Justin's HIV Journal: Maryland Renaissance Festival, Prince for A Day?

Since I was a little boy I remember a certain John Singleton movie called, "Boyz N Tha Hood". In that movie it depicts a young man and a group of his friends who were growing up in the ghettos of LA. Laurence Fishburne played the father of the young man, who had just been moved to LA by his mother, who is played by Angela Bassett. The thing that stuck out in my mind was when Fishburne told the boy that he was the Prince which in turn made Fishburne the King. He also I believe called their house a Kingdom. When it came to chores Fishburne told the boy, "Right now, the king says it's time for the prince to go to bed". I thought a lot about my own Father and how our house was really like that. I got whatever I wanted as long as I took care of the Kingdom and myself.

This got me thinking a lot of us who are HIV positive don't think much about being a Prince for a day for just cherishing life. I decided to go to the Maryland Renaissance Fair as Prince Justinian of Moco (Montgomery County) from the Province of Russett and I loved it. My friends Spike and Lisa got me a crown. I loved it but maybe it did go to my head just a tad. ROFLMAO Okay more often than not. My husband had this look of "OH GOD I hope he doesn't keep it or have it on in the house". Sometimes you just got to treat yourself. I decided to do this because I want people to know that YES you can still be that little Prince of Princess that you wanted to be when you were younger. You can still be whatever you want to be when you were younger.
Don't let HIV steal your dreams or your life. Strive to be the best you can be in whatever you do. Be happy and don't get bogged down. I know it's easy to beat yourself up or to think less of yourself but you have to push on and move on up. The more you think more of yourself the more you will better take care of your kingdom. I know I have bad habits of my own and I accept them and try to change them. It all takes time, but I still strive to be better.
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP and be that little Prince or Princess you've always wanted to be. Or whatever you've wanted to be. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

Justin's HIV Journal: HIV positive 13 y/o Honor Student DENIED Education...

A 13 year old teenager was denied entry into the Milton Hershey School of Hershey, PA because he is HIV positive. The spokesperson for the Hershey School, Connie McNamara has said,

"We had to balance his rights and interests with our obligation to provide for the health and safety of other students," she said. "And this meets a direct threat."

I teenager with HIV is NOT a threat to anyone. How dare the Milton School in this day in age do something so damn ignorant? I cannot believe that this is going on today. McNamara knows very well that HIV is not transmitted through everyday behavior, so she says this statement:

"Our kids are no different than teenagers anywhere else," she said. "Despite encouraging abstinence, we can not be 100 percent certain our kids are not engaging in sexual activity."
Honestly is this the reason you are citing. This is pathetic and the educators that are doing this should be educated themselves. READ A BOOK. How dare you deny this young man the education that he so justly deserves? What is the matter with you? You should be denied the right to educators because of these discriminatory acts towards this young man.
McNamara also said this

"We looked at the law and our unique program and made the best decision we could," she said. "Our heart goes out to this young man."

I don't anyone who denies a child an education has a heart and if they do its cold as ice. Unfortunately history has reared its ugly head again. Ryan White has to go through a lot trying to get into public school because he had AIDS. Hopefully this young man will come out on top like White did.

Did you also know today is Ryan White's birthday?

Justin's HIV Journal A Mother's Love for her HIV + son

Sometimes I get personal e-mails about my blog and I haven't really shared them with you all. But I think I will start to do so, but of course changing the names so that I protect people's identities. I received this e-mail from a woman I'm going to call Amanda. She and her son discovered he was HIV+ and this letter made me cry.......twice.

