Our Shero of the Month for May 2018 is Chanica Adams of Detroit, Michigan. “Chanica goes above and beyond to improve the lives of people living with and vulnerable to HIV and our communities by standing up for what she believe in and our rights,” said LaDawn Tate, who nominated her. “She has worked so hard, with the help of others that she inspires, to let her community know there is life after diagnosis and to protect yourself at all costs. She works hard to accomplish the target goal of turning women into leaders and advocates.”

Chanica, who graduated last month from the inaugural class of our PWN-USA Policy Fellowship and is the PWN State Lead for Michigan, got involved in advocacy after having her daughter in 2006. “I realized that the services and programs for women living with HIV were decreasing. Shortly after that, I started participating in the monthly meetings of the Ryan White Part D Community Advisory Group. This is where I found my voice and began speaking on the behalf of women utilizing the services and whose health the cuts would impact.”

Asked about the biggest issue women living with HIV grapple with today, Chanica flagged mental health. “Women are battling this issue in silence,” she said. “This can stem from internalized stigma and PSTD from receiving the diagnosis of HIV (particularly in newly diagnosed women). I say PTSD, because after receiving my diagnosis, it was a traumatic experience for me. I felt that my life as I knew it was over. I went through a ‘grieving phase’ because of that. I think this is more common than noted; we don’t talk about HIV and how it is to LIVE with HIV after obtaining life-altering news as such. In particular, the experience of trauma among women of color lead to undiagnosed PTSD, because of life circumstances like poverty, inadequate resources or access to care. My continuing efforts in fighting this fight are battling stigma, educating, speaking out, and most importantly, staying involved in my networks and expanding them by getting involved in different relevant decision-making bodies, where policies will ultimately impact not only women living with HIV but all women.”

What advice would Chanica give a woman living with HIV thinking of getting involved in advocacy? “First, accept your diagnosis; then, educate yourself on YOUR HIV diagnosis–everybody living with HIV is different. Next, take small steps by attending support groups; get a feel for your voice. While attending these groups, also research what policies or trends impact women living with HIV. Lastly, I would say, connect with a group that focuses on women’s health. Specifically to HIV, I would say locate the local HIV/AIDS planning council, attend meetings, make public comments when at those meeting when the time permits, and once you’re comfortable with that, I would actually join the planning council and become an active member on the council. Or if this person is a client of an AIDS service organization or community-based organization that is receiving Ryan White funding and has a consumer advisory board, apply to one of those; this can be a small yet big step. The agency that I work for has one, and the clients that have become involved in that capacity have gone on to be active members on the planning council here in Detroit. Some say this has empowered them step out of their comfort zone of living with HIV.”

Her final words of advice to all women living with HIV? “Live, love, and most importantly, laugh! There is life after HIV!”

Congratulations to Chanica on this well-deserved honor! We are thrilled to have you leading PWN in the state of Michigan.