POZ I AM Radio

After her divorce was final in 1996, Betsy Yung began a relationship with a man a few years younger than herself. In 2000 She discovered that he was exploring the transgendered community outside of the relationship. Ultimately, it caused their breakup. Shortly thereafter, Betsy began her most current relationship which came to an end shortly before her diagnosis. 

On July 15 of last year Betsy was admitted to the hospital because she couldn't breathe. They didn't diagnose her until they had cut me open and scraped her lungs. When they discovered it was PCP, they tested her and she was given an AIDS diagnosis with 27 CD4 cells. She spent eight days on life support hovering near death.Hindsight being what it is, she realized that she had numerous warning signs over the previous few years... Shingles, thrush, UC and swollen glands. None of her doctors ever even suggested that she get tested. After all, She didn't fit the "at risk" demographic at all.Betsy discloses freely to anyone who expresses any interest and have been surprised by how supportive people can be when you share yourself honestly with them. She also believes that disclosing is a great opportunity for teaching people that anyone can be at risk.

Ken Howard, MSW, LCSW, is the author of the self-help book, "Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!: How to close the gap between how life is, and how you would like it to be, in important areas of life such as mental health, health, career, finances, family, community, and spirituality, based on his 18 years a licensed psychotherapist and life/business coach."  He has over 19 years experience specializing in gay men and gay male couples.  He is a 21-year survivor of HIV/AIDS and a 10-year survivor of cancer.  He is a psychiatric social worker by training at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work (MSW, '94) and a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, BA, '87).  He is the former Chair of the Los Angeles County HIV Mental Health Task Force, and wrote the mental health column for A&U (Art & Understanding, America's AIDS magazine) for two years.  He served on the Board of Directors for the Lesbian and Gay Psychotherapy Association of Southern California (LAGPA) for four years. He has published many articles on gay men's mental health, HIV mental health, and is the author of the new self-help book for a general audience, "Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!" (2011).  He maintains a blog at GayTherapyLA.com, and a popular podcast, "Have the Life You Want with Ken Howard, LCSW", on iTunes, Podcast Alley, and Zune.com.  He lives with his husband in West Hollywood, California; where they were part of the 18,000 same-sex couples allowed to marry before the advent of Proposition 8 in November, 2008.

Jane  is a twenty nine year old woman, mother, college student, HIV activist and advocate, and she is herself positive. Jane has spent the last five years years since she was diagnosed learning what she could about HIV itself, the stigma attached to HIV, and how HIV affects the lives of those living withthe disease in America as well as abroad. After attending her first conference she decided to dedicate as much of her time and energy as possible to being a part of the solution. She has done advocacy campaigning both on the local, state level as well as the national level. Jane is an activist who speaks to educate, as well as by blogging both with written word and with video blogging, utilizing youtube with blogs on several sites including MTV Staying Alive, she participated in an anti-stigma campaign, by being in commercials and on billboards.She currently is employed at Hope's Voice as a speaker for the Does HIV Look Like Me lecture series and she sits on the board for The ADAP Advocacy Association. Janine enjoys to spend as much time possible just being mommy to her four year old son and she believes that it is her privilege and honor to be his mother and to be the activist she has became.

Working in pre-hospital care for ten years, the first thing you ever learn is to expect the unexpected. That statement never held more truth to Donald than it did in the fall of 2005. Donald’s shift ended early because the trauma patient he had later died. Donald was exposed to this patient’s virus…HIV. Every healthcare provider’s worse fear came true that night. That is contracting an infectious disease from their patient. His goal no longer was to be a trauma surgeon. It was now going into Infectious Disease and Epidemiology. He wants to be on the front lines of this pandemic and change the face of HIV every way that he possibly can. Donald has worked with Magic Johnson to discuss healthcare reform, medical mission trips with “Doctors without Borders,” being on the advertisement for Atripla, he is a consultant for Bristol-Myers Squibb about Atripla, for two years he taught the chat portion of an undergraduate class at the University of Central Florida called HIV: A Human Concern. Despite the stigma that HIV carries in the Health Care field, Donald still work as a critical care paramedic. He may be called in by FEMA at any moment, along with his search and rescue dog, Achilles. He does this while pursuing his doctoral degree in Medicine, specializing in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology. He may have HIV, but he spends most of his time working to save the lives of others.

