During the time I worked at the Topeka AIDS Project from 1999 to 2003, I regularly attended a local networking group's meetings, called the S.H.A.R.E. (Shawnee HIV/AIDS Resources and Education) Committee. The main purpose of this committee was to plan the annual AIDS Candlelight Memorial in May and the World AIDS Day events in December.

I agreed to be the keynote speaker for the first memorial I worked with the group on in 2000. I shared my story of having a close family member test positive for HIV and how that motivated me to get involved in HIV prevention and care work at the age of 21, first as a volunteer, and then in a paid capicity. I also discussed how my work at the Topeka AIDS Project had motivated me to go back to college and start working on my social work degree.

DATE:
2000

WHERE:
Topeka AIDS Project
S.H.A.R.E. Committee

SKILLS:

• Public Speaking
• Networking | Community Collaboration