My opinion

I am speaking for myself and the countless friends I've lost recently and in the past. I have been HIV positive over half my life. I have concerns about funding for more progressive and realistic education and testing programs ….this is desperately needed especially in schools. I know here in Chicago Illinois funding got cut for some programs that do work in Schools, even so HIV/AIDS doesn’t just deserve 45 minutes of education in the classroom…but it must be a ongoing process. There is so much involved in the disease to bridge the gap to a generation that maybe wasn’t around when the devastation of deaths came..for them there is nothing to connect them to why it’s important information for them to learn. When I was educating at Schools that’s the way it was. One quick education presented..Then gather statistics, then we’re done ….,There were instances that teachers/program organizers wanted more information for the class or the groups, there just wasn't enough time set aside for doing this. Basically you do it, you meet a curriculums basic..very basic needs then it's done and no telling when the audience your speaking to will be reconnected to the HIV/AIDS education they need. There so many things that surround HIV/AIDS that need to be talked about if people are going to really get it.
That’s what governing AIDS/HIV agencies/organizations want us to do…get those numbers for testing, people we test, and the number of boring speeches made to fulfill a grant requirement ….never mind the impact or they learned anything from the education, but it's not always the AIDS agencies either sometimes it's a higher authority within the system that decides it's not important enough and the subject has been given some time....that's better than nothing? I don't think so...again, It is not all the bigger AIDS Agencies/organizations fault but those that govern above them that drive them to get numbers, which in turn drives us with unrealistic expectations…that’s what it boils down to, so our efforts reach so far, but not far enough.
So many agencies are hurting, people burnt out..the agencies are always driven by numbers to obtain for more money, but are the programs affective? There needs to be accountability around the big AIDS agencies/organizations, there needs to be a body of governing people over them.
People aren't getting involved because people are tired of not being heard and a tremendous lack of trust.
If over all we would take the focus that we put into other countries and bring some of that focus to our home here and educate, and focus on HIV/AIDS and STDs as much as people give the attention to breast cancer or any other agencies that people can safely belong to. Still after years and years still the stigmas exist, the silence persists.
We need a cure we need to get grassroots involved however, alot of big agencies are being paid really good, but have self interest….not all but some do and have been brought down.
I have been positive since th80's and an activist throughout the 90's and 2000's. Some states have their advisory boards of HIV poz people but they aren't doing anything that truly represent the people...the consumer advisory boards are merely a seat on a board to fulfill a need to have input and represent whatever demographic or race that the governing body that receives the money needs as a requirement to fulfill in order to receive monies. The body individuals of HIV poz people that are on these boards are merely set up to be puppets, a distraction to make them feel that they are doing something, but in the bigger picture are they being a voice for me? NO..some are in it for results but when no change comes they leave….we need to truly be heard and see results and change the way things are done from the grassroots up to the top..not the reverse.
We need a vaccine and a cure most importantly, we need to quit making this disease a ok disease to get and giving the public the false idea that people still are surviving with HIV but also the other side of the coin. Often times AIDS organizations play it safe and portray the healthy side … which is great, BUT people are still dying despite the drugs...let’s get real already!
I have a voice and others do too. People in AIDS organizations (again some) are making alot of money and will never get what people on the grassroots go through. At the end of the day they can go home and we remain with our struggles, how to pay the rent, food, spare money just to go out and do something.
If the powers that be keep on trying to soften this awful virus diversity of messages, stories and experience we will never learn or be open to those who went before us and what they did that was radical and worked (past), look at ourselves now and what we are doing wrong/right (present) envision of where we are going (future) we will always have the same broken record if we don’t all wake up and do something radically different. We always get emails when people want something-donate, give ,help, volunteer...
Why are your numbers down for people helping out, volunteering and donating, …well people are numb and their emotions need to wake up, people have to have reason to be connected to a cause, to do something, to be motivated. I am tired of monopolies and politics and the same people thinking they are conveying, representing and sending the right messages for those of us that are HIV/AIDs + affected/infected or those with secondary infection..I'm so tired of this. That's where I think the real problem exist...Accountability/watchdogs needs to be in place over big organizations/agencies who receive money. These big fund raisers some agencies throw for the HIV/AIDS cause (oh my God)...come on… how are those inclusive for the people this really affects,…when asked to spend 125 dollars a ticket, sometime more than that …. for an event, how can we afford that? Maybe it’s affordable in your world, not the one we who struggle to survive live in.
I have lost jobs because I believe in the truth, I have seen some organizations receive money and not know how to manage it..once I worked for a place that wanted me to lie about a fictitious satellite site they were getting money for and when I would go along with the lie to cover it they pushed me out of my job and this is not the first time a large agencies was doing wrong and it didn’t settle with me and I lost my job. I know other people this has happened to as well..it’s very sad when you work for a Health Department or an AIDS organization is aware of (for instance my status and physical problems) but really don’t care. I have gifts to use, to help others and I am good at what I do, however when you don’t kiss someone’s butt, or you don’t go along with what is shady, you are an outcast, you don’t belong and everyone views you as a radical/opinion not warranted or popular. I just stand by my heart, my personal memories and never selling out.
My opinion
G.S. III