POZ I AM Radio

Cathy Robinson Pickett is an internationally recognized motivational and inspirational educator. She has been named a National Point of Light, by President George Bush and recognized by countless organizations and media outlets including PEOPLE Magazine for her work in HIV, Domestic Violence, victims’ rights, sexual responsibility and patient advocacy. Cathy’s legislative activism on a local, state and Federal level began in 1992 and has continued to evolve across the intersections of victims and patients’ rights for sexual assault, domestic violence and HIV.  Her work initially focused on victims’ rights in assault cases and evolved into work around HIV testing for pregnant women and the availability of comprehensive reproductive health education for school aged young adults. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Friends-Together, a NGO that works with families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Cathy is a native Floridian and daughter of a well-known Methodist Minister and college professor. Her southern roots shape her unique spirit and come through with her great passion and carrying for those she works with. Cathy’sprofessional career has included many years of working in higher education. Cathy has an extensive resume of accomplishments but if you were to ask her the most important thing she has accomplished it would be that her children Lyndsy and Garrett have grown into amazing young adults with hearts for activism and service.

This Sunday March 12th at 2pm EST, we will have the pleasure of speaking the hilarious, informative and handsome Mark S. King.  Mark has spoke with us before and has even co-hosted an episode with Robert.

Mark S. King is the award-winning writer and HIV activist behind the blog My Fabulous Disease. He has been writing and speaking out about living with HIV since testing positive on March 15, 1985, only days after the test became publicly available. His writing has been featured in The Advocate, Newsweek, The Washington Blade, and on TheBody.com web site.

In 2011, Mark was honored to be included among the “POZ 100,”. In November of 2012, Instinct Magazine named Mark one of their “Leading Men of 2012” for his HIV/AIDS advocacy and writing. Mark made the cover of the June 2013 issue of POZ Magazine, which included his essay, “The Sound of Stigma.” He was also honored to be among the Grand Marshals of the 2013 Atlanta Pride parade. His blog was a GLAAD Award nominee in 2015 and again this year, and he is among the most widely read HIV positive writers in the world.

This Sunday March 5th at 2pm EST Robert and Aaron will be speaking with Claes Lilja. - listen here.  Claes is the creator of Brotherhood Retreats, a program which has deeply impacted many lives through its multi-pronged, life-changing inner work process. Brotherhood Retreats is a 3-day retreat is an international gathering of gay and bisexual men who seek to enrich their lives through deeper insights, awareness and connections to both the community and oneself. We will be learning about physiological, psychological and spiritual tools to help create healthier and more fulfilling lives while forging bonds and friendships with other men from different parts of the world.

 

The program will include informational and instructional sessions as well as exercises and participation by all the attendees with attention given to the full body-mind-spirit connection. We will also have plenty of time for social activities and relaxation. There are a variety of different techniques used at the retreat including meditation, transformational breath work, healing touch and much, much more.

 

The retreat was originally created to help support those who are living with HIV, but over the years it has evolved to a spiritual retreat that is open to all men who are attracted to other men. As modern medicine is making serious advances, the gay community is finally beginning to heal the split between HIV-positive and negative men. We are thrilled be a part of that healing in whatever way we can support it. We all need each other to be strong, healthy and happy.

Join Robert And arron in this 30 min hot topic show

Bob was diagnosed with AIDS on June 26th of 2000 which was his 50th birthday. Soon after that he moved from the east coast to Oregon, where he found Valley AIDS Information Network (VAIN) as a source of information that he needed so he could learn about this disease that he will most likely live with for the rest of his life. Bob first became a volunteer at VAIN, then he was asked to be a board member.  He has since been the President/CEO now for the last 10 years. Bob was also the Community Co-chair for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) HIV/AIDS Statewide Planning Group for over 3 years. He is also an avid national HIV/AIDS Educational Speaker, last year alone Bob reached over 2,700+ students of all ages in local schools and universities. Bob also is a Master Trainer through Stanford’s Positive Self-Management Program, also known as Living a Healthy Life with HIV. He is also the On-Site Dean for Strength for the Journey which is an HIV/AIDS Retreat for up to 80 HIV Positive attendees, that is held every year in the beautiful mountains of Oregon. Anytime Bob has the opportunity he is educating the community and putting a face to this disease. Bob always thanks whatever group or individual he is talking to and tells them that since they have taken the time to listen to him and ask questions, they have just become advocates and that he hopes that all will share this information they have just received, to their peers, family and friends. He always asks them to please tell people that HIV/AIDS is not over yet and to know their status.  Yes, we have made some incredible steps in seeing the end of this disease, but we still have a long way to go. Bob witnessed the beginning of this disease, and his dream is to see the end of HIV and AIDS.

Michelle Anderson-Morrison, Ms. Plus America 2011, is first openly HIV positive woman to everrun for and win a national pageant title. Currently she resides in Dallas, Texas and is the CEO/Founder of Metamorphic Empowerment Center, a multifaceted prevention organization that empowers women to regain control of their lives through addressing issues that create vulnerabilities and risk for an HIV diagnosis. She is also a CAB member for The Well Project, Blogger for A Girl Like Me and Treasurer/Board Member for ADAP Advocacy Association, and anational ambassador for Greater Than AIDS Empowered Campaign. Michelle continues to use her story to eradicate stigma, shame and blame of those living and surviving with HIV.

