POZ I AM Radio

As a teenager growing up in the US, at 16 years old George enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps through school. Three days after graduating from high school, George heads off to basic training for the US Marines. Then unexpectedly George received phone call from the US Marine Commander . George immediately thought that this meant he was being called on duty. Once inside, he was asked if he knew why he was there. As he did not, he was told that, as he knew, he had had blood work drawn the last time he was on base. He was told that this blood had been randomized into having a HIV test and that, unfortunately, this test had come back positive. Following his diagnosis, George quickly sunk into depression. He turned to alcohol and drugs and stopped attending classes. He stopped getting out of bed, unless it was to head to the bar. Experiencing the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV first-hand meant that George was motivated to become an AIDS activist and peer educator. George is currently actively involved in the Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) as the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex Chair in the US.

Sean Strub is a leading voice for the people with HIV self-empowerment movement. He is the founder of POZ Magazine, senior advisor to the Center for HIV Law & Policy's Positive Justice Project (combating HIV criminalization) and serves on the board of directors of the North American regional affiliate of the Global Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS. He has been living with HIV for more than 30 years.

Dab Garner founder of Dab the AIDS Bear Project, will be celebrating 30yrs living with HIV/AIDS on 2/14. and Dab the Aids Bear turns 30 in March. Join us for this special episode of POZIAM RADIO when we celebrate 30 years of Dab the AIDS Bear.

Back in 1981 when Dab 1st had friends starting to die from AIDS, the hospitals wouldn't allow visitors into the patient's room unless you wore protective garments (gowns, masks etc.) because they were afraid of this new disease and were not sure how the virus was passed. Because of this, people were usually close to death and had at least one opportunistic infection when they were diagnosed and hospitalized. You could see even seasoned health care professional recoil in fear and not wanting to touch the patients. Even close friends were hesitant or scared to visit their friends in the hospital.

Dab started buying Gund teddy bears and giving them to friends so they wouldn't have to feel so alone, abandoned and afraid. That is how Dab the AIDS Bear Project began,

Learn more at www.dabtheaidsbearproject.com

Nate Klarfeld is a retired dentist from the Kansas City area now living in Florida. After retiring from dentistry in 1996 with an HIV/AIDS diagnosis he went into teaching biology and sex education in an inner city school. From there he moved to Ft. Lauderdale and became involved in an HIV support group at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. One of the group leaders, Paul Stalbaum had been organizing hetero POZ cruises for an ASO there and was interested in starting a gay POZ men's cruise. Nate and his partner, Grover Lawlis, MD a psychiatrist from Dallas,TX were asked to co-host the cruise; planning activities, giving lectures and making sure the men were made to feel comfortable.

Besides having fun and learning, the cruises have become a 'safe place' for POZ men to meet and relax. The stigmas, stereotypes and drama of gay life seem suspended as soon as we leave shore. Many of our men return year after year renewing friendships and making new ones.

www.hivcruise.com www.positivecruise.com

The ADAP Advocacy Association (aaa+) – together with its Lead Sponsor the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) – is hosted an Emergency ADAP Summit on Saturday, January 29th and Sunday, January 30th, 2011. This summit, themed "ADAPs in Crisis: Preparing for 2011" Over 140 people attended the summit and many voiced theirs opinions. Call in and share your experience at the summit and thoughts on ADAP. id the summit accomplish anything ? Tune in LIVE and find out.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia and graduate of the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia, Tyler began his career as a television news anchor and reporter for Meridian, Mississippi’s WTOK-TV.

Outside of advertising he is a published writer, advocate and community force in the ongoing effort to raise awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Tyler currently writes a bi-monthly column called “Living the Questions” for The Advocate, which remains one of the online publications most read news features. He has been featured in industry trades, on radio shows and as a guest speaker at area schools.

In 2010, AdAge acknowledged Tyler and IMPACT Red, a group he formed working to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS through communications, in its Advertising GoodWorks section.Tyler’s diagnosis with HIV in 2007 and his public disclosure on World AIDS Day in 2009 serve as the catalyst for his advocacy and work for HIV awareness and prevention. Tyler resides fulltime in New York City, New York

Learn more at www.impactred.org Visit Tyler's website at http://www.tylerjhelms.com

Danny is a very grateful recovering alcoholic and one of the millions of faces of HIV. He was born in Watertown, NY, lived there until he moved to SW Florida where he still resides. He has been in a monogomous relationship for over 12 years, his partner remains negative. While Danny was in treatment for substance abuse he was asked to speak about living with HIV, and that he did. He continues to speak publicly and is very humble when he receives praise for his story.

Kevin Maloney wasdiagnosed HIV+ on March 3rd, 2010,. Since then Kevin has been advocating and educating the public through his personal blog. It can be found at www.kevincaresusa.blogspot.com . He has recently enrolled back in school to get his Masters degree in Public Health and starts classes in January. Kevin was actually co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis C due to unprotected sex. He has just finished 6 months of Hep C treatments and have erradicated it.

Danny Miller, still looking very rock star at 34 resides in his small hometown of Lusby Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay, about an hour south of Washington DC. After roaming around the country from city to city for 15 years, he is back where he began.

Diagnosed with HIV and Hep B in April of 2007, and knocking on deaths door in the winter of 2008, Danny has a new purpose in life. THE EXTINCTION OF IGNORANCE!! Check out Danny's blog at www.positivelite.com

Brandy contracted HIV in 1997 diagnosed in 1999 she became addicted to meth and locked herself away in her "HIV CLOSET" for 6 years. Waking up one day realizing HIV wasnt killing her, the drugs were. checking herself into recovery and going back to college to get a Psychology degree. her goal is to be there for others so no one has to go through this alone.. She believes that one person can make a difference but together we can change the World.