The history and personally experience of young man.
To start, I would like to introduce you about why I personally decided to pick this subject to write about my college essay. First thing to say, it is because I identify myself as a gay man and I have found myself in sprit as well since then. I’ve lived a very personal experience in life, it is not really important or relative to talk about it right now, the real matter is, Who is this persona right now?, Right?!
Let’s find it out…
Ronaldo, by name is a young man living in NYC, who survived of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). I brought this up because, it is the essence of this fighter, who this persona is right now and, his career is the pure essence of love and passion advocating for those whose circumstances aren’t the same. I’ve worked myself hard to be mentally prepared to become the advocate I am proudly am.
Living in the Big Apple comes with a lot of opportunities, and I have been able to access a new regime or therapy for HIV: PrEP long-actin drugs (cabotegravir200/ml), which is injectable every other month (important reference to say Ronaldo was the first one ever that his doctor earned and applied it). This is a brand new regime of drugs available only The U.S pharmaceutical industry, and not available to everyone access due a lack of access to and appropriate outreach to provide information about HIV prevention and sex education. For this the reason, I decided to use my Instagram account, as way to advocate, and give advice for those who are interested in a new option for drugs. I would like to mention, I have always been a generous and genuine man, and even in my own personal healing process, I never stopped for second thinking in my community and the passion I feel to contribute to it and support to making the world a more friendly, kind, and better place for all.
Historically, gay healthcare started with advocacy and awareness of HIV/AIDS. Looking back in time to the 1980, history can teach us about the hard fight of our community to push the U.S government, to do work and fight the stigma about HIV/AIDS, and about how the epidemic affected mostly gay men, eventually causing hundred of thousands of deaths due the negligence of the government and the stigma created by media publishing articles with terms like “GRID” (Gay- Related Immune Deficiency) Over a decade, later, in by 1996, the U.S Congress approved the first regime of drugs with less toxicity to fight the crisis that affected mostly the mentioned group of sex. For over, a decade gay men around the U.S and the world were being discriminated and treated with a chronic disease, but in my opinion, this is subjective because were o they or they weren’t sick?! Let’s travel in time to 2022, when the facts said different open possibilities to interpret, I know times were so different by back them and society has learned a lot about it.
I am really happy thankful to be in this timeline, where I can make myself believe my fight is over; however, I will stand with my community to develop new marketing ideas and strategies, for the awareness and contributing to believe in a reality we all deserve, but is it maybe only in NYC? Who knows?!, I feel really lucky to be here to learn in how to educate the LGBTQA+ community about the awareness and prevention of HIV and the contribution I will do for humanity.
What I’ve had learned about doing my research for my college essay is unbelievable. If I continue to advertising and advocating proudly about who I am, and the new drugs (new options) that should be available for anyone out there, things might be easier for those who feel fear about contracting HIV or who already have it. Our fight is constantly hard, and the fight is to force governments and allies to find a vaccine and cure for HIV as well to promote the really important matter of stepping away from stigma in order to be a better society. As gay man who has been discriminated against and has experienced the lonely oblivion of a stigma that is still around the world. I have found myself and known my destiny is advocate for them, those who are still out there that feel they must be condemned to death because their of heath status. Let me tell you this, did you know that before 2010, the U.S government banned a people living HIV? When, I read this. I personally feel devastated and think this is horrible because could happened to me, and I like others was looking to feel normal, included, and be in a better place with more opportunities and less stigma. Finally, the science has been able to create new drugs that don’t require too much labor: your provider or primary doctor applies the medication every two months.
I am an advocate who dream about the end of this fight. AIDS is been catastrophic and needs to be ended. This is the reason why I am fighting the fight, and I have already started on the path of working, contributing and educating my community all the beautiful things that New York has offered and given me access to. Since then, I have been able to achieve any goal I had, and one of them it is my BA degree. I feel this passion, and I am ready to talk loud for everyone out there, ready to speak to the world about my destiny, my experience, my career. I am inspired by Larry Kramer, as a communicator and promoter of gay healthcare based in NYC by advocating wherever my mission and vision take me to serve my community.
I would like to keep doing my studies and research as long as my personal experience goes because that is the inspiration, focus and dedication I have found. It is really important to mention the power of yourself, embrace it and you’ll leave a legacy and important contribution to community.
Do something, ACT UP!
1. Department of health and human services 2021, Department of health and Human Services website, US government, <https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/history/hiv-and-aids-timeline>, accessed 30 October 2022,
2. Larry Kramer, The Normal Heart, New York City, (1985), Samuel French, INC, May 2023.
