A Girl Like Me LIVE

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 30: Lifetime Survivors

There are several terms with similar meanings that are used to describe HIV transmission at birth or early in life, and those who acquired HIV this way. Some terms come from the community itself, while others are more clinical – and some may be considered stigmatizing. It may be confusing for those who do not share this experience to know what term they ought to use. Many who were in attendance at the 2023 US Conference on HIV/AIDS were able to witness a historical moment where the community itself identified that they are to be referred to as “Lifetime Survivors” and/or “Dandelions”. More listening, more opportunities and spaces for women who acquired HIV early to connect – and more following the lead of women who have spent a lifetime figuring out, with few models is essential.

Join The Well Project for a very special episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE where Ci Ci is joined by three dynamic women: Kim Canady and Dandelions, Inc. Co-Executive Directors Antoinette Jones and Derinthia Williams to discuss the importance of identity, language, The Dandelions Movement, the US Conference on HIV/AIDS recap, and more!

This episode is going to be a great one! We can’t wait to see you there!

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 29: Women, Sexuality, and HIV

Human sexuality exists on a dazzling spectrum. There are many ways that individuals express, and describe, their romantic, physical, and/or emotional attractions to other people. While everyone is unique in the way they experience (or do not experience) attraction, there are groupings within the spectrum of sexuality that people may use to label that aspect of their identity. Labels can be awkward – though they can also help people find others who identify in similar ways, to find community or intimate partnership.

The Well Project invites you to join us for the 29th episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE for a discussion on women, sexuality, and HIV co-hosted by Ciarra "Ci Ci" Covin and community advisory board member Marnina Miller. These two powerful advocates engaged in a lively discussion on points related to how sexuality is defined sexuality and stigma, steps that one can take to find a community of support, and so much more! You are not going to want to miss this powerful discussion as The Well Project celebrates Pride Month!

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 28: Women Like Us -Aging Positively Combatting Loneliness and Isolation with HIV Building a Village

Research shows that loneliness is a factor in how well people age. When you add the feelings of stigma and shame that sometimes accompany life with HIV, these feelings can be magnified and may also bring a sense of isolation. Quality of life and the desire to engage in care may be negatively impacted when one is experiencing loneliness related to their HIV diagnosis. On Thursday, April 27th at 12pm ET, The Well Project streamed the first Women Like Us - Aging Positively episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE where The Well Project’s stakeholder liaison, Bridgette Picou, LVN, ACLPN was joined by long-time The Well Project collaborator and fierce advocate, Gina Brown, RSW as they discussed the different types of loneliness, factors unique to women that can increase these feelings, and the importance of building community as we age with HIV. This interactive discussion explores what contributes to loneliness, how women’s experiences of living with HIV can compound the problem, and what women can do to balance these feelings and learn to age positively! The dynamic conversation between these two advocates is one you won’t want to miss.

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 27: HIV, Women, and Sexual Pleasure

On Wednesday, March 29th, 12pm ET The Well Project hosted the 27th episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE where Ciarra "Ci Ci" Covin was joined by community advisory board member Kim Canady to discuss the topic of HIV, women, and sexual pleasure. The discussion includes highlights from The Well Project's poster presentation "Facilitating Engagement about Sex and Pleasure Between Providers and Women Living With HIV" at the 2023 International workshop on HIV and Women in Seattle, Washington, as well as presentations at USCHA and SisterSong's "Let’s Talk About Sex" conferences in 2022. Ci Ci and Kim discussed some key takeaways from the presentations, reactions from health care providers and community members, and some of The Well Project's SHE/HER/THEY educational resources. Don't miss this interactive and candid conversation as we continue to advocate for advancing HIV programming and care that is inclusive of the "whole woman".

Updates to the Perinatal HIV Clinical Guidelines!

The fourth session of Leadership Exchange LIVE (BEEEBAH Edition) features Ciarra “Ci Ci” Covin (The Well Project) and Lealah Pollock, MD, MS (University of California, San Francisco). Join this powerful discussion as they discuss recent updates to the Perinatal HIV Clinical Guidelines.

Updates to the section Infant Feeding for Individuals with HIV in the United States now assert the need for shared decision-making between providers and parents living with HIV and increased support from providers for parents' infant-feeding choices. This is big news!

Join this discussion to learn about these updates; hear Ci Ci relate her own experiences and describe what these changes can mean for women and other birthing people living with HIV; and listen as Lealah shares what this means more broadly for the landscape of breast/chestfeeding and HIV.

