Nelson Mandela once said “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up”. I continue to dream of a World free of Stigma and I know that soon this dream will come true for me to be a winner. But I am not the only one having this dream as we all know that HIV stigma and discrimination are global issues, so we need to continue joining our forces as much as we can.
Last year when visiting my HIV allies in South Korea I realized that HIV stigma is still very high in South Korea, so even today you will hardely see people open about HIV. Luckily, grassroots organizations are working really hard to fight HIV stigma and discrimination. I am happy to be connected to them and support them in whatever way I can.
There are many ways to convey a positive image of people living with HIV, one of them is Stories of Hope. What started as a small local initiative has now grown into a platform of global Heroes of hope who are eager to share their superpowers that helped them to break HIV stigma. Thanks to the digital world, I was happy to connect with a Korean HIV artivist, Zang Choi who is our newest Hero of Hope!
Zang Choi is living positively and uses their visual arts to create a space that encourages young people to discuss really important issues related to HIV and the LGBTQIA+ community in Korea. Through their HIV artivism, Zang Choi is truly committed to bring much needed change to break HIV stigma in Korea. Read Zang Choi’s story here!
HIV artivism is a beautiful tool to use to bring awareness about HIV and break the stigma. I am so happy to be connected to Zang Choi and so many others who fight HIV stigma using HIV artivism. Those that know me, are also well aware that there are so many ways how HIV artivism can reach parts of the HIV community, including young people of the LGBTQIA+ community, that are hard to reach through conventional approaches. We have to use all approaches available to break HIV stigma!
I am proud to contribute to HIV artivism through Eric the Dragking or interactive story telling such as Urugendo (A HIV journey). I am always happy to connect and explore with you how we can increase the impact of HIV artivism around the world!
Remember, we cannot achieve my dream of a World free of HIV stigma alone, we need to join our hands and passion for arts as much as we can worldwide.
I am proud that that Zang choi is joining our Community of Heroes of Hope. Thank you very much! 매우 감사합니다
Since last year’s Mandela day, which is always on the 18th of July, STORIES OF HOPE includes portraits about our dear allies of PLWH in recognition of their contribution to ending HIV and AIDS. In August 2023, Jennifer Hopelezz, a truly remarkable HIV drag activist and ally, was induced into the Heroes of Hope gallery.
Almost one year later, while eagerly anticipating the start of AIDS 2024 in Munich on 22 July, we will be looking forward with Jennifer to AIDS 2024 and give her the honour to introduce our newest Hero of Hope who happens to be Jennifer’s family!
Jennifer; when you hear AIDS 2024’s theme ‘putting people first’, what does this really mean for you?
“Well to me, it’s a little bit too obvious because of course that’s what you expect, people first before profits and organizations and businesses. But sometimes that seems to get lost and it all seems about the whole infrastructure around HIV/AIDS that has been built up over the last 40 years.”
Jennifer, from your perspective, what do you think should change to ensure that community-based organisations are empowered to apply a ‘people first’ approach to their HIV response?
“I am always surprised at how little feedback is asked of us as a community group – but also as business owner with sex-on- premise venues. We have a whole heap of experience and information that is not tapped into. We have a totally different perspective to the government organizations, and we also have a certain freedom they don’t have as we are an independent voluntary group.”
Jennifer, you are the mother superior of a large drag family in the Netherlands. To celebrate diversity in the wonderful world of drag, in 2019 you added a new drag house to your family, called Lost Bois. One of your family members is Eric the Dragking. Could you introduce Eric in a few words?
“Eric personifies what our houses stand for. Using the power of drag as a tool of activism, to use the attention you get as a drag performer to get your message across. Because you surely get much more attention when you are in drag! Sex positivity, HIV and AIDS, fighting discrimination-these are really core values of our drag houses and that is what Eric is also about! (He also happens to be one of the best looking kids I have, haha, don’t tell the others!)”
Eric, so nice to meet you and such an inspiring Story of Hope! Why did you decide to do drag and what is your link with the HIV community?
“I decided to perform drag because drag is another powerful way for me to fight stigma and discrimination, and bring change to people and communities. I am living with HIV for 20 years and I know what is like to be stigmatized or discriminated. As Eric the Dragking I can also contribute positively to reducing HIV stigma and improving PrEP awareness in the Queer community.”
Eric, how do you connect your HIV activism with your drag performances?
