2021 was a dark year for me. I was diagnosed with HIV in January after being hospitalized with an opportunistic infection. I was at the height of my addiction and grieving the loss of my grandmother just one month earlier.

Out of fear and immense shame, I left the hospital against doctor’s orders.

It was one of the lowest moments of my life.

Because of my drug use, I isolated myself. I hid my HIV diagnosis for the next three years, convinced that it defined me. I carried stigma, fear, and misinformation everywhere I went, unaware of just how far advances in HIV treatment had come.

In January 2024, I finally reached out for help at Ward 86 in San Francisco.

They connected me to treatment, and I found my recovery support system at the Castro Country Club.

For the first time, I met people who understood what I was going through. They helped me realize that HIV was not a moral failing, that recovery was possible, and that I deserved a life worth living. They helped me replace shame with connection, isolation with community, and hopelessness with purpose.

I spent years believing my diagnosis was the end of my story. Because of the support I received, I learned it was actually the beginning of a new one.

This July, I am participating in the San Francisco AIDS Walk with the Castro Country Club to help ensure that others can find the same support I found when I was at my lowest.

Every dollar raised helps create safe, affirming spaces where people living with HIV, people in recovery, and those who feel alone can find community, hope, and a path forward.

If my story resonates with you, I would be honored if you would consider making a donation. Your support helps people like me discover that they are not alone, and that recovery, healing, and a full life are possible.

Thank you for helping us continue this lifesaving work.