Shreya, 16, is an intern at Advocates for Youth.

The first time I was exposed to the effects of sexually transmitted diseases was probably…when I was six or seven? I was listening to Queen (<3) with my dad, and I think I asked him why they weren’t coming out with new songs.

Then my dad told me about how the lead singer, Freddie Mercury died from AIDS, and how, like me, he was from India where a lot of people die from AIDS every year. Now, at that age, I didn’t know what AIDS was, or how a person got it, or why people really had to die at all actually. But I guess what resonated with me was how unfair it was that so many young people were dying from an illness.

Ten years later, I still feel the same way. But now I know what AIDS is, and how a person gets it, and why people die. And ten years later, AIDS is still a pandemic causing death for millions of people all over the world…even though it shouldn’t be! Transmitting HIV infections is preventable! I get that it’s a difficult disease and all, but I feel like if more people would only get tested and use protection, much less people would suffer. And it’s the same way with other sexually transmitted infections too, not just HIV/AIDS.

Which is why I think Advocates for Youth is such a great cause that I am proud to be a part of. Increasing awareness is the first step to preventing diseases, and Advocates is definitely committed to doing so. Hopefully someday in the future, the concept of a “pandemic” will be obsolete because people will be making informed decisions about their health.