“Stigma is oppressive to the point that it kills”
The on AIDS 2016 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) was definitely one to remember. The 20th annual USCA was held in Hollywood, FL from September 14–18,2016 at the beautiful Diplomat Resort and Spa.
No, it was really the most beautiful resort.
But, even more beautiful than the scenic sunrises and sunsets on the warm beach was some 3,000 faces of attendees that came from every small rural corner and big city across the nation to attend the conference. Whether they were clinicians, researchers, students or community members, in some way and some they were connected to HIV/AIDS.
As we all are.
Sessions, round tables, workshops, and poster presentations addressed current issues such as the importance of race in HIV services, biomedical HIV prevention, and women and violence.
However, one of the most important sessions for me wasn’t a session at all. Neither was it a round table; it was lunch.
I know what you’re thinking. You went all the way to USCA to talk about food? But, no hear me out first.
The lunch plenary held on the second day of the conference was sponsored by the makers of PrEP, Gilead Sciences.
The plenary luncheon explored convergence and explored how we can forge a new path that unifies and amplifies our efforts to end HIV.
The plenary was opened by famous performer and YouTuber, Todrick Hall. The performance was followed by speakers, Phill Wilson, Black AIDS Institute, President and CEO, Richard A. Elion, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, George Washington University, Ken Williams, Blogger, Speaker, and Activist, and Melissa Harris-Perry, PhD., Professor, Author and Political Commentator.
Behind the scenes with (L-R) Ken Williams, Richard A Elion, Melissa Harris- Perry, Todrick Hall and Phill Wilson
All of the speakers were amazing.
However, I want to share with you, my most important takeaway from the luncheon, and it wasn’t the chicken.
It was the words Ken Williams left attendees with. Ken, better known by his popular social media tag, @KenLikeBarbie, took his listeners on a journey as he spoke on his experience first being diagnosed with HIV, navigating treatment and care, and the fear and stigma that he faced alone.
He shared his truth.
Although today KenLikeBarbie is a role model for many others who may be struggling to share their own truth, with online platforms such as his YouTube videos and his feature in the AIDS.gov series, Positive Spin, he notes that he wasn’t always this prominent role model.
Ken says, “You can build toward that.”
But, in order to build toward that he had to break through stigma and fear.
His words rang through. “Stigma is oppressive to the point that it kills.”
Ken said that fear impacted everything along the continuum of care. Everything involving testing, treatment, adherence, learning about your sexual health care options weather you’re positive or negative.
Fear will sit there
It impacts how we feel about ourselves, which in turn impacts how we self-care, when we self-care, and IF we self-care.
Ken recognizes because of stigma and fear he wasn’t talking about his grief. He wasn’t addressing his self-care.
But, he found a community in his support system. With his family, friends, and colleagues.
He wasn’t surrounded by stigma and fear like he had thought. Instead he was surrounded by care and love.
He grew into the leader he is today by utilizing the compassion he found in others.
Ken left us with these 5 thoughts about how to break away from the walls of stigma:
1. Share your personal capital among your social networks
2. The first letter in HIV stands for human. We’re all human, so be empathetic and behave and teach with that empathy.
3. HIV isn’t a gay disease. It isn’t a black gay disease. HIV is global. The moment you hear otherwise that isonly stigma perpetuated by fear.
4. Decompress. Ask someone #HowYouDoing often
5. Be a bridge. Walk somebody needing love to self- love and then love them. Walk somebody needing care to self-care and then care for them.
Ken’s word rang through to me and I think we can all benefit from them whether we are suffering from stigma, hiding from fear, in need of care and love or know someone who is.
The luncheon was then closed out on another high note by the talented Prancing Elites of Mobile, AL.
Talk about slay!
Take care of yourselves Los Angeles,
Naomi -PAC Team
