I wanted to be an electrical engineer. Then, at 14 years old, I was told I am HIV positive. Many young girls and women do vividly remember how they were told about their HIV diagnosis. Perhaps this...
A travel enthusiast, a recent dog mom, foodie, a corporate worker, I entered a new phase of my life in 2019 when I got officially married to this virus (after my diagnosis).
If you can read this, or let someone read it to you, and you are sexually active – and you don't know your status or the status of your partner(s), you are at risk for HIV. Yes, YOU TOO! Woman, man...
This month I had the opportunity to participate in the 'Stories from HIV Long-Term Thrivers' forum where I gave a spoken word performance alongside an amazing and inspiring panel. The forum was...
I recently "came out" with my HIV status on Facebook even though I've been quietly doing the advocacy thing in the background for a while now. Caring for my patients, using my writing, some small...
It's inevitable that anything virtual will have some hiccups but I was honestly just so excited to be in attendance that I didn't care. It was a bit annoying but the experience heavily outweighed the...
For years I accepted my status but still I blamed you and never really forgave. As much as I thought I did forgive by accepting my status, it showed in my actions and my thoughts how I really felt...
Dear Destiny, We always make it through. I've dealt with some type of depression since I can remember. It was never anything I couldn't handle though. Then again I never had to handle it alone. I'm...
My name is Maria Mejia and this is my story with HIV! I kept my HIV diagnosis a secret from almost everyone for nearly 20 years. Diagnosed at 18 in 1991 and contracted HIV at the age of 15 in 1988, I...
It's been almost four years since I contracted HIV. In the back of my mind I've always held onto a little piece of hope. Hope that the man who gave it to me would one day apologize. One day we would...