"Dear Justin,

I have spent the last two hours listening to your YouTube blog. I just want to tell you how much of a blessing your words have been. My son (______) and I learned two weeks ago that he has HIV. Life has been a roller coaster since then, as you well know. We have seen so many doctors and specialist that my head and his is spinning. He is so sick right now that he can't see this disease as anything but a death sentence. He had outpatient surgery Thursday for an infection related to the disease, and his plans to start school on Tuesday have had to be put off. Right now, he is feeling pretty hopeless. Right now, he doesn't want anyone but me and his step-dad to know about his diagnosis. I see his daily depression getting worse and worse. I mentioned he might consider therapy when he feels better, but he worries that he will run into someone he knows. I know I can't be his sole support. I feel like I would like to find support, but I wouldn't want to "Out" him in any way. He has had more confusion and angst about admitting he is gay than I did in telling people my son was gay. It is not my secret to tell, but I pray he can someday feel confident enough to share what he is going through. Meanwhile, I want to do what I can with my limited knowledge. So, in my effort to see what was out there, I started Googling, "living with HIV," your videos came up on the screen. I was terrified that your story would be a story of hopelessness. How amazing was it to find that your message was that of hope.

I plan to share your videos with my son, ______. I hope they will inspire him the way they inspired me. I read somewhere that there were people who sent you ugly emails and you considered stopping. I hope you don't. Because your videos were there, you helped a frightened mom see that HIV does not mean the end. I can now say to my son without hesitation, "See, Justin is out there living and loving. He's fighting HIV and he is WINNING!" Thank you so much for telling your story and thank you for being a living testament to Moms and young men who are new to this fight. Today, you were my Moses leading me out of the darkness. Be blessed, Justin.

Best always,
Amanda"

This was so moving to me...
To her son I say Don't Give Up stay in the game. You mother is trying and she loves you very much. Be gentle with her you will need her and she will need you stay strong.

Justin's HIV Journal New HIV Meds and Rosacea

Regime Change and Rosacea

In 2008 I started my HIV medications my first regime was Truvada, Reyataz, and Norvir a three pill a day regime that my body, at least at first, was fine dealing with. Then after a couple of months of taking the medication my eyes began to turn yellow and my new doctor said that Jaundice is why your eyes are turning yellow. Jaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jaundice can be a symptom of other health problems. Every day, a small number of red blood cells in your body die, and are replaced by new ones. The liver removes the old blood cells, forming bilirubin. The liver helps break down bilirubin so that it can be removed by the body in the stool. When too much bilirubin builds up in the body, jaundice may result. Jaundice can occur if there are too many red blood cells are dying or breaking down and going to the liver, the liver is overloaded or damaged and/or the bilirubin from the liver is unable to move through the digestive tract properly. So because of that I was put on another regime

The second regime that I was put on was Prezista, Truvada, and Norvir. That is a four a day regime. I often wondered if the reason why I sometimes forgot to take my meds is because of how many medications I had to take daily. My T-Cells remained the same but were not where they needed to be. My T-Cells have been as high at 500 to as low as 300, and right now they are the later. I’m starting to cut back more and more or bad habits like smoking and drinking. But now I’ve been put on a new regime called Complera.

I started Complera about 1 week ago; it is a 1 pill a aday regime. The FDA approved the new drug this year. It’s been about a week and I haven’t had any bad things or side effects yet. I’m just now very tired usually, but the other side effects haven’t happened to me. I’m very happy about this one pill a day regime this is what I’ve been waiting for and I’m so happy about it. Now there are side effects to Complera

Side Effects of Complera

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Complera:

Back pain; cough; darkened skin color on the palms of hands or soles of feet; diarrhea; dizziness; gas; headache; indigestion; joint pain; loss of appetite; mild stomach pain or discomfort; nausea; sinus drainage; skin discoloration (small spots or freckles); strange dreams; tiredness; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weakness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Complera:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); bone pain; chest pain; fever; irregular heartbeat; mental or mood changes (eg, depression, unusual negative thoughts, anxiety, restlessness); muscle pain or weakness; numbness, burning, pain, or tingling; severe or persistent dizziness; severe or persistent nausea, vomiting, or stomach or back pain; shortness of breath; suicidal thoughts or behaviors; symptoms of kidney problems (eg, increased or decreased urination, increased thirst); symptoms of lactic acidosis (eg, unusual weakness or tiredness; unusual muscle pain; fast or difficult breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feeling cold, especially in the arms and legs; dizziness or light-headedness; fast or irregular heartbeat); symptoms of liver problems (eg, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite).

SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS I WOULD GET THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS AS IF I WAS ON ANY OTHER MEDICATIONS. LMAO OKAY NOT A BIG DEAL.

Tony Mills, MD, Director of Medical Research, Anthony Mills MD, Inc. and a participating investigator in ongoing Complera studies, said:

"In the 30 years since the first AIDS cases were reported, we've made incredible strides in the treatment of this disease. The concept of a single-tablet regimen has become a goal in HIV drug development, and the standard of care in medical practice in the United States. However, no one therapy is appropriate for all patients.

Given its efficacy, safety and convenience, the availability of Complera represents an exciting milestone in addressing the individual needs of patients new to HIV therapy."

Complera's approval is supported by data from two Phase III active controlled, double blind, randomized studies carried out by Tibotec. The ECHO and THRIVE trials evaluated rilpivirine compared to efavirenz for efficacy and safety among HIV-1 infected adults who had not received medications before. John C. Martin, PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gilead Sciences, said:

"Complera is the second complete single-tablet regimen that Gilead has introduced, and it represents a collaboration between two organizations that share a vision of simplifying HIV therapy for patients. Tremendous progress has been made in the field of HIV, but we recognize new therapies are still needed, and we continue to work to advance options that address the needs of patients."

Gilead wrote that Complera is the second complete antiretroviral treatment regimen for treatment-naïve HIV-1 patients in a single pill that is taken once a day. The first was Atripla (efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg), which is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead.

But I am the producer for and event which at times can be stressful around the same time of year. Because of this stress I’ve been diagnosed with Rosacea. Rosacea is a chronic skin condition involving inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids. It may appear as redness, prominent spider-like blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne. Symptoms are Redness of the face in discrete areas or covering the entire face, A tendency to flush or blush easily, Increased number of spider-like blood vessels (telangiectasia) of the face, A red, bulbous nose, Acne-like skin eruptions (may ooze or crust), A burning or stinging sensation of the face, Irritated, bloodshot, watery eyes

INFORMATION ON ROSACEA

There is no known cure for rosacea. The goal is to identify and avoid possible triggers, and thus reduce flare-ups. By keeping a symptom diary to identify the specific triggers you may have, you may be able to see a pattern of what makes your rosacea worse. Use this information to avoid future flare-ups.
Here are some steps that may help: Avoid sun exposure. Use sunscreen every day, Avoid prolonged exertion in hot weather, Try to reduce stress. Try deep breathing, yoga, or other relaxation techniques, Limit spicy foods, alcohol, and hot beverages.
Triggers vary from person to person. Other triggers may include wind, hot baths, cold weather, specific skin products, exercise, or other factors.
Antibiotics taken by mouth (such as tetracycline, minocycline, or doxycycline) or applied to the skin (such as metronidazole) may control skin eruptions. Other medications (isoretinol or Accutane), which are similar to vitamin A, are stronger alternatives that your doctor or dermatologist might consider. Rosacea is not acne and will not improve with over-the-counter acne treatment.
In severe cases, laser surgery may help reduce the redness. Surgical reduction of enlarged nose tissue may also improve your appearance, if you so choose.
AND YES BLACK PEOPLE DO GET ROSECEA TOO. I can’t tell you how many people have said to me “Really??, I didn’t know black people got Rosecea”. Come on people JEEZ!!!

Justin's HIV Journal: Gay Men's HIVAIDS Awareness Day 2011

It is Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This horrible disease has effected, affected and infected us long enough. If you're HIV positive I ask you to stand tall with me and if you're HIV negative I ask you to stand tall with them. Love your HIV positive brothers they need you, WE NEED YOU !!!!! LOVE EACH OTHER DAMN BUT LOVE YOURSELF TOO, WRAP IT UP !!!

Jacob Nathaniel Pring, Paul Kawata and I were being honored by the DC Center and it was truly an honor. This was the original program from the DC Center facebook event.

