Who's Positive was created after Tom Donohue, Founder of Who's Positive found out that he was HIV+ In October of 2003. He stood up and spoke unexpectedly at a World AIDS Day Event at the Pennsylvania State University. Tired of keeping this a secret, he wanted to reach out to bring HIV to the forefront and to let his peers know that the virus was in their back yards and that is it not an experience they want to go through or an experience they want to put their families, friends or loved ones through.
Today Who's Positive offers an our outreach program entitled "Who's Positive" which is designed to offer an insight into the life of HIV+ youth. It is hoped that after the story is told and experiences shared audience members will see HIV and its consequences from the perspective of someone they can relate to. It is hoped that through this outreach the HIV+ youth can help to prevent an experience of a life time, have the audience listen to story, feel the emotion, compare the audiences' behaviors to risky behaviors and evaluate their actions. In reality it is hoped to have them think if they have put themselves at risk then have the presenter offer local resources for audience members to receive counseling and know where they can be tested for HIV and other STD's.
Sample of the Hypothetical HIV Test, each card is sealed and the inside of the card identifies the result of this Hypothetical HIV test. Test results are revealed towards the end of the program.
What to expect during the program
As visitors of the program begin to file into the room, they are each handed a sealed card and asked to keep it closed until told to open it. On the inside… your fate. Your fate of a hypothetical HIV test. The program begins as a facilitator says, “As you all entered the room you were all tested for the HIV virus… and in your hand sits your results... Someone in this room is HIV positive.”
As you sit in the audience and wonder who is positive, I stand up sitting among you and identify myself, “ I may look like you, dress like you, act like you, I might even be the same age of you, but you could you ever tell that I am HIV positive”. Even though you may have noticed me for the way I am dressed or the conversation we had while sitting, you never new I was HIV positive until I stood and told you. You would have never known it if I didn't tell you. Now lets talk about your past or future partners, or the person sitting next to you... think, have you asked Who's positive?
Many times youth regret not asking or thinking about this question until its too late. They allow passion, intimacy, and irresponsibility to take over, to lower their inhibitions, to maybe make poor choices. I will begin by telling you my story, from start to finish. I will talk to you about the many challenges I have faced and obstacles I have defeated; from the point I found out I was infected to the current day.
You now know who I am; I am only one face of HIV, a face you will remember for years to come. My face becomes a voice to listen to, a voice which tells you a story; my story. You feel the emotion, feelings, you sense the struggle of my family and friends as they must accept the news, you are challenged to thing about yourself, your actions, you decisions. You sit and wonder what it would be like if... it...happened to you. What would you do? Who would you tell?
As my storytelling comes to an end the reality begins to set in when I mention the card. The card you got when you walked through the doors, that test you've been holding in your hand looking at, thinking about, wondering what fate awaits you. You are asked to share some of your thoughts and emotions as you sit there thinking about your results. You hear others share they are fearful, or full of anxiety as they wait. You continue to think about your actions... What about that night you went home with them, or that time I shot up, how about that blow job you gave thinking it was safe. You think what is my result is positive? Who would I tell, what would I do?
You open the card. Your options are limited to what you read, big bold letters spell out your fate; POSITIVE or NEGATIVE then you see it the big + or - in the center of the card. You either breathe a sign of relief or... you... gasp knowing that that one moment of passion of intimacy of irresponsibility changed your life...forever.
Either way the experience has challenged you to think about your behaviors, your actions, your attitude. It for a brief moment a simple white card has changed your life; it has allowed you step into the shoes ever so limitedly to sense what it would be like to find a positive result.
Why? Quite honestly for you, for your little brothers and sisters, for your family and friends. If I am able to get you to think outside the box; to get you think about things you have never thought about before, and then just maybe when it comes time for you to make an adult decision you won't let passion, intimacy irresponsibility get in your way of making the right, and safe decision
What's Included
Our speaker will show up well in advance to meet with a host facilitator, who is in charge of beginning the program. Based upon the estimated amount of participants, hypothetical HIV impact cards will be provided.
Also included is a sixty minute interactive program with a question and answer session. After the conclusion of the program, Our speaker will be available for any personal questions and/or conversations.
How to request a speaker for your event
You choose your HIV positive you from the bio's found here
Then tell us a little about your event by going to here
A member of our staff will contact you to arrange time to discuss your event.
Who's Positive will supply resources of HIV related areas of interest from your local area on www.whospositive.org. This provides resources of testing and counseling locations that are available in the area of the speaking engagement. It is highly encouraged that those hosting this program supply Who's Positive with this information in a timely manor in order for our staff to post to our website before the program.
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