Justin B. Terry-Smith has been involved in LGBTQ and HIV Activism since 1999. He is an Air Force 9/11 Disabled Vet. Raised in Silver Spring, MD, he now lives in Albuequerque, New Meixco with his husband Phil. He writes an HIV/STI Advice Column for A&U Magazine, is a Contributing writer for thebody.com, a Life Coach and an Adjunct Professor. He has earned his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease and his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Hey Everyone now that we are nearing the end of 2018, A&U Magazine has just announced the very best columns of 2018. AND GUESS WHAT? My column Just*in Time made the cut. A&U Magazine stated, “Collected here for you are our very best columns from 2018, work by Justin B Terry-Smith, Corey Saucier, George M Johnson, John Francis Leonard, and Hank Trout.” Such a proud moment for me Thank you all for your support. To see the list of A&U Magazine’s Very Best Columns of 2018 click here or click the link below
As of 2018, there are about 37 million people living with HIV, one of those people is a 99-year-old man living in Lisbon Portugal. Researchers have dubbed him The Lisbon Patient. The man has decided to keep his identification for fear of being stigmatized but the public, so I will call him Miguel. Miguel is faithful with his medical appointment and HIV medications. In 2004 at the age of 84 Miguel had trouble breathing and was rushed to the hospital, there doctors found that he had an HIV related cancer. The doctors were able to treat his cancer and now I believe Miguel is cancer free but was diagnosed with HIV. He is now the oldest living patient with HIV. The doctor believes he has been HIV positive 25 years before his diagnosis, through heterosexual sex. Meaning at around the age 60 he was infected with HIV. Doctors are now studying his blood to unlock some of the mysteries of HIV. He has some vision and hearing loss but hey that old age for you, and not HIV.
I want to introduce my friend Richard Flores who is a Filmmaker. He came out with a Documentary about HIV/AIDS which can be seen on YouTube.com. The Documentary is called, “H.I.V: Hope Inspires Victory”. The film truly looks at the origins and timeline of HIV/AIDS. When approached to do the film by Flores I jumped at the change because I felt he was authentic and truthful. He didn’t twist the story what he shot is what he produced. It was great to work with him. Other than me he recruited other persons to be in the film. The other participants are Charles Sanchez, Donnie Bell, and Stephen Hart. The film in its entirety can be found on YouTube by click on the link below or it can be seen here on my blog as well.
Hey everyone good news I'm now a certified Life Coach. Let me start off by saying thank you, everyone, who had confidence in me and encouraging words for me. Life coaching is a synergistic relationship between an accredited life coach and a client designed to tap into your full potential. Just as Olympic athletes wouldn’t think of training without the added insight, objective perspective and enthusiastic support of an athletic coach, many of today’s most successful business leaders, professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and CEOs use the services of a life coach to take their lives, careers, or businesses to the next level (Lifecoach.com).
I will be taking clients that are willing and wanting to go through the journey of decreasing their address limitations, increasing their chances of fulfilling their goals. My husband Dr. Philip Terry-Smith is also a Life Coach. We have a business called, “Coach Positive”, which can be found at coachpositive.com. I will work with everyone but I am more knowledgeable about relationships, education, and career. I can work with anyone under the sun. To request an appointment with me you can start by going to my Facebook page Justin B Terry-Smith – DrPH at https://www.facebook.com/justifans/ or you can e-mail me at JustinTerrySmith@gmail.com
I decided to do the African Ancestry DNA Test because I wanted to know where my African Ancestry came from. I needed to know as a Black person who understands how important it is to know one’s history. I truly believe that you do not know where you are going if you don’t know or understand where you come from Slavery has stripped away identifies that we as Black Americans have lost and thisis truly a tragedy.
Using the potheyr of DNA and the most comprehensive database of indigenous African genetic sequences in existence, African Ancestry is the ONLY company that can trace one’s ancestry back to a specific present-day African country and ethnic group of origin dating back more than 500 years ago. If the results are from another continent, they also provide that information.
