My name is Dominique Anthony. I was diagnosed with HIV at Howard University Hospital. My CD4 white blood cell count was low, and I was sick with different kinds of infections. I was in the hospital for two weeks. I felt alone and afraid to come out and tell my family and friends what I was living with. At the time I only had one son named Micah, and he used to visit me in the hospital. He would say, “Mommy, it’s going to be okay. You are going to see me become a grown up and I will be off to college.” He loves me.
That was back in 2008. Micah is now 21 and a freshman at the University of Maryland. He’s working two jobs this summer. He’s now a young man. I am so proud of him. I love him so much. HIV taught me how to live my life better and take care of myself more. I have lived to be 42 with HIV. I never thought I would see Micah go off to college. God has kept me here all these years. If it wasn’t for the group called The Women’s Collective, I would not be here. I am so proud of my son, and I love seeing him becoming a young man and going to college.
