Hi guys,

I am writing to encourage you all to share your experiences of living with HIV/AIDS via the International Carnival of Pozitivities. Our blog carnival is in need of new perspectives, and we encourage people to share their personal experiences, artwork, music, poetry or any other form of expression about how HIV/AIDS affects our lives. You can do so as yourself as that is the most powerful testament to fight stigma, or if needed, you can contribute your work under a pseudonym. You just have to decide it you are ready to be open with your status and go from there. Being who you are and sharing your message is important no matter how you identify yourself.

More and more frequently, my efforts with the ICP are being criticized by individuals within other tribes. It is often the case that the person who complains is an AIDS dissident. It would be helpful to me to get your input on how we can reach out to people who need to hear the messages of prevention, but who are tired of hearing about HIV/AIDS or who simply do not believe in the transmission of HIV. I think that those who fall into the latter group will not be swayed, but perhaps by sharing what it is like to live with stigma and medication side-effects, we can reach those not yet infected and help them resist temptation to put themselves at risk. On the other hand, use of fear is not a tactic I really prefer. How can we hone the message that AIDS is still a disease you don't want to contract without resorting to a method of scaring the living crap out of people?

With peace in mind for us all.

Ron