Our April 2018 Shero of the Month is Marnina Miller of Houston, Texas. Tana Pradia nominate Marnina and had this to say, “Greater Houston Chapter Marnina Miller, this young lady has grown and blossomed within our chapter. Marnina went to Honduras in January to spend a week with the children living with HIV in Honduras. She is the S.C.A.T. representative for the PWN- Greater Houston Chapter, Youth Ambassador and also has a non-profit called the Florida Sunshine for Children. Marnina is one of the Texas POP grant trainers for Houston. This young lady facilitated a workshop with Theresa Sullivan on Sex, Dating and Disclosure and also came out publicly about her status at the PWN 2018 Summit. Marnina is the youngest members of our charter here in Houston. We are so very proud to call her our SHERO in her journey living with HIV.”Marnina decided to come out publicly at Speak Up! 2018 as a woman living with HIV. When asked why she decided to do it and how she felt before and after doing it, she had this to say. “I was tired of living with shame, and felt my community deserve more from me because my community loved me when I didn’t have the strength to love myself and poured so much into me. Still, I wondered how my family would feel and battled with the internalized stigma that I could face after going public with my status, but I felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from my shoulders.”
Marnina has been active in the PWN-USA Texas chapter and is also now a PWN Policy Fellow (Congratulations!) When asked what made her decide to get involved with PWN, she responded, “My mentors Venita Ray and Tana Pradia introduced me to PWN. I saw how fierce they were and said, if they are involved, then it must be something powerful. A month later I met Waheedah Shabazz-El at a training in Texas, and her energy and the enthusiasm she displayed when giving the training drew me in.” Do you feel like your life, or you, have changed since getting involved? “Most definitely! If so, in what way(s)? “I became a part of something greater than myself. To be in the room with women whom I’ve admired from afar was amazing. The summit has been the most amazing part of my journey so far.” We asked if she or her life had changed since becoming involved and how, she stated, “Most definitely! I became a part of something greater than myself. To be in the room with women whom I’ve admired from afar was amazing. The summit has been the most amazing part of my journey so far.
As a self-identified woman living and thriving with HIV, we asked Marnina what her plans and hopes for the future, both near term and long term were. She stated, “My short-term goal would be to show people I’m living in my truth to support others to live in theirs and to hopefully break down the stigma surrounding people living with HIV. Lastly, I hope to educate as many as I can beginning with my friends and family. My long-term goal would be to hopefully work in the field professionally and influence as well as create public policy that would positively impact people living with HIV.”
Congratulations again Marnina on this honor. Your resilience in the face of stigma will help many other women as you continue on this journey!
Know a potential PWN-USA Shero of the Month? Nominate them here!
As a self-identified woman living and thriving with HIV, we asked Marnina what her plans and hopes for the future, both near term and long term were. She stated, “My short-term goal would be to show people I’m living in my truth to support others to live in theirs and to hopefully break down the stigma surrounding people living with HIV. Lastly, I hope to educate as many as I can beginning with my friends and family. My long-term goal would be to hopefully work in the field professionally and influence as well as create public policy that would positively impact people living with HIV.”Congratulations again Marnina on this honor. Your resilience in the face of stigma will help many other women as you continue on this journey!
Know a potential PWN-USA Shero of the Month? Nominate them here!