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.

PWN-USA member Stacy J. Senghor has a message for the President on this World AIDS Day!
Watch the spoken word performance here!

Dear Mr President
My name isn’t important at this point but I am a black woman living with HIV. I was diagnosed on October 17, 1995 and it was a devastating moment for me, no, a life altering moment for me and I just wanted to die. I paused only to realize that death could not have me.
But you have the nerve to try to
erase me and not just me but
my friends and my family
Who do you think you are
What you’re trying to do is by far
Erratic
Cruel
Unfair and inhumane
What person in their right mind
would think that was sane
You’ve created a catastrophe
For us that are living with AIDS
and HIV
Who do you think you are?
To remove a day where we
commemorate
You want to erase us
But my life, their lives, our lives
are not up for debate
So we need you to step back
So that we can Rethink, Rebuild,
and Rise
Above all of this mess
Who do you think you are?
This Is Only A Test of The
Emergency Shut you Down
System
And I need you to move out of
the way
So that we can live and be free
Even with a diagnosis of HIV
Excuse me, excuse me and let
me through
I’m about to Rise up so I/we can
do what we need to do
Who do you think you are?
I’m 30 years in
And I didn’t come this far to be
kicked to the curb
Haven’t you heard
But instead I came to Rethink,
Rebuild and I came to Rise
Rise up against hate and against
those that try to dehumanize
Ring, Ring, Ring
Hello Mr. President
This Is An Emergency and I just
want to inform you that WE refuse
to be erased
Goodbye
Mrs. Stacy J. Senghor