Everyone carries in their DNA a series of indicators that provide information about their ancestry. This information is passed from generation to generation and can tell a profound story about where someone comes from and highlight a person’s connections to modern-day Africa.
Depending on which test you purchase, they analyze either the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that a person inherited from your mother, the Y chromosome that men inherit from their fathers or autosomal DNA that you inherit from both parents. A simple swab from inside your cheek is all they need to begin the process.
You share information within the genes they extract that is unchanged through every branch of your family tree. In other words, they identify the unique fingerprint that you share with your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on along a single lineage.
Utilizing pioneering genetic scientific methods, they look closely for markers or mutations that indicate where in the world your ancestry is found. If your genes indicate Africa, they then compare them to the world’s largest database of African lineages to determine the present-day African country and ethnic group with which you share maternal or paternal ancestry.
Discovering your roots is an important and truly emotional experience. Once your ancestry has been determined, they provide information about your country of origin so that you can begin to re-connect with your roots. They also provide access to an exclusive online community of others who have also started the journey to find their true identity.
PrEP, PrEP and more PrEP. PrEP has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 2012 and prevents the transmission of HIV from one person to another up to ninety-two percent, with others saying ninety-nine percent.
Men who have sex with men whose sexual activities were categorized as high risk, a demographic that is most vulnerable to HIV infection, was one of the populations for which PrEP was first indicated. However, not everyone who is gay or bi, or same-gender-loving, has heard of PrEP.
While in Chicago for an event that catered to MSM, I noticed a young gay man who seemed very curious to know others in my group. So, I befriended him because I was curious to know where he was in his life and where his head was at. He was an early twenty-something and I asked his profession and he said he was a server at a restaurant and had dropped out of college. I then asked, “Have you heard of PrEP?” He replied, “No, what is PrEP?” I was shocked and surprised. I wondered why this young man had not heard of PrEP.
When I started my doctoral study and thought about a possible public health dissertation topic, I wanted to focus on something other than HIV. There were several options such as childhood obesity, drug abuse, smoking, etc., but my mind would not stop thinking about that young gay man who had no idea what PrEP was. I couldn’t get him out of my head.
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Happy Halloween, everyone. This month I’ll be addressing stigma and sex workers. Sex workers can be of all genders, sexual orientations, races, and any sex. They face so many challenges created by people’s negative opinions of their professions, HIV stigma, police brutality, etc. We need to address these issues in our community as a whole to decrease discrimination, stigma, and HIV acquisitions.
According to the CDC (2016), sex workers are “people who exchange sex for money or nonmonetary items” and are at increased risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV and other STIs because they are more likely to engage in risky sexual practices and substance use
So, what are some factors that keep sex workers at risk for acquiring HIV/STIs?
To read the whole article click here or go to the link below
Israel is beautiful. I had a blast. I visited a lot of places while staying in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem was one of my favorites, I was able to see all four corners (Jewish, Christian, Armenian, and Muslim). We went to Jaffa and that was beautiful as well. You could see Tel Aviv off in the distance and it was beautiful. Zippori National Park was amazing with ruins and mosaics. My absolute favorite was the Dead Sea. The mud covering with my friends was fun but also it made me closer to Israel in a way, closer than I ever thought possible. Walking into the Dead Sea and floating out on my back was as peaceful as I have ever been. Praying to the Wailing Wall made me weep because it was so powerful. I don’t want to go on and on about my experience. So here is a brief description of places I went to.
Mona Lisa of Zippori
Zippori is a village and an archeological site located in the central Galilee region of Israel. It lies 286 m above sea level and overlooks the Beit Netofa Valley. The site holds a rich and diverse historical and architectural legacy that includes Hellenistic, Jewish, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader, Arabic and Ottoman influences.
The Western Wall in Jerusalem, Wailing Wall, or Kotel, known in Islam as the Buraq Wall, is an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall, known also in its entirety as the "Western Wall"
Ein Gedi, just aside the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert, not too far from Jerusalem, is one of Israel’s premier hiking spots, featuring spectacular beauty, varied landscapes, and botanical gardens.
