We Are Still Here: Voices of HIV+ Youth

From: Julia Applegate
Length: 05:52

Voices of HIV+ Youth Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: We Are Still Here: Voices of HIV+ Youth
From: Julia Applegate

Groupphoto_small The Ohio AIDS Coalition held its first Positive Leadership Summit for HIV+young adults in January of 2007. The three day Summit brought together participants from counties throughout Ohio to begin a much needed dialogue about living with HIV as a young adult. Workshop and group discussions centered on stigma, treatment, and the barriers preventing young positive Ohioans from taking their first steps towards becoming leaders in the AIDS epidemic. Tyler TerMeer, Director of Programming for the Ohio AIDS Coalition said, "When I learned I was HIV positive at the age of 21, I needed more than anything to have a social support system of peers who truly understood what I was going through. In developing this Summit, it was my hope that we would provide an atmosphere that was safe and confidential from the outside world. It took great courage for these young adults to travel across the state, but it takes immense bravery to return to a community confident, educated, and empowered." This audio piece was compiled from interviews with Summit participants.

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Piece Description

The Ohio AIDS Coalition held its first Positive Leadership Summit for HIV+young adults in January of 2007. The three day Summit brought together participants from counties throughout Ohio to begin a much needed dialogue about living with HIV as a young adult. Workshop and group discussions centered on stigma, treatment, and the barriers preventing young positive Ohioans from taking their first steps towards becoming leaders in the AIDS epidemic. Tyler TerMeer, Director of Programming for the Ohio AIDS Coalition said, "When I learned I was HIV positive at the age of 21, I needed more than anything to have a social support system of peers who truly understood what I was going through. In developing this Summit, it was my hope that we would provide an atmosphere that was safe and confidential from the outside world. It took great courage for these young adults to travel across the state, but it takes immense bravery to return to a community confident, educated, and empowered." This audio piece was compiled from interviews with Summit participants.