You know...maybe you don't...but this Monday was national AIDS day. This is the week that the Nation places extra attention on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Well, in my attempt to continue to show the guys that sports and life mirror each other, for to try to keep them current in their thinking, the speaker today was Maria Davis. Maria is a AIDS survivor and a national speaker about HIV/AIDS. I met her awhile ago and since I've always had someone in the speakers bureau speak on AIDS it was a timely meeting.
We've stayed in touch since early fall and thought that this week would be perfect for the fellas to receive a message from her. Some of the guys recognized her once she got up in front of the room and started to speak. Maria was THE promoter in NYC (New York City for those of you that might have thought that was a text thing!) and was on Jay-Z album once. She is well known in the music industry and has a compelling story. She definitely had the guys attention and her daughter, who attends Morgan State came in the room too. Her daughter is not infected but offered a different perspective on dealing with the virus. I love Maria and spent the rest of the day with her, taking her to lunch at the faculty dinning room (great food by the way) and seeing her off before I headed to practice at 3:15 p.m.
Maria told the fellas that AIDS doesn't have a face and that she contracted the virus in 1995 and only found out because she had applied for an insurance policy to take care of her children in case something happen to her. How bout that? Finding out you have HIV/AIDS through the mail. She was in denial for a minute and dealt with rumors etc. before she told the world. She had the guys' attention and I'm really trying to get her to speak to the entire student body at Morgan State because this is serious business! She and I encouraged the guys to get tested cause she is proof that people can live a long time with the virus even though she has suffered alot. I won't go through her whole story but you guys will hear more about her soon!
GET TESTED IF U HAVEN'T YET!
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