The DC Center on Tuesday, September 27th, from 7PM to 9PM for Gay Men's HIV Awareness Day. We will be honoring those who have been making a difference for gay, bisexual, and transgender men, who are regularly effected by HIV/AIDS, in our local community. They will include:

Justin B. Terry-Smith: Justin is a local author of the children's book I Have A Secret, which discusses a child living with HIV/AIDS, and his desi...re to share this with others. Justin wrote this book motivated by an interest in Pediatric AIDS. Just is also the author of Justin's HIV Journal, which is also about living in the DC area with HIV/AIDS.

Paul Kawata: Paul has been the Executive Director of the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) for more than twenty years, and has grown into an important organization helping communities of color in the DC area and nationally through other partners. Before NMAC, he was the founding Executive Director of the National AIDS Network. Paul also organized three annual National Skills Building Conferences, as well as the National AIDS Fund.

Jacob Pring: Jacob Pring Events is the founder of POZ, which are events for people who are HIV-positive, but also for those who don't have hang-ups on dating people who are HIV-positive, as well as friends and supporters of those who are HIV-positive. Jacob is also an active volunteer with LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations in the District, and has coordinated the recent Team DC Sports Fair as well as the recent city-wide LGBT Voluneer Fair.

Justin's HIV Journal: What if your Food Server was HIV positive?

FORGIVE THE SOUND PROBLEM

On April 8, 2011, the US Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis hosted a national Roundtable on HIV and Employment at which I was honored to testify. Representatives of the US Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission testified as well.

As of 2009, Congress passed legislation that specifically included HIV/AIDS in the protections of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) that prohibits against discrimination in hiring or employment. If you have problems, you have rights and can get help.

Thank you Mark Fischer for the information

Justin's HIV Journal: HIV Profile Ryan White

Ryan White was born on December 6, 1971 in Kokomo, Indiana. When he was three days old, doctors informed his parents that he had hemophilia, an inherited disease in which the blood does not clot. People who have this disease are vulnerable, since an injury as simple as a paper cut can lead to dangerous bleeding. Fortunately for White and his parents, a new treatment, called Factor VII, recently had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This treatment is made from blood and contains the clotting agent that allows healthy people to heal quickly from wounds.

In December 1984, when he was 13, White contracted pneumonia and had surgery to remove part of his left lung. After two hours of surgery, his doctors told his parents that he had contracted the incurable disease of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, through his Factor VII blood transfusions.

White's doctors told him that he had six months to live, but White decided that he would continue to live a normal life, attend school, and spend time with his friends.

White had not counted on the ignorance, fear, and hatred he would encounter in his small home town of Kokomo, Indiana. At first, people there claimed that there were no health guidelines for a person with AIDS to attend a normal school. Even after the Indiana State Board of Health set guidelines saying it would be safe for the other children if White attended school, the school board, his teachers, and the principal tried to keep him out of school. They feared he would spread the disease, even though it was known by that time that AIDS cannot be spread by casual contact. White and his mother took the case to court. Eventually they agreed to meet some of their neighbors' concerns by having White use a separate restroom, not take gym class, drink out of a separate water fountain, and use disposable eating utensils and trays at lunch. Even so, 20 students were pulled out of school by their parents, who started their own school to keep their children from having any contact with White.

that his townspeople's ignorance and fear regarding AIDS led him to become the target of jokes and some spread lies about him biting people, spitting on vegetables and cookies (and thus supposedly spreading the disease), restaurants throwing away dishes he had eaten from and students vandalizing his locker and writing obscenities and anti-gay slurs (because at that time, AIDS was believed to be a disease primarily of gay men) on his books and folders. An even more frightening incident occurred when someone fired a bullet into White's home.

He received thousands of letters supporting his right to go to school, and met politicians, movie stars, and top athletes, all of whom supported him. He appeared on numerous television programs, including CBS Morning News, the Today Show, Sally Jessy Raphael, Phil Donohue, Hour Magazine, the Home Show, Peter Jennings' "Person of the Week," Nightline, West 57th Street, P.M. Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, and Prime Time Live. White was also featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, Picture Week, and People magazines. There was also an ABC movie, The Ryan White Story, was made about his life. Ryan acted in the movie, playing his best friend, Chad. And Judith Light played his mother.

