Our March 2021 Shero of the Month is Shadawn McCants, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, but currently living in Houston, Texas. “Although Shadawn is new to PWN and the Texas chapter, she jumped into the 2020 get out the vote efforts in Houston with both feet and made a huge contribution to the successful voter turnout in Houston,” said PWN Co-Executive Director Venita Ray. “Shadawn has found her voice in HIV advocacy and you can expect to see a lot more of her unique skills and perspective to the movement!”Shadawn is the second oldest of eight children. Growing up, though she dreamed of being a social worker, attorney, or police officer, she longed to be a model and actor. She cast her dream of modeling and acting aside when she learned during her senior year of high school that she had contracted HIV. She said it was the internalized stigma that manifested into shame, guilt, and fear that caused her to give up pursuing modeling and acting.
In 2018, Shadawn had a spiritual awakening and discovered her purpose in life: to embolden, educate, and empower women and girls about HIV, AIDS, and sexual health using a wellness lens and incorporating healing practices. She started her journey into HIV-related work with the creation of her nonprofit, 2 Know Is 2 Live, an organization dedicated to promoting active, engaged, and empowered Black women and girls to get tested and know their status.
She is also a licensed professional therapist: “I combine my role as a therapist and HIV and AIDS advocate, employing outside-the-box methods to reach black women and girls and vulnerable populations by educating and creating awareness through infotainment, leveraging social media to raise awareness about safer sex practices and sex-positivity to name a few.”
Being a therapist who is also a woman living with HIV presented challenges in the earlier days of her career, she said, “because of the European codes of counseling that tell you that self-disclosure and sharing of lived experience is harmful, and that basically all human connection should be checked at the door.” Still, Shadawn chose to operate from a place of empathy, compassion, and being vulnerable with her clients. As a result, she has witnessed people’s transformation from trauma to triumph.
Shadawn is an active member of H-Town Power–the PWN Texas chapter’s Houston group–but says she became a member by accident. She was called to assist with planning a party. Interesting tidbit, party planning is a hobby of hers. During a team call, Shadawn sat quietly listening to the amazing work H-Town Power had accomplished and their discussion about what was at stake for women living with HIV in Texas.
She said, “I jumped in with both feet and didn’t look back. It was the 6-8 months of my life. It was rewarding and something I will never forget. I am invigorated to continue finding my lane in the political arena.” Her biggest takeaway from being involved with H-Town Power was that her vote matters. According to Shadawn, “Every Vote Counts literally and lastly, I have to be the change I want to see.” She would let folks know that their vote is their voice.
Some things that people may not know about Shadawn is that in her leisure time, she enjoys modeling, reading, moderating, and coordinating events, eating good cuisines, long days at the beach, and traveling. She has nine tattoos. She believes in multiple approaches to healing: She is a Neuropathic Level II Reiki Practitioner.