

Science has advanced in extraordinary ways. Today, we know that if a person living with HIV is on treatment and undetectable, they cannot transmit HIV sexually. I don’t say this, science does. Undetectable equals untransmittable.

This means you can love. You can be loved. You can have relationships without fear. You can get married, go to school, travel, build your dreams, and live a full life. Women living with HIV can now safely have children and even breastfeed under proper medical guidance. I know this not only through research, but through lived experience and community.

Organizations like The Well Project have been at the forefront of advancing education and advocacy around HIV, pregnancy, and breastfeeding, as well as updated pediatric guidelines that continue to transform lives. Disclosure has become easier when we are empowered with knowledge, because we can educate others with confidence and truth.

Research also shows that people living with HIV who are in care and adherent to treatment are living long, healthy lives sometimes even longer than those without HIV because we are vigilant about our health, our labs, and our overall well-being.

I urge everyone to stay adherent to their medication, to stay engaged in care, and to follow the example not only of myself, but of the many incredible advocates and activists in our community. I am not alone in this journey, we uplift one another. It is a full circle of empowerment, inspiration, and shared strength.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to The Well Project, where my blogging journey began many years ago. I was one of the early bloggers, and today I serve as a CAB member and Global Ambassador. The Well Project embodies the true meaning of MIPHA the Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS by not only including us, but empowering us to lead, to grow, and to become self-sufficient.

I am allowing myself to receive all the good that life has to offer, because I am worthy. Because I deserve it.

I am eternally grateful to the founders, Dawn Averitt and Richard Averitt, and to the incredible Executive Director, Krista Martel, who has shown me unwavering compassion, humility, and sisterhood. She has stood by me through both light and darkness, and for that, I will always hold her in my heart. To every woman, every sister, every voice within The Well Project you have inspired me as much as I hope to inspire others.

As I continue forward, I am healthier than ever, stronger in mind, body, and spirit. I am back in the gym, rebuilding, realigning, and reclaiming every part of myself. And I know that I will only continue to grow stronger.

My mission is not yet complete. I will continue to lead by example, to speak truth, to spread hope, and to remind the world that we are not defined by a diagnosis we are defined by how we rise.

With so much love and light, 🙏🏻🔥🦋❤️ 
Maria HIV Mejia

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