Baltimore, Maryland
Positive since 2014

I’ll never forget November 18, 2014. I walked into my doctor’s office for a well woman exam and STI check, since I previously had unprotected sex with a guy I’d dated for a year. We stopped dating for a year, but then we had sex again two weeks prior to my checkup.

I took a rapid HIV test. I never ever expected in a million years the result would be positive. I waited for a confirmatory test result to be sure, which took four days. My doctor came in with the news. I was positive!

Luckily, I had my mom with me. My body went numb. I just didn’t want to believe it was true. But I knew I was playing Russian roulette with my life. I was a drug dealer, young and pretty, and I partied all the time. All the guys wanted me. I wasn’t easy, though. I slept with whom I wanted, when I wanted, which at that time was only two guys. One had a family at home, and the other was my ex who I’d had sex with two weeks prior to getting the news.

My life has since changed drastically. As of now, I am taking a medication called Stribild. I’m taking care of my children. This is all so new to me. I pray for any and everyone dealing with this, and especially those who may be homeless and those who are lost.

Please be careful, everyone. Take care of yourselves. God has a plan for us.

What three adjectives best describe you?
Outgoing, optimistic, spontaneous

What is your greatest achievement?
Quitting smoking and drinking. I turned to God.

What is your greatest regret?
Not listening to my parents and my conscience

What keeps you up at night?
Worrying

If you could change one thing about living with HIV, what would it be?
There should just be one affordable pill that anyone living with HIV could take with little or no side effects.

What is the best advice you ever received?
You can live!

What person in the HIV/AIDS community do you most admire?
Hydeia Broadbent

What drives you to do what you do?
My children

What is your motto?
Take things one step at a time. Patience is a virtue.

If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
Besides my children? My phone. I love my phone.

If you could be any animal, what would you be? And why?
A bird, to go anywhere in the world I want.