My Hopes are to Continue to Spread Awareness of Disease and Promote Social Change
By Cherrell, Member, Young Women of Color Leadership Council, Advocates for Youth
 My name is Cherrell . I am 22 years old and I am the founder and Executive Director of Collective Care Services Inc. (www.collectivecareservices.org) which provides services to Black women who suffer from disease and abuse. I was born and raised in Portland Oregon where I attended school through college. I have spent the past 14 years of my life fighting the spread of HIV in my community. My fight against HIV/AIDS began when I realized that the person closest to me, my mother, was at high risk for contracting the virus and dying because she was an injection drug user. My fight against HIV/AIDS grew stronger when I learned that my mother and her friends were sharing needles to inject their drugs. At one time I believed that my battle with HIV/AIDS was over and I had won. I was not able to stop my mother from using drugs or sharing her needles but her health became so poor that she could no longer use drugs. She did not contract HIV, but she passed in the year 2000 with Hepatitis C.
In February 2004 I was diagnosed with HIV. I had contracted the virus in 2003 from boyfriend of 3 years. I contracted the virus the last time I had decided to have unprotected sex with my boyfriend. We practiced safe sex more times than we did unsafe sex but I was in denial that my partner was not honoring our monogamous relationship.
I joined the Young Women of Color Leadership Council because I am committed to educating and empowering women of color about issues of HIV/AIDS, women’s rights, and reproductive health. I believe that there are millions of women who feel powerless when it comes to protecting themselves and that they are often required to make decisions without having sufficient education and appropriate resources. The Young Women of Color Leadership Council has provided me with a rare opportunity to network with other women of color who are passionate about the welfare of women of color and are willing to be the voice of many who live unheard and in silence.
I actively serve as an advocate for Black Women, people who are living with HIV and youth. I have worked with MTV Networks and the Oprah Winfrey Show to raise community awareness of HIV/AIDS internationally. I am a spokesmodel for the National HIV Stops With Me campaign (www.hivstopswithme.org). I currently serve on the Executive Committee of Oregon’s Statewide HIV Prevention Planning Group and Co-Chair Ryan White Title I HIV Planning Council. I have partnered with other community agencies to put on community forums, HIV/AIDS symposiums, and Teen Health Coalitions.
My hopes are to continue to spread awareness of disease and promote social change. My dream is to see unity, health, and prosperity among women of color and their families.
Read Cherrel's article: A Response to Governor Huckabee
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