Irene Williams speaks with us about the day she was diagnosed with HIV. She explains that her doctor was speaking with her about things and began to ask about her sexual partner and who she was dating, as they knew each other, and then she said, you tested positive for HIV. Williams says she fell back in her chair and her shoes flew off. She spoke about entering into a depression after learning about the diagnosis and explains that two other family members had contracted HIV and passed away.
Williams decided that she might need a change of scenery. Her daughter was in college in South Carolina, so she moved there, where she found a faith-based program that assisted her in obtaining sobriety. Her daughter, a chef, moved to Atlanta, and Williams followed. She found AID Atlanta, began treatment, and joined a community of Black women called Sistes With Voices (SWV). She spoke about her advocacy work as a peer counselor and shared her advice for young women. PREP is one drug that you take daily that will prevent the transmission of HIV, and even though it isn’t marketed to women, we should know about this preventative option. She also speaks about the number of differing condoms that can be used.
Williams speaks about rapid-response tests that can be used as part of foreplay if you are considering sex with a new partners. She speaks about women letting their guard down in relationships and that we must protect ourselves.
For more information about living with HIV or for free HIV testing, reach out to the Empowerment Resource Center of AID Atlanta.