In 2007, my life changed. I became infected with HIV and I decided that I needed to change my life. Around that time, I became involved with HIPS in D.C. and I started going to some trainings and became more involved with the community. I learned more ways to help people. Harm reduction can save lives. We can prevent HIV and AIDs and overdoses and teach more harm reduction. There should be harm reduction vending machines all over the city.
I am a former peer educator and volunteer at HIPS. I am also a former drug user and I was in the streets, hanging with the hustlers and drug dealers. I was a young girl growing up in D.C., looking for love in all the wrong places. I had an affair with a young man who was a drug dealer and was negatively involved in the community.
I became a speaker and advocate for people in my community. I learned to live with my HIV status and how to take care of myself. My oldest son is 21 years old, a freshman. I never thought I would see him growing up.
