An Advocate's Thoughts

Being an advocate, I'm subjected to some not so favorable experiences.

1. Cure fanatics who believe me to be ignorant for not at least trying herbalist options.
2. People who assume I, and every other HIV positive person, did something "wrong" to be HIV positive.
3. People who ask me questions and then rebuttal every attempt to correctly and efficiently answer their questions.
4. People who want to see you do good but not better than them.

Being a social media advocate, I get to converse with individuals from all over the world. I get to do what I love, spreading awareness and being uncut and personal. I'm able to empower many individuals across the world. Unfortunately, that also makes me an easy target.

My Facebook page is flagged about once a week. Often times it's an aggravating process to regain access to my account. Who? Who would not want me to bring awareness to HIV? Sometimes, it saddens me to think it could be another advocate. I can't be the only one who feels this way.

Are we not as advocates here for the same reasons, to empower all alive with the information needed to resolve this HIV and AIDS crisis? Are we not here to come together as a family and build up a nation?

But not only do we have issues from our fellow advocates, but from the very individuals we seek to help. In the youth and young community, I see firsthand the ignorance to HIV. Most are uneducated on HIV and would like to keep it that way. A lot of the youth and young adults don't feel they are affected by this epidemic. It's sad to know we still have some people who will stand in their own way.

Sometimes I want to pull my hair, scream and shout, but I know we can't just fault them. We have to fault our community leaders, school systems and educators. How can youth and young adults understand a risk they know nothing about? I get messages all the time, asking if two negative individuals that have sex can come out positive. Am I wrong to be upset? Am I wrong to wonder how those individuals are not aware, and how could their community fail them?

I get angry, I get angry so much, not at those who reach out to me but to those who failed them.

I'm really just writing what's on my mind, my current thoughts as an advocate...

What's on your mind, advocate?