Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: One woman shares her story of how she contracted HIV
We spoke with HIV-positive activist Jessica Glaspie-Davis about coping with the virus and raising awareness in the fight against the epidemic.
“Your test came back positive for HIV.”
Seven words no one ever wants to hear. Imagine going to the doctor for a routine check-up and, weeks later, your test comes back positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. What would you say? What would you do? Who would you call? This exact situation became Jessica Glaspie-Davis’ reality. That one sentence meant changing her life forever.
At the tender age of 22, Glaspie-Davis was diagnosed with HIV and had no idea where it came from. However, she’s not alone.
According to the Center of Disease Control, African-Americans represent 12% of the population but account for 44% percent of HIV diagnoses, the highest rate compared to other races and ethnicities.
With HIV and AIDS affecting the African-American community at such a rate, we wanted to put a face and story to these alarming statistics.
In honor of Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we sat down with the HIV activist Glaspie-Davis who took us deep inside her life and gave us a play-by-play of how it all happened and how she is working relentlessly to raise awareness of the life-altering disease so many are affected by. She told us her story, the whole story.
Glaspie-Davis’ story is one of strength, awareness, and love after pain; it’s a story everyone needs to hear. And when asked why she decided to come forward, disclose her status, and tell her story, she shared her mission simply but powerfully: “I tell my story so that I can be an example for all because it can happen to you.”
No matter your color, race or religion, HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. This is one woman’s story on how the virus changed her life forever. Let this be an example for you.