I had the immense pleasure of attending and participating in PWN's First Annual Women's Conference in Fort Walton Beach, Florida in October compliments of The Well Project and A Girl Like Me. While...
The Well Project interviews Sonia Rastogi, Community Board Member and Special Project’s Manager with the Women’s Protection and Empowerment Unit at International Rescue Committee in New York, NY.
In my previous blogs I spoke a lot about what life was like being diagnosed with HIV. I spoke of the shame and guilt I felt along with the shame people placed upon me because of this disease. I hated my fate, I hated the man and I hated me. I stopped living, dreaming and hoping. It wasn't until I began to deal with the issues that impacted the life that led me to HIV that I began to live again.
It's been a while since my last writing. I have been consumed with new horizons and just living my life. One of the highlights was being able to attend the PWN's SPEAK UP conference.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the PWN SPEAK UP! National Summit for Women Living with HIV with more than 200 other women. The days were filled with workshops, activities, empowerment sessions, and hope. Although much has changed in the past 30 years, and there are now women specific policies and guidelines, there is still more work to be done. Advocating for women's rights is a continued process.
So after coming home from the empowering PWN-USA and the Positive Living programs, I was feeling so empowered and then life happened. My son is 13 and has had behavioral problems since I adopted him...
I took a seminar on the language we use when discussing HIV. It really made me stop and think about the words I use when describing myself and HIV. From the time I was diagnosed I have always hated to...
Two days before I was to leave I became very anxious because I knew I would be around a lot of women who knew much more about activism than I did. Even though I had quit smoking I bought three packs...
Jesus knows that I've gone through, made, and been forced to go through some changes. I don't mind change because life is full of them. It is overwhelming sometimes. The instability of life dictates most change.
In December of 2009...I was cold, hungry, living in my car. Rescued by AIDS Care Service on December 21, 2009, they safely housed me in one of their transitional apartments. I quickly realized I wasn...