Paul Gallegos is a 42 years old HIV husband and father of 5 HIV negative children. Paul found out about his status in May of 1999. Paul has been married for just over 12 years, They live in Palm Springs, California. Paul is also the founder of The Intersection Project which he wills peak about during his interview.  Paul's courageous and bold activism allows him to put a face to the disease and educate others all at the same time. Tune in LIVE to hear Paul's story and learn more about The Intersection Project.

 

Follow Paul on Twitter - www.twitter.com/Pauly1999

Jeff Berry, is editor of Positively Aware, an AIDS advocate, HIV+ for 20+ years and a member of the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition & Fair Pricing Coalition.

His latest project is the second annual A Day with HIV in America, which will capture the collective portrait of those living with HIV, to help remove the stigma of HIV and to advance a community of care and support.

Positively Aware is inviting people across America to snap a digital photograph at any time over the course of September 21.  Participants can record a portrait, time with friends and family at work or play, or any moment in the day that helps the world better understand life with HIV. Photos are to be submitted by September 26 on the A Day with HIV in America web site. 

People can also follow A Day with HIV in America’s Facebook page or on Twitter @A_Day_With_HIV to see updates and selected photographs.

Larry Estrada was diagnosed with HIV on August 5th 1998. He has volunteered at the Billy De Frank center teaching and educating youth about HIV/AIDS. In 1998 Larry has earned his 13.2 CEU credits with the state of Kansas in August of 2006 after earning his LPN nursing degree from the state of Kansas in 03. He has worked in the Nursing field and HIV/AIDs prevention field in his spare time for numerous years.Has always been an HIV/AIDS advocate teaching Community classes to youth and adults alike since his diagnosis. He Has worked with Hunter Health Clinic and other native organizations around Kansas since he moved to Kansas in 02. Has taken Classes to further his education to help Native and non native youth alike and has Volunteered at Wichita's River View Retreat and helped with Any town USA to help build tolerance and education with the LGBTQI community as well as his Native Community he is an enrolled member of the Anishnabe Nation and speaks his language. Mr Estrada partakes in Native ceremony and holds classes with the native youth, as well as sits a drum and is a drum keeper himself. Has been given the right to be firekeeper through ceremony and is a Native American Traditionalist. H e continues to volunteer his time educating at gatherings and speaking on reservations to elders and youth alike about the Dangers and prevention of HIVAIDS and other STI's as well As hep-c infection. Mr. Estrada currently lives in Wichita KS and plans to move to the Tulsa Oklahoma area in the next year or so. Check out Larry's Blog

On Sunday September 4th our 4th season of POZIAM radio begins.Robert Breining & Jeromy Dunn will return with an hour of Hot Topics. They will be taking your calls and covering a range of HIV/AIDS related topics - starting meds, finding a doctor, disclosure,depression and finding support to name a few. Call us with your questions at 347-215-9442.

Writer, actor, comedian and children's entertainer, Miracle Mike Hennessey moved to Los Angeles in 1993 from Boston after he was told in August of 1990 that he had potentially 7 to 9 years to live when he was diagnosed with HIV. He thought, “Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well do it on stage.” And he put together a goofy comedy routine and his healing process began. Once in Los Angeles, he quickly became famous as a children's performer for thousands of families all over Southern California and is known as Mystery Mike.

In 1997 after the death of his mother, Ellen Sue, Mike developed full blown AIDS for the first time and his health continued to decline over the years with 13 close calls with the Angel of Death. In 2006 Mike, with only 4 “T-cells” launched the healing website “Mikes T Party” www.MikesTparty.com after being asked by others how they could help. People send in “Ts” from all over the world that represent 'T-cells' (commonly known as CD4) for the immune system. He has collected over 3,000 “Ts” from all walks of life.He has since shared his story of hope many places to encourage others that they too have it within themselves to heal, including on FOX News which can be seen on his channel www.youtube.com/IamMiracleMike.

Melissa Baker learned that she was HIV-positive in August 2007, three days before her 28th birthday.  Her diagnosis was a surprise, since She had tested negative for HIV only the year before while in what she thought to be a monogamous relationship. Melissa quickly realized that life does not stop with HIV, and educated herself, her three now teen daughters, and the rest of her family and friends about the disease. Thanks to early diagnosis, She is  healthy today. She recently had a baby girl a year ago -her fourth daughter – who is HIV-negative. She works as aoncology receptionist.  She has chosen to speak out about her HIV status in order to dispel stigma and encourage other women to protect themselves and get tested for HIV. Melissa has volunteered on a committee with her state health department and enjoys working with incarcerated women on another volunteer project to help empower and educate. She has been featured in HIV Positive! magazine and the Southern AIDS Living Quilt video project.