In 1987, using the money from the movie, White's family moved to Cicero, Indiana, where they found acceptance.

White died on April 8, 1990 in Cicero, Indiana. During his short 18-year life he accomplished more than many people who live long, healthy lives. His activism and legacy of concern for others with AIDS remains. Shortly after his death, White's mother went to Congress to speak to politicians on behalf of people with AIDS. White's activism, and that of his mother Jeanne, helped AIDS patients all over the United States receive care that they otherwise could not have afforded. The public was also educated about the nature of the disease.

Just a few months after White's death, Congress passed P.L. 101-381, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Care (CARE) Act. The Act is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration and aims to improve the quality of care for low-income or uninsured individuals and families with HIV and AIDS who do not have access to care. The Act supports locally developed care systems and is founded on partnership between the U.S. federal government, states, and local communities. It emphasizes outpatient, primary, and preventive care in order to prevent overuse of expensive emergency room and inpatient facilities.

Between the Act's authorization in 1991, and May of 1996, nearly $2.8 billion in federal funds were appropriated to provide care to more than 500,000 low-income Americans living with HIV or AIDS. From 1993 to 1996, funding for the program increased from $348 million to $738.5 million. The Act was reauthorized in May 1996 and continues to provide care to Americans living with HIV and AIDS.

"A bleed occurs from a broken blood vessel or vein,"

"The blood then had nowhere to go so it would swell up in a joint. You could compare it to trying to pour a quart of milk into a pint-sized container of milk."

"I spent Christmas and the next thirty days in the hospital," White told the President's Commission on AIDS. "A lot of my time was spent searching, thinking and planning my life. I came face to face with death at 13 years old."

"I was labeled a troublemaker, my mom an unfit mother and I was not welcome anywhere. People would get up and leave so they would not have to sit anywhere near me. Even at church, people would not shake my hand."

Addressing his new school:

"For the first time in three years," Ryan told the Commission, "we feel we have a home, a supportive school, and lots of friends. … I am a normal, happy teenager again. I have a learner's permit. I attend sports functions and dances. My studies are important to me. I made the honor roll just recently, with two As and two Bs … I believe in myself as I look forward to graduating from Hamilton Heights High School in 1991."

"I've seen how people with HIV/AIDS are treated and I don't want others to be treated like I was,"

End Quote

"I had plenty of time back then to think about why people were being mean. Of course it was because they were scared. Maybe it was because I wasn't that different from everybody else. I wasn't gay; I wasn't into drugs; I was just another kid from Kokomo. … I didn't even look sick. Maybe that made me more of a goblin to some people."

Justin's HIV Journal: HIV Clinical Trial - Seeking volunteers previously UNTREATED

HIV Clinical Trial

Seeking volunteers previously UNTREATED

Do you or someone you know have HIV and have not taken any 

HIV medications for treatment?

 

 

We are seeking volunteer to participate in a Clinical Research Study for those with HIV disease to test an investigational medication for HIV treatment.  The duration of the trial is one year.

 

 Study Volunteers must:

 

v  Be 18 or older

v  Have HIV-1

v  Have a viral load of 5,000 copies/ml or higher

v  Have a CD4 count of 250 cells/mm or higher

 

Study Volunteers must not:

 

v  Have taken any antiretroviral HIV medications

v  Have a diagnosis of TB, Hep B or C, Cirrhosis of the liver

 

 

Study participants will receive study related exams, lab tests and investigational study medication at no charge.

 

 

For more information, please call Jeanne Austin, study coordinator at 202-331-3338 ext 135

Thanks,

Moody Mustafa, M.D., F.A.C.P.

