Janine Brignola has been involved in activism and advocacy for 12 + years after receiving her diagnosis and finding out that she had become HIV+. This demanded she advocate for herself and in doing so she found how large the need for advocacy is. It was in this that she found a passion leading her to her calling in life. She has attended multiple conferences across the nation, as well as some international conferences, to further her understanding, knowledge and training in HIV, AIDS, at risk behaviors, domestic violence, poverty, and many other issues to further her understanding and knowledge of activism, and advocacy. She has traveled across the country as the main speaker or panelist for breakout sessions in many conferences and as a featured speaker at college and university campuses for Hope's Voice. She sat on the Board of Directors for ADAP Advocacy Association in Washington DC. Janine is currently working as an advocate in Nebraska at a non-profit, blogging for A Girl Like Me, back to her YouTube as HIVchick doing her video blogs, writing a book, working on creating software with her business partner, and doing some consulting work. You can also find blogs Janine has written on several websites across the internet, including MTV's Staying Alive Campaign. Nicknamed by friends as "Wonderwoman" she seems to never let that title to be questioned as to why that would be a nickname chosen for her. As friends will say “Janine will pick up the torch for herself and anyone else in need, humbly and never ask for reward or recognition.”. She has made it her mission in life to carry the torch and be the voice others may not know or feel they have until they find their own. Janine believes in empowering others and strives to use her voice and words to ensure that all leave her better than they were when they found her. Janine loves to learn as much as she can, a self-proclaimed "nerd", whenever she can. She enjoys learning and teaching, traveling, exploring other cultures and the challenge of making bad days into good ones. She loves children and her greatest joy is her son.
Why Janine wants to blog for A Girl Like Me: I would like to blog for A Girl Like Me, The Well Project, because I want to use the voice that I have been given humbly, to do as much good as possible. I stepped away from the activism and advocacy work that I had been doing for several years because of things happening in my personal and professional life and I desire nothing more than to come back in the biggest way possible for me so that I may use my story to help others that may be struggling. Smashing stigma and creating a safe space and hope just like so many other women and men have done for me