Masada is an ancient fortress in southern Israel’s Judean Desert. It's on a massive plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. A cable car and a long, winding path climb up to the fortifications, built around 30 B.C. Among the ruins are King Herod's Palace, which sprawls over 3 rock terraces, and a Roman-style bathhouse with mosaic floors. The Masada Museum has archaeological exhibits and recreations of historical scenes.
The Sea of Galilee, Kinneret or Kinnereth, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is approximately 53 km in circumference, about 21 km long, and 13 km wide. Its area is 166.7 km² at its fullest, and its maximum depth is approximately 43 m.
Jaffa, in Hebrew Yafo, or in Arabic Yaffa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is an ancient port city in Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon and Saint Peter as well as the mythological story of Andromeda and Perseus, and later for its oranges.
Tiberias is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Established around 20 CE, it was named in honor of the second emperor of the Roman Empire, Tiberius. In 2017 it had a population of 43,664.
Hey, everyone, I hope all is well. Fall is here and the
first holiday that comes to mind is Labor Day. Does anyone know what this
holiday is about? And, no, it isn’t about pregnant women going into labor.
Labor Day is more about the labor movement and the contributions that workers
have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country.
This month, I’d like to shine a spotlight on those who work with us to keep us
healthy. I know there are a lot of us that absolutely hate having to deal with
doctors or any public health professional, but maybe knowing more about what
public health professionals do and why they can be an important part of our HIV
journey might take the sting out.
To see the rest of the article Click Here or the link below
What do you do when feeling rejected by family members when you come out of the HIV closet?
I thought about the month of August and how it is a big month for my family.
My father’s and mother’s birthdays are both in August, and, to celebrate those two dates, I always send them a little something in the mail. My father will tell me and my brother to only call or send him a card. I will usually send my mother her favorite flowers. Also, my brother’s wedding anniversary was in August as well. He had an awesome wedding in Jamaica and married a beautiful woman that I am proud to call sister. August is also when I said “I do” to the most wonderful man in the world. So, when I think of August, I think of my family, but not all of us are lucky enough to have a supportive family.
Coming out of the HIV closet is even harder without the support of one’s family. Here are six points to remember as you consider having and/or navigating this discussion
Richard Flores from Richard Plus Films has made a documentary called, ‘H.I.V Hope Inspires Victory’. He has released a trailer for the documentary which stars the current cast members Stephen Hart, Charles Sanchez, Donnie Bell and Dr. Justin B Terry-Smith and Joshua Luckey-Riddle (Luckey)- Singer of "This Spirit" song soundtrack. Stay Tuned to get more information on the documentary.
The first series of Discovery Life’s Reversed was geared toward changing views on diabetes, educating and inspiring viewers to know how to prevent and fight against the disease. Produced by Emmy-nominated actor, author, producer, chef, and philanthropist Charles Mattocks, Reversed now seeks to change views on HIV.
The nephew of Bob Marley, Mattocks has had a successful musical career. He has also starred in several films, as well. His most noteworthy performance came with the title role of The Summer of Ben Tyler, with James Woods and Elizabeth McGovern, and he has appeared on CNN, Dr. Oz, and The Today Show, among others.
