Activism/Advocacy

The Asian American Reply to Pandemic-Era Racism Must Be Cross-Racial Solidarity

The Asian American Reply to Pandemic-Era Racism Must Be Cross-Racial Solidarity

Violence against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants has surged in response to COVID-19. Anti-Chinese rhetoric and racist misinformation spews from the top leaders of the U.S. as Asian communities are vilified as scapegoats for Trump?s ?Chinese virus.? Racial health inequities, leading to disproportionate deaths in communities of color, intensify with each passing day. All of this is occurring amid a backdrop of pre-existing structurally racist policies fueling and deepening public health crises, including the state-sanctioned police violence which continues to terrorize and Black lives every day, with the recent examples being the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd.

read more
Patient/Provider Dynamics: Experience from Both Sides

Patient/Provider Dynamics: Experience from Both Sides

My name is Brianne “Brie like the cheese” Taylor and I am a mother of one and passionate about the health and wellbeing of pregnant mothers. I love supporting women in birth. I want to live in a world filled with equality and love, books that come bundled with extra dark chocolate, and a force field around my keyboard that repels trans fats and sticky-fingered toddlers. I am currently a Program Manager for University of California Preterm Birth Initiative and I have over 29 years of experience being a rock star Black woman. I am a mom who simply wants to affect change in our world.

read more
Wilma’s Story

Wilma’s Story

When I was pregnant with my last son, I wasn’t technically homeless, but I wouldn’t go home because I didn’t want to be around my mom or my daughter who was 15 at the time and my other son who was 15 months, while I was on drugs. I got mad at my son’s father, and I wouldn’t go home, so I literally walked all the way to UCSF. I got out of the car, and my water broke. That’s when I started walking.

read more
NLM 2018-2019

NLM 2018-2019

In September 2018, HIVE began a partnership with the National Library of Medicine aimed at improving online access to evidence-based, inclusive sexual and reproductive health information for people affected by HIV and the providers who care for them.

read more
What HIV means to ME! Havoc Into Victory

What HIV means to ME! Havoc Into Victory

I arrived at the clinic with my two youngest children. Sitting in the waiting area everything appeared to move in slow motion. A barrage of thoughts swirled through my head. My nerves were all over the place. Finally I heard my name called. I immediately snapped back into reality. The walk down the hallway to the office room was as though I was walking to death’s chair. The nurse walked in and said Ms.Thomas, “I’m not going to beat around the bush. Your HIV test came back positive.” In that moment, my heart dropped in my stomach. I felt numb all over. Her words were final.

read more
“Someone I Love Has HIV”

“Someone I Love Has HIV”

The more we talk about it, uplift each other, educate and support one another, the closer we get to ending the virus! No one should have to suffer in silence. If I could talk to anyone dealing with a similar situation, I would want them to know, ?You are not alone, we can battle this together.?

read more
Participating in PrEP Research

Participating in PrEP Research

I have learned so much about my body and what it means to me to be able to protect it. I have learned what it is to exercise my right, and that of other women, to be on PrEP.

read more
Life After Diagnosis

Life After Diagnosis

Through sharing my story, I want to reduce the stigma in our lives and show others that there is truly life after HIV diagnosis. I also want to teach others how to advocate for themselves when it comes to protection, stigma, and healthcare.

read more
We Can’t Give Up

We Can’t Give Up

My husband and I had an appointment due to a referral from my medical provider. We were eager to go because San Francisco General has one of the best programs in place for people struggling with HIV and AIDS. My husband is HIV positive and I am HIV negative. I recently started PrEP using Truvada because we are trying to have a baby.

read more
Heterosexual Finding a Space

Heterosexual Finding a Space

While to my knowledge, there are still little to no support groups for heterosexual people living with HIV, I have learned to focus on the Human of HIV. I aim to create the space to reflect just that.

read more
Heterosexual POZ

Heterosexual POZ

My Name is Michael Zalnasky. My friends call me Zee. My grandsons call me PaPa. My Daughter, well she calls me Dad. And I am Heterosexual HIV POZ.

read more
To be Young, Queer, Pro-Heaux and PrEPpy

To be Young, Queer, Pro-Heaux and PrEPpy

It was great to feel like I didn’t have to limit myself in certain ways when escorting, and it made me feel truly empowered to be taking the reins of my own destiny. I’ve been PrEPpy for over a year now, and, though stigma is still there, I still take it upon myself to talk about the benefits of taking PrEP while in the Sex Work field, and take the stigma out of both.

read more
I’m HIV+ and I Care about Trans Rights

I’m HIV+ and I Care about Trans Rights

I want to do the right thing to. I’m only a kid and I can’t vote yet. But I can do other things. I have a mind and a voice. I can use it to help other people, just like I was helped. I want to be treated with respect and to have rights, and I want other people to have them too. We all deserve them.

read more
HIVE at the NMAC HIV PrEP Summit: Amplifying All Women’s Voices:

HIVE at the NMAC HIV PrEP Summit: Amplifying All Women’s Voices:

At the PrEP for Women dinner we launched the curated web page with women-centric PrEP resources, a crowd-sourced effort from allies across the U.S. Palm cards promoted the web page (we have extra; reach out if you want some to share locally!) and provided opportunities to bring women into the mainstream PrEP Summit conversations. We also screened the newly released #20DaystoStart PrEP for Women video from Project Inform. The video was celebrated with thunderous applause.

read more
HIV: Not the Problem

HIV: Not the Problem

Now comes the snag, we are having difficulty due to the fact that Donna needs fertility medications to help us have a baby. Our insurance does not cover it; the most we could afford was a visit to a fertility doctor, to buy treatment for about 9 months, plus two follow up visits. So far we?ve had no success.

read more
On the Path to RAHMA

On the Path to RAHMA

Drip. Drip. I could hear the sound of the saline dripping from the IV as I stood at the door. His back was turned towards me and the room was dark. The shades were drawn and I asked myself, ?Is he sleeping??

read more
Beyond Compassion: Caring for Women with a History of Trauma

Beyond Compassion: Caring for Women with a History of Trauma

Twelve locally and nationally esteemed speakers shared their expertise in their respective fields, presenting on topics including: trauma-informed care for women; disclosure, criminalization and stigma for women living with HIV; reducing anxiety and pain during gynecological exams; and healing rituals and practices for service providers.

read more
Proud to Be on PrEP

Proud to Be on PrEP

That moment, that whole night really, wouldn?t have happened if I wasn?t on PrEP, and it?s largely why I continue to be on it. #APIHAAD

read more
PleasePrEPMe.org: Overview and Lessons Learned

PleasePrEPMe.org: Overview and Lessons Learned

PleasePrEPMe.org, an initiative of HIVE, is a location-based, searchable California PrEP Provider Directory formally launched in November 2015 followed by the release of the Spanish version in January 2016. #PleasePrEPMe

read more
HIVE + MHPPPI = #HIVLoveWins: The Making of the Chicago Video Series

HIVE + MHPPPI = #HIVLoveWins: The Making of the Chicago Video Series

HIVE (the San Francisco-based hub of positive sexual and reproductive health) and the AIDS Foundation Chicago?s (AFC) Midwest HIV Pregnancy Prevention and Planning Initiative (MHPPPI) co-created a video series about HIV-affected individuals and couples and reproductive health intentions – real life vignettes of #HIVLoveWins stories.

read more