This is a long and overdue blog, dedicated to an amazing woman and human being that I consider a sister and beloved friend.
I am convinced that conferences such as these contribute by creating the much-needed space for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and empowerment.
Too often, I was told what I should say and how I should say it—by people working in HIV who do not have HIV.
In 2025, HIV/AIDS is still a big taboo in Africa. In my country, I had discussions with my relatives to know their opinion on the subject...
I share this journey with you all because I feel safety in our sisterhood. I have a safe place to live. My outreach is thriving. I owe all this to a new perspective on me.
When we, as a community, have access to support, treatment, care, resources, a stake in what actually happens in our lives – we can change the trajectory of bloodlines for generations to come.
I no longer have the hatred I used to have for my friend, but I still have that trauma from before, and when I think back to that time, I cry.
If you truly hear my message, please share it, find any way you can to resist and fight back, fight for me, because when they're done with me and my community, they'll come for you and yours.
It was from the second class that I really understood that I am HIV-positive. Since then, nothing was the same as before.
HIV had kept me locked in fear for over a decade, constantly worrying about stigma and judgement. But I reminded myself of everything I had learned through yoga, meditation, and mindfulness: Stay present.