To see the full interview click here or go to the link below
As most of you know I’m a Jew and proud of it. Many of us that did not grow up in a Jewish household feel as though we missed out on a lot of things that have to deal with Jewish culture. I’m Jewish by blood but I grew up in a Christian household. There are many Jewish people that do not practice Judaism, but I practice Judaism now. As many of you know I graduated this year with my Doctorate in Public Health. 3 long years of studying has finally paid off and now it’s time to treat myself but also, it’s my time to focus on my spiritual journey as well. So, as a graduation present to myself, I’M GOING TO ISRAEL. I’m super excited and I want you guys to come with me. BUT I would like my readers and watchers to give me suggestions on places to visit and things to see. Also, if you live in Israel I would love to meet up and hang out. Hit me up with suggestions in my comment box. THANKS A BUNCH, and MAZEL TOV to me 😉
After the
International AIDS Conference 2018 in Amsterdam I received an e-mail from the
Creator of the Reality TV Show Reversed.He asked me to do a Press Release for him.I looked over the press release and to my
pleasant surprise I read that he was going to do a Reality TV Show on people
who have been infected with HIV.This
has never been done in history, the first Reality show on people who have been
infected with HIV.This show will focus
on reversing the participants view on how to live healthier lives mentally,
physically, emotionally and on some level spiritually.This is so important to our community and the
world because people around the world are still becoming infected with
HIV.The general population needs to see
how living with HIV affects people who are infected.The stigma is still strong.Many people living with HIV think they are
not worth being cared for or even loved.The reality show will have casting calls for participant and will have a
staff or experts, professional and activist.This show will be shot in the beautiful country of Jamaica.When I was approached by the Creator Charles
Mattocks, nephew of Bob Marley, created the show which first focused on
Diabetes, to bring more awareness HIV and fighting HIV stigma.Education is key and by this show airing on
Discovery Life it will give a chance for the general population to get a
glimpse of what it is like living with HIV.
REVERSED, AN ACCLAIMED REALITY SHOW WITH A DIABETES FOCUS, LOOKS TO EXPAND TO HIV
POSTED ON JULY 30, 2018
July 30, 2018 – Emmy nominated actor, author, producer, chef and philanthropist, Charles Mattocks, has a hit show, ‘Reversed’, which is now expanding its reach to tackle HIV.
‘Reversed’ is the first ever diabetes docu-series that aired on Discovery network. Show creator Charles Mattocks shot to limelight with the series to become a leading advocate for diabetes treatments since being diagnosed about nine years ago. The show is now expanding beyond diabetes to tackle the menace of HIV.
Charles has taken inspiration from his late uncle Bob Marley, and has had a successful musical career, and has also starred in several films. His most notable performance came with the title role of ‘The Summer of Ben Tyler’, with James Woods and Elizabeth McGovern. He is a published author with the ADA, a Blue Circle champion with the IDF, and has appeared on shows on CNN, Dr Oz and The Today Show, apart from others. He created ‘Reversed’ to reach out to people who needed education and inspiration to fight with diabetes.
Reality show ‘Reversed’ will tackle HIV after Charles was inspired by one of the stars on his show, who came out with his status. Charles felt the need to use the same format to help educate others as he himself was not well informed and left in shock by Jerome coming out about his diagnosis.
Charles states, “I truly knew very little about HIV and felt bad that I was worried about Jerome being on the show and not knowing. So I wanted to educate myself and others. ‘Reversed HIV’ will take five guests living with the disease in various stages and bring in experts to help work with them to live their best life with the condition.”
Many people have other conditions, many have family and relationship issues, and the list goes on. These can hinder them and find them isolated or depressed. ‘Reversed’ aims to become a voice and allow millions to be inspired to share their stories and know there is hope and many are thriving.
‘Reversed’ is currently casting for guests on the show and is looking to partner with many companies and non-profits in the HIV space to help make a major impact.
To set up an interview with Charles, please contact: Dan Goldberg – 813 679 4011
For more information, please visit: http://charlesmattocks.com
Hey, everyone, I DID IT. Here is my commencement video To see me walk across that stage go 35 seconds into the video. Thank you to all my family. My Dad, his girlfriend, my Mom, stepfather, my brother and his wife were all in attendance. Most especially thank you to my rock, my husband and co-parent Dr. Philip Terry-Smith who also graduated with his Doctorate from Walden University (Circa 1992). After 3 long years of study and hard work, I graduated with my Doctorate in Public Health from Walden University in Minneapolis Minnesota. It's now Dr. J. I really feel solidified in my education, by saying out loud and proud I am an expert in my field.
