By Ritu, former member, Young Women of Color Leadership Council

Why am I a youth activist? Because my cultural background forced me to be. Growing up as a first generation South Asian woman, I noticed that other South Asian women suffered from a chronic problem known as misinformation. Young women were victims of an unrealistic double standard and grew up sheltered from reality, especially when it came to sexuality.

There are many taboos surrounding sexuality in my culture. Speaking of sexuality is not allowed. When a loved one is lost to HIV/AIDS, not speaking about it brings grief. And, it hurts especially to know such a death could have been prevented with education. This has been my inspiration for becoming a youth activist. Young people are the future, and people under age 22 are the first generation to spend their entire lives worrying about or confronted with HIV/AIDS. Why would we want to risk our lives through ignorance?

Through my experiences working as a peer advisor for a woman's shelter and as a volunteer at a women's center, I have learned a great deal. I am lucky to have the knowledge I do and the opportunity to seek out more knowledge and experience.

The more I learn, the more I want to share, and the more I realize how vulnerable people are. Being a youth activist is a major part of my life that allows me to reach out and educate other youth as well as to continue learning from them.