Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Diversity Dialogue: Gina Brown


The Office of Diversity and Inclusion was honored to have Ms. Gina Brown at Tarleton State University to discuss HIV/AIDS. Gina currently serves as a Medical Case Manager at Priority Health Care, Inc., on the Positive Women’s Network; United States of America’s Board of directors and is a regional organizer for AIDS United.  Among all of these things Gina Brown was recently sworn in as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). The event was held on November 12, 2014 with nearly 100 attendees. During the event, Gina told her story, gave some advice about how to prevent HIV/AIDS, and how to live a life with HIV/AIDS. She concluded with answering some questions from the audience.

Gina’s story is one of an individual living with HIV/AIDS. She learned she was infected in 1994 while pregnant with her daughter. She assumed her diagnosis was a death sentence and she began to plan her funeral. With the stigma surrounding HIV at that time she felt isolated and humiliated only telling her mother and two sisters about her disease. A year later she was still alive and decided she was going to live. Through her journey with HIV she learned her voice was an important asset in helping other women living in her similar situation.

Following the event with Gina, free HIV/AIDS testing became available to the Tarleton community through a partnership with Student Social Work Association, Gay Straight Alliance, and Diversity and Inclusion. Many walked over to the humanities building for a chance to participate. Over 50 individuals took advantage of this free testing, proactively discovering their status.

Gina’s mission of spreading her message and the story of HIV/AIDS was actively given to the Tarleton community. This event touched the lives of many, giving them the knowledge needed to live a healthy and long life, HIV positive or negative. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is proud to have sponsored such an event and continues to be dedicated to sharing Gina’s message. Any questions regarding this event are always welcome to be brought to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion through email at diversitytsu@gmail.com or via phone at 254-968-9488.


“We've got to educate and empower women. We've got to get them to understand that HIV can affect anybody.” – Gina Brown

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