Michelle was nominated by her peers to sit on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) in 2011. She was also bestowed the honor of receiving the Positive Leadership Award by The National Association of People with AIDS recognizing the use of her "Bully Pulpit" to raise awareness, and inducted into the SisterLove’s 2013 2020 Leading Women’s Society

As founder of Prevention Access Campaign, Bruce Richman launched the Undetectable = Untransmittable (#UequalsU)campaign with a group of HIV activists and the world's leading scientists to ensure the most groundbreaking development in the past twenty years of the epidemic is communicated accurately and meaningfully: people living with HIV who are on treatment and undetectable cannot transmit the virus to others. Undetectable = Untransmittable - the evolution of communications about people living with HIV.

Evolving science and empirical evidence since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy shows that people living with HIV who are on treatment and undetectable do not transmit HIV to sexual partners. However, this groundbreaking news has been the "big secret" in HIV. Outdated, fear-based, stigmatizing messaging is wasting opportunities to improve the lives of people living with HIV, dismantle HIV stigma, and prevent new transmissions. The large majority of people living with HIV believe they will be "infectious" for the rest of their lives or until there is a cure. A team of HIV activists set out to change that. Working with the lead scientists from the major studies on HIV transmission risk, they created the first global consensus on transmission risk and leveraged that document to secure endorsements and to modernize how risk is communicated by public health departments and major AIDS organizations. The campaign's extensive niche and mainstream media coverage is dismantling HIV stigma by educating the public about #UequalsU. Now the word is getting out, but there is still far more work to be done to ensure equal access to this game-changing information, treatment, and care

This Sunday January 29th at 2pm EST we will be speaking with Diane Reeve the Author of Standing Strong. Diane first shared her story with us 7 years ago. We are excited to reconnect with her and see what she has been up to. 

 

Divorced after 18 years of marriage, Diane Reeve thought she had finally found the last love of her life. The charming and handsome Frenchman she met almost was – but not in the way she expected. After dating 4 1/2 years with plans to move in together, Diane was devastated to learn that he had been cheating. Worse, she also found out that he had knowingly transmitted HIV to her.

 

Undaunted, she risked her life to find other survivors. There were more than 50! In a landmark court case, he was convicted and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Her story is one of hope, inspiration, courage and the power of women supporting women. Diane's story was viewed by millions on 20/20 and Oprah and has been the subject of various magazine and newspaper articles worldwide.

 

She received the Paul S. Chapman award from the Foundation for the Improvement of Justice for her significant contribution to justice in America. She will be featured this fall on Oprah’s "Where Are They Now". As a 7th° black belt she embodies female empowerment and is a popular motivational speaker on overcoming obstacles.

Her website  www.datestronger.com, is dedicated to empowering women to protect themselves physically, emotionally and sexually in the dating world. Her advocacy work emphasizes eliminating stigma and victim blaming. Diane's book Standing Strong ,the inspiring story of an unlikely sisterhood and the court case that made history was released in April of 2016

Joseph Gray is a 24 year old who lives in California. Joseph is a recovering addict turned activist. Here is a little about Joseph in his own words.

I will never forget the day I was diagnosed with an HIV positive status. I went to ER & they didn't know what was wrong. So I waited and got tested again. They called me into the community health clinic, where the dr said we are going to start you on meds but no one had yet told me the news. I was was indeed positive; It hit me like a truck. I remember breaking down, in her office that day. Not because I wasn't shock given my history. At the time my knowledge of HIV and AIDS was little to non. I felt like my life was over. Fearing how I would overcome the stigma? How would this affect my career? How would this affect my life? These are some of the questions that ran through my mind.

I said f*#k it and my using would progressively get worse and I hit many bottoms. I did the geographical changes but nothing changed. I took myself with me where ever I moved. At the end of the road I knew if I continued only death would await me. I moved back home to Sacramento where I pick up substances once more. I was homeless, hopeless, and desperate. I realized I was trying to commit suicide on a installment plan.  Between Staying with friends trying to make things work or sleeping in my car.  I got in touch with a Counselor I took her suggestions. I finally put myself into therapy, substance counseling, and became apart of a youth living with HIV/AIDS program there at CARES Community Health. I found my path to recovery.  My clean date is 04-10-15. Today I know that an end is often a beginning, and a beginning can be the means to an end. HIV and my recovery have taught me this, my life didn't end that day with a diagnosis, is was just beginning a new chapter. Once I put down the substances, I picked up life. I am grateful that I get to live a life that is worth living.

Robert Suttle was convicted under Louisiana’s HIV-specific criminal statute after accepting a plea bargain and served six months in a Louisiana prison for HIV non-disclosure to a former partner, with whom he had a contentious relationship. Upon his release in January 2011, he has become engaged in anti-criminalization advocacy work.

Today he is now assistant director of The SERO Project, a network of people living with HIV and allies fighting for freedom from stigma and injustice. He oversees the community outreach and education and coordinates Sero’s HIV Criminalization Survivors Network. 

Prior to joining, SERO in March 2012, Suttle was a case manager and prevention specialist at the Philadelphia Center, a local AIDS service organization in Shreveport, Louisiana, working with other positive young African American men who have sex with men.

Robert is also featured in the documentary film HIV is Not A Crime, has traveled abroad to Geneva, Switzerland to speak at the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board’s meeting in December, 2011, and Oslo, Norway for UNAIDS High Level Consultation on HIV criminalization in February, 2012, sharing his story. Robert is active with the Positive Justice Project and the HIV Justice Network.