I have learned over the years, “No one is going to save us, we have to save ourselves” (statement from Waheedah Shabazze- El, The Legend in our HIV community).

We as in, the HIV Community; We as in, We-the people; We as in, We the people for a people who have been subject to sufferings of injustice practices, community loss, trauma and vicarious trauma, internal and externalized stigma, extreme bias, advocacy bullying, HIV criminalization, AIDS Survivor’s Syndrome, systemic oppression, medical mistrust, micro aggressions, and much much more.

Today I stand in a place, holding space on unchartered territory. Sacrifice pays a

price yet helps pave pathways so that others may walk, take a stand, chant, protest, and make loud noise. We the people are unremarkable unless we are causing havoc. “We are not advocating enough if we are not ruffling someone’s feathers…” Just like our late, great civil rights leaders Congressman John Lewis and Reverend Jessie Jackson said: “Making Good Trouble yet Keeping Hope Alive!” That is the life of an advocate.

This movement, the culture of HIV, and its framework is larger than a Lisa Johnson-Lett. And yet, I fight. I fight for the newly diagnosed who may think hope is lost — and I aspire to keep hope alive during all moments of doubt. I fight for all my people who become hopeless in in the hope that I can influence them positively and let community know the fight continues. We are still here, we care, and we show up. That’s authenticity and as we come in masses, that’s visibility!

I make myself visible today showing up for others who may not have the opportunity to be here. I make myself visible for all the lives loss because of lack of funding for today and yester-years past. I honor my predecessors, my ancestors who fought this fight and showed me the way, steer me in the right directions to keep afloat.

I make myself visible for the people who have lack resources and for all people living with HIV who experience passive-suicide. I make myself visible for the voices who want to show up but are not ready yet. “Though the voices are whispers, I stand as an entrusted community leader to give the whispers a sounding voice!”

Lisa Johnson-Lett, who served 10 years in the United States Armed Forces, is a force to be reckoned with: Bold, strong, and standing steadfast in the midst of each storm. She used laughter as a medical anecdote for healing. She lived her life as a nurturer, always helping people as willing agent for positive change.

Lisa Johnson-Lett was not religious but very spiritual, “Awoke, with the understanding of knowstics; where knowing is always better than believing. The universe is an energy force where power, light, and truth are within.

Diagnosed while serving in the Army in the year 1995, Lisa became a long-term non-progressoror until 2014 when HIV suddenly progressed with her CD4 count of 800 dropping to 450. She went from no viral load to a viral load of 2,000 replicated copies of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in her systems. Thanks to access of life saving medications, Lisa’s status became “Target Not Detected” in less than 30
days.

A daughter, granddaughter, and great granddaughter, a mother of two, a grandmother of 11, a niece, an aunt, a cousin, and an advocate turned activist. She fought for Reproductive Justice. With the reading of the headlines of Florida’s ADAP, being directly impacted by the loss of funding thru SAMSHA and the emotional labor and toll it took not just HIV, the disease- all of this puts us at unease, an un-easy rest, with the lack of compassion, looking at community as scientific numbers for data collection and forgetting we are people first, Lisa died.

Lisa is survived by her companion she thought she had for life, Eric Cunningham, but her life was shortened due to the careless, unconcerned government who did not treat life but took life away. Her favorite joys and best of friends — her two-daughters: Andrea Sharee Cogswell and Joyce Le-Ann Pleze — and a host of family and friends who helped her love and lead with humility and grace.

Lisa leaves her passion for HIV behind for someone else to pick up the torch and lead as well as follow. There are the Psychosocial and Basic Living Skill groups for the HIV-specific community at Living Well, umbrella-ed and branded under AIDS Alabama.

She leaves her PWN sisters both local/state and nation and global wide. She leaves behind her Sister-Love sorority in both territories, domestic and foreign. he leaves behind the 1917 Community Engagement Council, The Ryan White Planning Council, the Low-Income Housing Coalition, The Alabama Consumer Advisory Board, AIDS Alabama Positive Leadership Council, the AIDS Drug Assistance Advocacy Association as Secretary, The Positive Women Network Board of Directors, as assistant secretary and Ribbon, EPIC, NMAC, and AIDS United as consultant from time-to-time.

All of this work, all of the effort, all of the impact and influence were not enough to save the life of Lisa Johnson-Lett. This was not just advocacy for Lisa but a critical truth: “When access is interrupted, survival is too!” (Statement from Kamaria Laffrey).

But today is a Celebration of Life. No, Lisa is not dead yet. I demand better. Better access, better quality if not care, more funding to increase access. This is my Pre-obituary in hope to raise awareness that when there is profit over people, lives are loss. Leadership comes with service as a moral obligation to save lives. “They tried to throw us away, but we, (the HIV Community) were the seeds! “ (Carmarion D.
Anderson).

The tables have turned from the subject to Subject Matter’s Experts are we… Every challenge, every obstacle creates an opportunity for patience and for relatable experiences which brings the dynamics of relationships closer and builds the foundation for community.

We are living! I am speaking my truth and expressing my authentic self freely in this space. I lift myself and every one of you. I love you to Life……