SPEAK UP! Don't Let History Repeat Itself

Submitted on Feb 1, 2016 by MariaHIVMejia

You know, it is so hard for some people to talk about HIV! It's like if they even talk about it, they fear others will think they have it! I AM SO TIRED OF THE SHAME AND STIGMA of this human condition! WTF has to happen for people to speak up?! I am flooded with thousands of emails and inboxes all over my social media. Some people are afraid to publicly write and post because of the HIV in my name. I AM NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT! This was a marketing and branding tactic when I started social media activism more than 7 or 8 years ago. People are so afraid of the ignorance of others or being rejected! We need to speak up!!

SCHOOLS DON'T LET ME SAY CONDOMS AND WANT ME TO PREACH ABSTINENCE!!! AND WE DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO OUR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX AND USING PROTECTION!!! So where the hell will they learn!??? In the streets like I did! And this is why I got infected at the age of 16 in 1989 when we didn't even have the Internet and we had such little information! WE HAVE NO EXCUSES NOW! SPEAK UP!!!! Do not let history repeat itself! HIV/AIDS is number 1 in the African American community. Number 2 are Latinos. Communities of color are being affected by this human condition called HIV! We need to speak up or our new generation is doomed! :( 50 thousand new infections a year just in the USA alone!!! A young person gets infected with HIV from the ages of 13-26. We need to STOP THE IGNORANCE!

‪#‎Nomoreshame ‪#‎Nomorestigma #‎HIVstopswithme

love and light

Maria Mejia

Comments

2 comments

I feel your Passion... And

Submitted by HoneysPlace2 • 8 years ago

I feel your Passion... And trust me ... I understand the Struggle to speak out. I am myself Now embarking on the process of disclosing my HIV status publicly here in this Now. I felt comfortable here at The Well Project to allow my story to be told and my voice to be heard. For me, the time is right Now. I have been pushed towards my purpose. Now knowing within my curse of HIV, I have a gift that may cause others to Live.

No matter how strong, bold, nor badass tough I think I am in my head, I am not. My life's journey of challenges through my experiences have made me the woman I am today. Long before I was diagnosed with HIV, I experienced being totally ignored being shunned being treated by people I knew my most if my life, like I had a contagious disease. I've had people cross the street when they saw me. People avoiding eye contact with me like I was repulsive or someone to feared in some way. I was treated this way because my disobedience to the Christian Faith based beliefs of the Organization. I said all that to say, everyone has an individual interpersonal reason for holding on to their silence of being HIV positive. That was just part of my personal reasoning for being silent for so very long.

That chapter in my life is over now! I am now loud and proud of who I am and what I can do to give Hope to my HIV AIDS community. My time is Now!

Hello dear sister!

Submitted by MariaHIVMejia • 8 years ago

I have been sharing your blog like crazy!! Thank you for joining us here ate the well project !!! I would love to know if you have a face book? mine is Maria HIV Mejia-Laing . I would love to connect etc. Thank you for your words!! I am so happy that you are out and open! count on me for whatever you may need

and welcome to this amazing sisterhood

love and light

Maria