Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this piece are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the position of Positive Women’s Network – USA.
photo credit Queens Eye Photography
by Shyronn Jones
March 13, 2019
Positive Women’s Network-USA Georgia State Lead Shyronn Jones organized a Dinner & Discussions with PWN-USA members and allies in recognition of the 14th annual observance of National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The focuses of discussion were access to antiretroviral medications and combating HIV stigma. The dinner was sponsored by Gilead Sciences, Inc and held at The Urban Foodie Feed Store in College Park, GA.
The evening was filled with action items related to 1 of the 6 PWN-USA policy priority issues, “Universal Health Care”, and a personal experience panel of two women openly living with HIV and one woman openly living with Herpes, who discussed ways to actively counter forms of internal/external stigma and insights on managing mental health. All which greatly impact women living with HIV!
Discussions started off with ways to get involved in supporting and protecting 340B–an AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) program that helps people living with HIV access antiretroviral medications regardless of their ability to pay. PWN-USA envisions that all women living with HIV will have access to high-quality, culturally relevant, non-stigmatizing and affordable health care and services to achieve emotional, mental and physical wellness, regardless of sex assigned at birth, race, immigration status or ability to pay. You can learn more about the promise of single payer on PWN-USA Universal Health Care Webinar. Review PWN-USA’s Universal Health Care policy agenda to examine how we can focus advocacy to fundamentally alter the root causes of the epidemic in the United States.
Ed Duda, Gilead Executive Community Liaison, presented on the multiple uses of antiretroviral medications as methods of HIV prevention—Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and Treatment As Prevention (TasP) which reflected on National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2019 theme, “HIV Prevention Starts with Me“. Educational and interpersonal discussions on combating internal/external stigma and maintaining mental health were led by Shyronn Jones, Belize Spivey and Nakeisa Jackson. We used the power of our voices and our books as tools to empower discussions and activate actions. My 7-year-old daughter assisted with the completion of worksheets from “Language Is Art: HIV Activity Book”, which encourages effective communication aimed at ending HIV stigma. Belize Spivey presented on ways to overcome internal stigma that comes with living with a chronic condition cited from “OVERCOMING WHAT CAN’T BE CURED: Living Beyond Herpes“. Nakeisa Jackson presented on the importance of maintaining mental health and guided attendees on recording journal entries inspired by “Life After HIV“.
All attendees enriched discussions by introducing themselves, affiliations, community announcements and sharing personal testimonies. A special thank you to Veronica Brisco, Independent Contractor-Advocacy Mobilizer for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), for providing materials on the impact of having access to a discount prescription drug program and advocacy action items to prevent the eliminating the 340B program.