Internal Medicine & Hematology

2311 M St, NW Suite 401

Washington, DC 20037

202-331-3338

drmoodymustafa.com

The Jed Central Interview

The Jed Central Interview

http://jedcentral.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-it-comes-to-hiv-truth-will-set-you.html?zx=5a0be11ce24c9348

Justin's HIV Journal: Interview with ME Magazine Online Page 8-9 Check it Out

Justin's HIV Journal: Interview with ME Magazine Online Page 8-9 Check it Out

http://www.memagonline.com/Summer2011_Edition/

Justin's HIV Journal: LaRouche depicts President Barack Obama as a Hitler WTF......Really? Really?

Many politicians have their own opinions on President Barack Obama’s administration and presidency. But none has gone as far and insulting as Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr.

Every day I walk from Union Station to my job near Chinatown. On occasion I will see musicians, people selling local magazines, food etc. But none caught my attention more than a depiction of President Barack Obama, which was manipulated to have a likeness of Adolf Hitler. I thought to myself how disgraceful. I understand that a lot of us take issue with our political leaders. BUT to compare them to Adolf Hitler is going too far.
Unlike President Barack Obama Hitler's reign resulted in the systematic murder of as many as 17 million civilians, including an estimated six million Jews targeted in the Holocaust and between 500,000 and 1,500,000 Roma.
President Barack Obama has not ordered the death of anyone like Hitler did. He did not orchestrate the death of millions of Poles and Soviet prisoners of war, communists and other political opponents, homosexuals, Roma, the physically and mentally disabled, Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists, and trade unionists, Blacks, Gypsies, Political thinkers, etc.

Comparing any President no matter what their political party to Adolf Hitler is wrong.


LaRouche’s statement about President Barack Obama!!!!!!
See below

Throw This Sick Psycho Out Of Office While We Still Have A Nation To Defend!
October 14th, 2010 • 5:31pm •

Statement:

"It seems as if every moment of the passing day brings a new, added proof that the time is way past overdue for launching an acutely ill President Barack Obama out of office. It is to be doubted that we can wait as long as the post election moments of November 3rd or 4th, and still expect the very existence of our republic to remain intact.


At each turn, this sick-minded President perpetrates fresh evidence that his own plausible plea for avoiding a charge of virtual treason, is that the poor fellow's mental illness has overwhelmed him. Otherwise, all the evidence to date tends to identify him as a treasonous agent of the British empire bent on delivering the death of our United States to the damnable incumbent British monarchy - - or, call it "The Brutish Monarchy."
The debate is not really necessary. Throw him out, and be done with it; the principle and relevant evidence on behalf of the 25th Amendment will be sufficient. Just do it quickly, preferably before November 2nd."

WE ALL HAVE OUR QUAMS WITH OUR LEADERS BUT WHO IS THE MENTALLY SICK ONE HERE? PRESIDENT OBAMA OR LAROUCHE. I PICK LAROUCHE.

Interview with AU Magazine Exposed

Exposed

Exposed
By A&U | May 20th, 2011 | Category: Features | No Comments »

Justin B. Terry-Smith Courageously Turns the Camera on Himself to Keep Others from Being Infected
by Dann Dulin

“I want to broadcast my personal business to the world to help others.”
—Activist Justin B. Terry-Smith on POZIAM Radio

Photo by Don Harris. © Don Harris Photographics, LLC. All rights reserved.
This powerful statement is certainly a twist on Billie Holiday’s classic blues ballad, “Tain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do.” Unlike the song, Justin, who is HIV-positive, invites others to share his personal life through his videoblog. It airs on his Web site, which is a moving journal of his HIV adventures. He’ll take his camera into the doctor’s office to show what he goes through for a checkup: T-cell counts, viral loads, etc. Sometimes it’s not pretty.

“Why?” I ask as we sit over lunch at his “own personal Cheers,” Annie’s Steakhouse, near Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. He earnestly replies, “To educate people, raise awareness, and encourage them to think twice about having unprotected sex. I want to show them that being HIV-positive is not a piece of cake.”