The Well Project's Leadership Exchange LIVE (BEEEBAH Editions) is a series of exchanges with thoughtleaders on breast/chestfeeding and HIV, a program that has been essential to our efforts to raise awareness, inspire action, and ensure that women living with HIV can experience their fundamental right to make informed, uncoerced infant-feeding decisions.

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 26: Advancing Meaningful Inclusion of All Women in HIV Research and Clinical Trials

Historically, women across the gender spectrum have been insufficiently included and involved in HIV research. Such exclusion has resulted in limited knowledge about important aspects of women’s experiences of HIV that would inform their active participation in decision-making about their health and well-being. Join us for a special A Girl Like Me LIVE where Ci Ci is joined by Women’s Research Initiative on HIV/AIDS member Tonia Poteat, PhD, MPH, PA-C to discuss the importance of including all women in HIV research.

This interactive discussion explores what contributes to the little knowledge about women’s experiences of living with HIV, how women can get involved in clinical trials or research development, and the importance of community engagement in advancing the meaningful inclusion of all women in HIV research, and more! This episode will be one that you don’t want to miss!

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 25: Coping with Mental Health around the Holidays

While the reasons are unclear, studies have shown that, in the general population, women are two times more likely to experience depression than men. Women living with HIV across the gender spectrum are even more likely than women in the general population to experience mental health challenges. The holiday season can be a tough time for many individuals, for many reasons, and having a community of support may prove to help cope with feelings of loneliness, isolation, and sadness. On Thursday December 15, 2022 The Well Project streamed its 25th episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE co-hosted by Ci Ci Covin and community advisory board members Heather O'Connor and Masonia Traylor as they explored ways to cope with mental health around the holidays. You're not going to want to miss this amazing discussion with these amazing women!

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 24: Talking to Teens about HIV and HIV Prevention

Talking with adolescents and teens about sex and HIV can be anxiety provoking, but these conversations are so important as we seek to ensure that they are equipped with accurate and up-to-date information about HIV prevention and awareness. It may not be the easiest conversation to have, but there are ways that you can educate yourself and resources to help you!

On October 26th at 12:00 pm ET, Ci Ci was joined by Kimberly Canady and Ieshia Scott, two long-time community advisory board members, for the 24th episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE. You're not going to want to miss the chance to learn from these advocates about how they have initiated the conversation about HIV prevention and awareness with youth in their communities, tips for when to begin talking with children, and what you can do to create a supportive and loving environment in which adolescents and teens will feel comfortable asking questions and empowered to make healthy life choices.

This episode is sponsored by Theratechnologies.

Visit https://cdn.fs.pathlms.com/4oiXe0vRdGQpqWg8RqwQ to view their Screening Guide for Lifestyle Diseases

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 23: Honoring National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day #NHAAD

September is recognized as Healthy Aging Month.

Join for a special A Girl Like Me LIVE in honor of National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (#NHAAD). In the US, the first cases of HIV emerged among young men, but today we know that the epidemic affects both women and men of all ages, including older women. Despite the tremendous improvements in HIV drugs that now enable many people to live long and healthy lives with HIV, there are ways that living and aging with HIV is different from aging while HIV-negative.

In the 23rd episode of A Girl Like Me LIVE, Ciarra “Ci Ci” Covin was joined by The Well Project founder Dawn Averitt for a powerful discussion about aging and HIV. Dawn, who was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, shared her experience as a woman who is aging while living HIV/AIDS, the importance of taking care of oneself, the need for research in women who are aging with HIV, and much more!

This episode is sponsored by Theratechnologies.

Visit https://cdn.fs.pathlms.com/4oiXe0vRdGQpqWg8RqwQ to view their Screening Guide for Lifestyle Diseases

A Girl Like Me LIVE Episode 22: Improving Patient-Provider Communication

The patient-provider relationship is established when a provider attends to the medical needs of a patient. Depending on a number of factors, this dynamic can have both positive and negative effects on the person receiving care. Strong patient-provider relationships established on trust, shared-decision making, and effective communication can have a positive impact on people living with HIV and these relationships often prove to have an impact on their overall health outcomes. On Wednesday August 31, 2022, 12pm EST, Ciarra “Ci Ci” Covin was joined by The Well Project Medical Editor, Theresa Mack, MD, MPH as they had an insightful conversation on the importance of patient-provider relationships for women living with HIV, share suggestions for overcoming barriers that may exist in this context, and much, much more!

This episode is sponsored by Theratechnologies.

Visit https://cdn.fs.pathlms.com/4oiXe0vRdGQpqWg8RqwQ to view their Screening Guide for Lifestyle Diseases