BlackDoctor.org is excited for this content partnership with The Red Pump Project to feature the Red Pump Stories, an initiative created to document the narratives, struggles, and successes of women living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. This initiative will further the mission of decreasing the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, and allow us to stand with women who have experienced first-hand the impact of this condition.
Andrea is the mother of five children, three of them are her biological children and the other two are her nieces. She’s single-handedly them raised since she was the young age of seventeen, after learning of her mother’s HIV-positive status at the age of ten years old. She struggled throughout her childhood to fit in, attended multiple schools and was displaced from home before finally graduating with honors. After being faced with several ultimatums, Andrea decided to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer.
At the age of eighteen, Andrea’s manuscript gained the attention of New York Times Best-Selling Author Terri Woods, but Andrea was too consumed with parenting to fully dedicate her time to writing. Determined to not allow her dream to slip away, Andrea continued her love for writing and founded iROC (Intelligently. Redefining. Our. Culture), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide children and families a vast amount of resources to nurture, mold and develop a superior view and understanding on the importance of knowledge.
In addition, iROC places extreme emphasis on HIV/AIDS outreach and awareness by hosting several events such as the annual Father Daughter Dance, Know Your Status Campaign and Red Tie Event. To learn more about Andrea, iROC and her experience in living with a mother who was HIV positive, read more below!Red Pump: What is your personal connection to HIV/AIDS?
Andrea Walker: When I was ten years old, I learned that my mother was HIV positive. She battled for over twelve years with the disease and died on my son’s second birthday, just two days after Christmas. We live in a world where the negative stigma associated with HIV/AIDS still deters many from educating themselves, thus perpetuating the cycle of individuals being unaware. I believe the stats now read 1 in 7 people are infected, and unaware.
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Red Pump: Do you believe stigma exists towards people living with HIV/AIDS and what actions have you taken to fight against the stigma?
Andrea Walker: Absolutely. In my personal life, I frequently speak with my children about HIV/AIDS and educate them on the importance of being educated about issues as such that can drastically affect our community and brutally crippled our family. In my professional life which gives me a larger platform through my nonprofit, iROC, I avidly host community events that provide HIV/AIDS awareness, onsite testing and counseling.
I am a conscious activist for HIV/AIDS awareness and last year I created the Know Your Status Campaign here in Philadelphia. At the event we tested nearly one hundred youth and provided a Red Tie Event to highlight those who were brave enough to take the pledge to continue to know their status. Each year, we hope to touch hundreds of lives during the campaign through HIV/AIDS testing, education and messaging to create awareness.
To read the rest of Andrea's interview, visit the Red Pump Project.