Since I’m a veteran of the military (a disabled Air Force vet) there are several dates throughout the year that touch me: Memorial Day, to remember all who have fallen in the line of duty, Veterans Day. to remember all of us who have served in the military, and then there is the Fourth of July, when we remember how the United States of American was able to fight off the British to gain its independence. I also remember all those who are currently serving.
Often, I come across people who are unclear about what happens or what might happen to someone who becomes HIV-positive while in the military. Let me set the facts straight and also give you my take about military policy.
To see the rest of the article click here or the link below
"The military has done a major disservice to those who have acquired HIV while serving in the military and those of us who are already positive and want to join the military."
What Is an HIV Long-Term Survivor? Five People With HIV Grapple With the Question
HIV Long-Term Survivor's Day is here! (6/5/2018) I have often wondered whether I am considered a long-term survivor. I've been positive for only 13 years. I personally don't know whether I am considered a long-term survivor, but it has somewhat felt that way. I've buried friends that have denied their own HIV status; because of the stigma they felt from family and the outside world, they let illness consume them instead of facing it head-on. But I was born in 1979 and will never remember the early epidemic and how there were people dying every day of AIDS. I decided to interview five people who have been HIV positive between 10 and 30-plus years to better understand what being a long-term survivor means and to learn about some of the challenges they face or may face.
The people who spoke to me come from different backgrounds, one is an African-American gay man, and two are Caucasian gay men. One is a woman who found out she was positive when she was pregnant, and the other is a heterosexual hemophiliac. I wanted volunteers from a diverse circle to get different perspectives on what they thought a long-term survivor is.
To see the interviews, click here or the link below
Justin's Dissertation Gets Published and it's Dr. Justin B Terry-Smith NOW!!
Justin's Dissertation, 'Factors Influencing Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men' gets Published. Many of you have been with me on this journey. It has taken me 3 years but I have finally completed my Doctor in Public Health (DrPH). Link to Dissertation either Click Here or the link below https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5273/
Do you ParTy? I get this question all the time on apps like Grindr, Jack’d, Scruff or Growlr. Okay, more on Grindr. But I have the same reply no matter what app the person hits me up on, “I’m not interested.” Don’t get me wrong, back in my twenties, Papa was a rolling stoned, young man.
Now I’m thirty-eight and I’m a little wiser and a less of a wild child. But I can say I’ve never ever tried meth and I have no intention to in the future. I can honestly say I don’t judge anyone who does meth, but I cannot give any part of myself to them. It’s not judgment, but I can’t trust the person on it. Being HIV-positive, I can only imagine how it interacts with one’s body. Instead of complaining about it, I’ve decided to educate myself and others on the detriments of meth to your HIV-positive body.
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Grindr, which is a major Queer dating app recently said that they would offer their users a feature that reminded the users to get tested for HIV. But one week after they announced they would offer this feature it was leaked that Grindr was sharing its users’ HIV status and the last date tested with the companies Apptimize and Localytics. Apptimize and Localytics are social marketing companies that basically help apps like Grindr become more popular and attractive.
There is more to worry about. Along with HIV status and last day tested. Information on users such as GPS data, phone ID, and email, an individual’s status could easily be discovered.
Buzzfeed was informed by the Norwegian researcher from the non-profit SINTEF that “The HIV status is linked to all the other information. That’s the main issue,” said Pultier. “I think this is the incompetence of some developers that just send everything, including HIV status.”
Before this incident Grindr yet again had another security flaw. User were able to see who had blocked them. NBC reported that, “The security flaw was identified by Trever Faden, CEO of the property management startup Atlas Lane, after he created a website called C*ckblocked” (the asterisk is part of the name of the service), NBC News reported.
That flaw also allowed users access to others’ location data, which NBC News reported could “lead to increased harassment — especially in places where homosexuality is criminalized.”
Futhermore, NBC stated. “His website allowed users to see who blocked them on Grindr after they entered their Grindr username and password. Once they did so, Faden was able to gain access to a trove of user data that is not publicly available on user profiles, including unread messages, email addresses, deleted photos, and the location data of users, some of whom have opted to not share their locations publicly.”
