Jessie Reed is a 52-year-old African American-Caucasian woman with a positive attitude that shines like the sun. Jessie has always had a positive attitude and an optimistic outlook on life, even after she was severely traumatized as a seven-year-old child when she witnessed her stepfather being murdered right in front of her. That is when Jessie began writing and realized that she loved writing and wanted to do it for the rest of her life.
She was diagnosed with HIV at 14 years old after having surgery to repair a broken neck, where she lost too much blood and was given a blood transfusion with contaminated blood. She was also pregnant with her one and only daughter, Deondra Mae Snyder. After her daughter was born in 1987, she was open about her diagnosis. Jessie experienced a lot of stigma and discrimination in her early years.
In 1989, Jessie became a First Person Speaker through a program at Nashville Cares, a Nashville-based organization that catered to people living with HIV/AIDS. During this time, she spoke at high schools and colleges throughout Nashville and surrounding areas, educating people about HIV/AIDS and putting a face on the disease.
In 1993, Jessie was a guest on the Geraldo Rivera show, and in 1997 Jessie and her daughter were guests on the Montel Williams Show, educating people and putting a face to HIV/AIDS, because during those early years people thought that only gay men got the disease. So, it was an important feat to change the view of America on the subject of HIV/AIDS.
Over the years, Jessie has continued her advocacy, using different avenues to get the education out there and change the way people look at HIV/AIDS. Jessie was on the Nashville Regional Ryan White HIV Planning Council from 2018 to 2020 and in 2018 Jessie joined the Positive Women's Network (PWN-USA), and began going to conferences across America speaking on HIV/AIDS and educating people about the disease and fighting congress, and the legislation on matters that are important for the life of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Today, Jessie continues the fight with her advocacy work, doing what she can from her home, as due to her health, she can no longer travel like she once did. However, that has not stopped her from fighting for the cause and for the lives of her brothers and sisters living with HIV/AIDS. Jessie has recently decided to continue her education and is currently enrolled in college at Austin Peay State University for a bachelor degree in English with an emphasis on Professional, Technical and Creative Writing.
Why Jessie wants to be part of A Girl Like Me: I want to be a part of A Girl Like Me to share my stories in hopes of inspiring and giving hope to girls (women) like me. Sharing my stories and giving courage to others like me who can relate to some of my struggles and victories is a way I can give back to a community that has literally saved my life. Being a part of A Girl Like Me is a way of representing a cause that is bigger than all of us and showing enthusiasm and eagerness to make a change that The Well Project represents in its impact on changing the world, one person at a time.
