Top 5 Reasons Why Women Living with HIV Should Attend the Next SPEAK UP! Summit in 2020

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this piece are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the position of Positive Women’s Network – USA. 

April 25, 2018

• Coming together with women living with HIV in sisterhood, solidarity and to mobilize to uphold the rights and dignity for people living with and vulnerable to HIV. On the morning of Friday, April 13th I participated in a group exercise of Rejuvenating Light Stretching On A Pristine Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Sundeck. Lepena Reid directed our movements which helped relieve some physical pain and emotional strain I was experiencing. I danced the night away Saturday Night at the Pink & Black Party off of DJ Slide’s reggae tunes. At the Networking Dinner, I met advocates from Savannah, Georgia. We discussed advocating together for polices and services which will end disparities and lead to equity within Georgia. We exchanged contact information and made plans to stay connected with each other.

• Building Leadership and mobilizing meaningful Involvement of people living with HIV to ensure the voices of those most impacted are involved in decision making that affects their lives. Speak UP! 2018 kicked off on Wednesday, April 11th with an evening orientation and training for the PWN “NEW” State Leads Institute. The half-day training focused on building power in states that do not have PWN-USA regional chapters. This training covered understanding leadership, personality traits & skills of leaders, leadership styles, measuring leadership and more. I was honored to be appointed Georgia’s State Lead. Leadership was also designated to fierce PWN members in AZ, IL, MO, MS, NC, OR and VA. On Friday, April 13th PWN formally recognized the completion of PWN’s First Policy Fellowship Class with a graduation ceremony at the Speak Up! 2018 Summit. I graduated from PWN Policy Fellowship along with 13 other fierce Policy Fellows. Through web-based policy training, coaching and mentoring support from professionals in the field of HIV advocacy and in-person trainings, we are members of a growing pipeline of Women Living with HIV leaders, who have gained the ability to engage more effectively in policy and advocacy at the state and federal level.

• Strengthened Media Strategic Communication Skills to sharpen interview skills as an official PWN-USA spokesperson. On Thursday, April 12th I attended the Full-day Spokesperson Institute Training. Which was my most beneficial and favorite part of the summit.  My favorite activity of the spokesperson institute was the videotaped mock interview done by Mark S. King and the training facilitated by Jennie Smith- Camejo, PWN Communications Director. Jennie Smith- Camejo trained us on messaging and media skills. We were instructed on how to stay on message when talking with reporters by using 9 second catchy and memorable soundbites, how to make sure our message get across by sticking to talking points and coming back to them every time, how to make sure our words are not taken out of context by encapsulating our main point clearly, briefly and concisely, how to decide on your message by leading with common shared values and how to handle questions we’re not sure how to answer or don’t want to answer by using signaling/ bridging for example:  The important thing is….. The real issue here is…. what other people aren’t thinking about……. What we’re concerned about is…. What’s at stake now is……. And to keep in mind interviewing us is a privilege, not a right and it can be revoked at anytime. And we don’t have to answer any questions we don’t like. As a spokesperson for PWN-USA I‘m honored and  vow to represent the organization and the 3,000 members, by sharing my personal experiences and opinions, as long as it’s aligned with PWN’s mission, vision, values and policy agenda.

• Tons of Fun in the Sun.  I enjoyed walking bare foot in the sand alongside the ocean shoreline, sun bathing on the beach, relaxing in the pools, enjoying the hotel ocean view rooms, sitting on the balcony and hearing the ocean waves. I spent as much time as possible on the beach and in the pools with sheros living with HIV in the United States and across the world.

• Meeting with PWN-USA Staff in-person instead of our monthly Policy, Communications and Organizing Workgroup Conference Calls. It’s great to hear their voices on the phone and on webinars; however, to feel the essence of their presence is priceless. All PWN Staff are awesome in their professions. There is one who has been near and dear to me for almost three years. My mentor Jennie Smith Camejo, PWN Communications Director has supervised my activities and nurtured my growth and development. This past year I had spent a considerable amount of online-time under the teachings of Arneta Rogers, PWN Policy Director and Rebecca Wang, Reproductive Justice-HIV Fellow. It’s always a treat to be of witness to Waheedah El Shabazz, PWN Organizing Director alluring presence. It was my 1st time meeting #10YEARS FIERCE Naina Khanna, PWN-USA Executive Director in-person. I’m grateful and thankful for this team performance ability and the opportunities they had paved and prepared me for!