American Indians with HIV/AIDS...The Positive Project videos as story telling...HIV

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

With my original purpose in providing a thread devoted to raising awareness on HIV/AIDS and the American Indian, I stumbled upon this site. The format utilizes taped interviews as a means of educating others about HIV/AIDS...very much in keeping with the Indian way of story telling. I highly recommend members to view what these people have to say and share about their wisdom.

The Positive Project uses a structured interview format to ask those infected/affected by HIV/AIDS about their experience. This web site's aim is to interview anyone who would like to give their story. We know that people relate to people and stories are powerful tools. We believe everyone has something valuable to contribute.

Interviews thus far suggest many major common themes along with notable variance of personal experience, beliefs, and meaning. Interviewees are those who are "out" about their HIV status or relationship to HIV disease. The site is committed to using these clips to raise awareness, promote prevention, reduce stigma, and improve quality of care and quality of life through education and training. As one interviewee reflected, "you mean my story will help people I will never even meet?" The answer is "yes."

Here is a video from Kyle, an American Indian man, in speaking about the importance of getting tested.

http://www.happ.colostate.edu/video/Kyle_Advice.mp4

Here is Kory, an American Indian man, who speaks of getting tested and the importance of having support and being supportive.

http://www.happ.colostate.edu/video/Korey_Advice.mp4

Here is Sharon, an American Indian woman, who speaks about the importance of sexual protection.

http://www.thepositiveproject.org/?vid=Sharon.flv

Here is Lisa, an American Indian woman with wonderful spirit, who speaks about her acceptance in having HIV.

http://www.happ.colostate.edu/video/Lisa_Advice.mp4

Each Month, the site features several video clips from The Positive Project database...of all peoples. This demonstration shows the powerful utility of people's first hand stories.

July/August Featuring HIV+ people with advice for those who are newly diagnosed as HIV+.

September/October Power of Women.

Featured videos may be accessed from here: http://www.thepositiveproject.org/

Again....people "telling their stories" is a very powerful form of public education. The acquiring of this illness shows no prejudice. I wished to share these people's messages as a means to show that the Indian are not immune and that there is hope thru proper education, protection, treatment, and support.

These folks are very courageous people....and their stories needed told.

The site provides or puts "a face" to these stories, showing us that this illness can affect anyone....even the Indian.