When David first walked through the doors of Aliveness Project in February of 2000, he was scared. He had just been diagnosed with HIV at 21, navigating life as a young man living with trauma, addiction, and fear. “It went from fear and terror,” he says, “to pride, activism, and acceptance.”
Now 25 years later, David isn’t just surviving, he’s thriving. He’s a longtime member, a 4 year kitchen volunteer, a public speaker, a published writer, and a source of kindness and patience for everyone he meets.
David’s journey with Aliveness began thanks to a card from the Red Door Clinic. Years later, after completing long-term treatment, he came back. This time, to give back! “Aliveness was the first place that helped me, so when I needed to volunteer, I knew where I was going,” he says. “I’m part of the HIV community. I want to give back to my community. Aliveness gives me a chance to do this. It makes me feel like a worthwhile person.”
David is the face of resilience. David lived through years of drug use, trauma, and homelessness. But he found strength in treatment and faith.
Today, David has been sober for over 17 years. He works at Burlington Coat Factory, volunteers at Aliveness, and is engaged to his partner Elliott who is also in recovery and a fellow member. “Being around David makes me sober,” Elliott says. “He doesn’t give up on people. He has a lot of patience.” David smiles, “He shows me how much he loves me. I’m his only one.”
For David, Aliveness has been life-saving. “I used the housing program and Every Penny Counts program. It was really really nice. When I was an addict, I would mess up my rent and my bills. Every Penny Counts saved me from myself, from getting fired, they helped me with my phone bill, getting first and last months rent, getting my deposit, ect. If not for them I would have been homeless or on the corner. They were amazing.”
David is a fierce advocate, whether speaking at schools or educating his Uber drivers. He has even successfully brought in a Lyft driver to get them tested! “I tell people about PrEP, I tell people that it’s a preventative measure, it’s not a cure, it helps combat HIV. I tell people that HIV is no longer a death sentence, it is an annoyance but not a plague.
His favorite memory? Helping write an anthology of stories by Aliveness members.
When asked what he’d tell someone newly diagnosed, David doesn’t hesitate: “There are tons of people with HIV and tons of people who don’t have HIV and who are accepting and positive and will love you regardless. It takes patience and understanding how people feel before and after they turn positive, give them grace and give yourself grace to live as a positive person. It’s okay to stumble and be afraid. Everyone does it differently. I’ve had HIV for 25 years and I haven’t gotten sick once. I take my meds religiously. I am undetectable. It might be terrifying right now but it is not the end of the world.”
And his dream for Aliveness? “To keep growing. To reach more people. To expand into other cities because what Aliveness does is so important.
David, thank you for your voice and your heart. Your journey is proof that HIV doesn’t define a life. We are so lucky to get to be beside you.
We can’t wait to see where you go next.
