History Makers: Louis Armstrong
His groundbreaking style changed the course of jazz music.
Aging With HIV
In the beginning of the AIDS crisis, the idea of aging with HIV was, at best, a distant dream. Getting an AIDS diagnosis in the very early days of the epidemic was indeed a death sentence for many people. Despite the fact that effective treatment in the mid-1990s reversed that reality, the general public still seems surprised by our aging.
Stories of Resilience
Jeff Berry dreamed of becoming a famous DJ. He even moved to Chicago to make that happen. But all that changed when he tested positive for HIV in 1989 at age 30.
Lean on Me
Actors Darius Harper and André Jordan, both 36, first met as college students at the American Musical and Drama Academy in New York City, where almost 20 years ago they set out to become stage actors. They’ve supported each other throughout their careers and built a wonderful friendship. And now, they’re standing by each other as they navigate life with HIV.
History Makers: Katherine Johnson
Her math skills helped launch astronauts into the history books.
Faith, Healing and AIDS
From an early age, Rae Lewis-Thornton has faced adversity. Her childhood was far from perfect. Born to parents who used drugs, she endured abuse and experienced trauma. But Lewis-Thornton never stopped looking for the light at the end of the tunnel—even after she tested positive for HIV in 1987.
Fighting Long COVID
When most people get COVID-19, they tend to recover once the infection leaves their body. But some adults have been experiencing what scientists and doctors call “long COVID,” which can drastically change a person’s life and health.
Protecting Sexual and Reproductive Rights for People With HIV After Roe v. Wade Ends
The morning of June 24 started off like any other for Marsha Jones. That is, until the devastating news broke that the Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade. After almost 50 years, the 1973 landmark case that established women’s constitutional right to an abortion had been reversed by the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. States each now had the power to establish their own laws to protect, restrict or ban abortion.
We Made State History
Students in Kansas helped their state get a new symbol.
Stay Strong
As a sex worker, Iya Dammons always lived in survival mode. She experienced homelessness and violence. But Dammons wouldn’t let that be her narrative—she had an idea for moving forward.
A Woman’s Journey
Ivy Kwan Arce had been living in New York City for less than a year when in 1990, a poster on the subway caught her attention. It read, “Women don’t get AIDS—they just die from it.” The bottom of the poster included a list of HIV risk factors for women.
History Makers: Billie Jean King
She changed the game for women in sports.
Stigma Warrior
Until 1993, Kalee Garland didn’t know much about HIV except what she saw on television. That was the year she tested positive for the virus and received an AIDS diagnosis. She was 7 years old.
Proud Ally
Marlene McNeese traces her career in public health back to 1992, when, at age 21, she helped educate and test young women of color for HIV as a street outreach worker in Houston.
Meet a Military Family
Juan Garcia is in the U.S. military, but his entire family is serving our country.
A Historic Home Found
The discovery of Harriet Tubman’s long-lost homesite gives us clues about her life.
History Makers: Cesar Chavez
He fought for the rights of America’s farmworkers.
Fight With Us
As a legal fellow in the early 2000s, Dafina Ward worked on a class-action lawsuit seeking access to health care for incarcerated people in rural county jails.
Period Pain Too Much? Might Be Uterine Fibroids
Dearra Williams used to think the heavy bleeding and intense pain she experienced during her period was normal. Then in January 2020, she landed in the hospital and was diagnosed with uterine fibroids.
The Activist Doctor
Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH, remembers the day he felt called to become an HIV doctor: April 23, 1995. He was a college student working on a display for the AIDS Memorial Quilt when he witnessed people paying homage to their lost loved ones.
Interacting With Your Doctor
Having a good relationship with your doctor is key to living healthy with HIV. To that end, here are some tips from long-term survivors on how to build and maintain a positive doctor-patient rapport.
Protecting Your Mental Health
Mental health plays an important role in how people with HIV navigate life with the virus. A negative mental state can affect treatment adherence, relationships and, most important, self-esteem. Below are testimonies from long-term survivors about how to manage your mental health while living with HIV.
Healthy Living With HIV
As a young man who tested positive for HIV in 1987, at age 21, Robert Gillum never saw his condition as a death sentence.
ER Visits, Heavy Bleeding, Painful Sex, Surgeries and Fertility Issues
In 2008, Erica Taylor finally sought help for her persistent menstrual cycle issues. She experienced heavy and prolonged periods that lasted between 10 and 15 days as well as sporadic episodes of bleeding every month.
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