Katie Adsila Willingham is a two-spirit, bisexual woman of transgender experience and Cherokee heritage from rural northwest Alabama. She was diagnosed with HIV in 2000, undetectable since 2001, yet is somewhat new to advocacy, having begun her advocacy journey in 2017. She is now co-chair of the Alabama chapter of the Positive Women's Network – USA, an A Girl Like Me blogger with The Well Project, a freelance blogger for WebMD, and member of the Positively Trans steering committee of the Transgender Law Center.
Katie uses social media to educate and raise awareness concerning HIV and transgender issues with Facebook groups such as Alabama Poz Life and Alabama Transgender Coalition.
Katie lives with severe depression and anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, religious trauma, and childhood trauma, but finds comfort in her Shih Tzu fur babies and enjoys drawing, writing, and learning to play drums and native flute.
"I strongly believe in the healing power of sisterhood, which is why I love The Well Project," she has said. "The Well Project is a safe space for women living with HIV to learn, to express, to thrive, to nurture and to be nurtured, and I'm honored to serve this wonderful organization in any capacity."