“I combine my HIV activism with my drag during my performance where I always make sure to be Stomping HIV stigma away. This means that on stage I will be bringing messages of hope for PLWHIV whilst also raising awareness on HIV stigma and access to health services. If together we want to end HIV and AIDS, everyone should know about access to HIV services and prevention and claim it as their right. I like being on stage with artifacts to amplify my HIV activism, it makes people curious and this is a great way to start a positive conversation on HIV.”
PrEP diversity
Jennifer, as a drag activist you are also strongly advocating for PrEP availability and access. How do you contribute to PrEP diversity and what do you think are the key priorities right now?
“We really need to open our focus from not only cis gay men but to women, transgender people and immigrants. That’s why we are so happy that Eric has joined the PrEPNu outreach team because he knows how to reach these other groups that we don’t. All our networking and all our knowledge is based around the gay scene, especially in Amsterdam. But if we are to end HIV and AIDS, then we need to step out of our bubble and reach these other groups as well.”
Jennifer Hopelezz and Eric the Dragking
So Eric, you will be joining AIDS 2024 in Munich, Germany. What will be your key message there?
“During AIDS 2024 you will find me mainly at the Global village, this is where the global HIV community will be meeting and I am hoping to see a lot of my fellow grassroot HIV allies. My main message will be to share the importance of PrEP Diversity. We should always remember that HIV does not care about gender, sexual orientation or ethnic background. PrEP is designed to prevent against HIV for everyone. I am confident that we can end new infections if we make sure to enable access to PrEP for those who need it. That is why #PrEPdiversity is very necessary.”
Eric, following Jennifer’s Story of Hope last year, you feature in this Story of Hope. How important is this for you?
“I am very grateful to be given this opportunity. In 2021, when Stories of Hope was launched, I shared that I was the first Burundian female to play the Indonongo here in Europe. Back then, Eric was not out of the closet yet. I realise that talent is like champagne, it cannot be bottled up, it has to released to be shared and enjoyed fullest. So today I am so proud to share Eric’s talent, the first Burundian and Dutch Dragking living with HIV and open about it. I hope that my HIV dragtivism will be an inspiration for PLWHIV who are still in the closet and also to serve as an example for those who think that life is over after an HIV diagnosis. I am living proof that HIV will never take away your talent!”
Are you talented and never let HIV stigma stand in your way? We are looking for talents to share their experience during World AIDS day on the 1st of December 2024.
Get in touch if you would like to share your story with the global HIV community!
The burden of the hiv epidemic has never only been carried by the nearly 85 million people infected by HIV since the beginning of the epidemic. The pain, loss and grief of dealing with and our fight against the HIV epidemic is shared by so many more; Orphans of parents that passed away who are discriminated, family members whose relations are strained, caregivers of people living with HIV, activists campaigning for PrEP access, and so on…
Two years after the launch of Stories of Hope on Mandela day 18th of July 2021, we would like to pay honour to these caregivers and the millions of people affected by HIV.
Nelson Mandela once said ‘If we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others’. Therefore, let us remember their struggle and celebrate their contributions as well in our fight against the HIV epidemic and on-going stigma and discrimination.
In honour of the wise words of Nelson Mandela, as of now we will also bring their inspiring stories to the Stories of Hope platform. Because in the end, they are the biggest allies of people living with HIV and their stories are equally important to be recorded and told.
So, we are extremely proud to introduce Daria, our very first Hero of Hope who is not living with HIV herself. According to Daria, “what matters is that you can help others” to claim access to health services and create a HIV stigma free society.
We hope there will be many more people like Daria to join our growing community of Heroes of Hope. What connects us all is to realise a world where people living with HIV are healthy citizens free from stigma.
Today we are celebrating one year Stories of Hope! And we have achieved so much since our official launch on 18 July 2021, Mandela Day. Early last year, we started Stories of Hope with two Heroes, and since then our community has grown to eleven Heroes already!
You may remember that last year we highlighted the important role that Nelson Mandela fulfilled throughout his life for vulnerable people facing stigma of any kind.
Today, on Nelson’s birthday, we are proud to share a touching interview with our friend Adam Castillejo, and a true Ambassador of Hope for the global HIV community. We do hope that Adam will also be an inspiration to all of us!
Meanwhile we are very busy preparing for AIDS2022 as next week around this time we will be travelling to Montreal. We are so excited to connect to fellow activists, role models, and so many more inspiring people.
We also set ourselves a target, namely to capture and share at least one new Story of Hope on each conference day! To make this happen, we really need YOU!
So reach out to us and visit the Stories of Hope booth GVE013 at AIDS2022!
HIV stigmafighter 