The videoblogger pioneer is a decorated Air Force veteran. What lies behind the video camera is a typical guy who lives with his husband of six years, Dr. Philip Terry, in Laurel, Maryland. Justin is a legal assistant for the IRS and attends classes at Ashford University, where he’ll soon receive his degree in political science. Atypically, he occasionally writes for the Black AIDS Institute newsletter and has appeared on LOGO’s HIV+Me. He also volunteers for Whitman Walker Clinic and the National Black Justice Coalition.

What partly drives Justin to help others is the loss of his friends to AIDS. “I’m at the point where I’m done counting!” he emotes emphatically. “Many of them I think about all the time.” When Justin was “growing up gay” he had four close friends: Mike, Antonio, Vaughn, and Leon. “When we were younger we didn’t have a care in the world and would go out together all the time. When we started hitting our late teens we all went our separate ways. Mike went on to college and did very well for himself; we keep in contact to this day. Antonio and Vaughn were very close and they stayed in the D.C. area. Antonio went on to join the workforce and is doing well. Sadly, a couple of years ago we lost Vaughn to AIDS.”

Justin and Leon became boyfriends when Justin was released from the military, though they kept the relationship a secret. “He never wanted anyone to know because many of his friends didn’t approve. After we stopped dating we didn’t see each other that often. Then a couple of years later I got a phone call informing me that Leon was dead. It tore me up,” he sighs. “I cried a lot for him and it hurts to think about him even to this day.”

At Leon’s funeral, Justin gazed upon him in the casket and touched him one last time.

“He never told me his age and I hated that. I would always try to trick him into telling me but it never worked,” he says. “When someone handed me a program my heart dropped when I saw the dates: 1981–2007. He was just two years younger than me! I cried during the entire funeral and more after that. But, the one thing that really made me mad was that nobody wanted to address the real issue—Leon had died of AIDS.”

In 2005, Justin was diagnosed with HIV and admits that substance abuse played a large part in acquiring the virus. “I wouldn’t be positive right now if I hadn’t been drinking and using drugs so much. I was using them both to numb the pain of being alone. I remember one night I was drunk and brought a guy home from a club. The next morning I woke up naked, my clothes were strewn all around the room, and my apartment door was wide open with the keys still in the door.” He chews on his house salad topped with Italian vinaigrette. “I didn’t use condoms all the time. When you’re drunk or high you may not think about them.”

Justin pauses and then shifts topics, touching on the AIDS prevention ad campaigns. “I think the message has gotten lost. We all know that we should use condoms…,” he says in a matter-of-fact way, then forcefully punches out the words in a tired drone, “yes, yes, yes! But these young people aren’t really paying attention. They need to see it up close and personal. They need someone who has HIV to get in their face and show them it’s not a walk in the park.” Justin believes in teaching kids right from the get-go, so much so that he recently completed a children’s book, I Have A Secret, which will be published this month. It’s about a boy who learns to live with HIV.

After Justin’s diagnosis he continued to drink and use drugs. His family and friends had to intervene, including his husband, Philip. At one point Philip said to Justin, “It’s either going to be the drugs or me.” That was Justin’s Rubicon; he chose Philip. “With everyone’s help I’ve learned what’s healthy for me. I don’t do drugs anymore and I don’t indulge in alcohol the way I used to,” he notes. “I started to jog to keep my cholesterol down, began eating veggie wraps daily, and in the morning I have a banana with my meds. When I get home from work, my husband makes me a fantastic dinner, usually with plenty of greens.”

“I’ve also cut down on red meat, as well, and I steer clear of things with cholesterol,” he says, biting into his Annie’s Ultimate Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich with a wink, appending, “Today’s food is unusual for me.” Justin offers that he also drinks antioxidant juices, enjoys miso soup, and that, nowadays, green tea with ginseng is his drink of choice.

Conversing with Justin and viewing his videos, it’s very apparent that good health is central to his character. He partakes in alternative therapies that include massage, a home-based yoga program, and acupuncture. “Acupuncture gives me such a release. I love it!” He beams a full luminescent smile that soon turns somber. “When I first went on drugs I was so scared what the side effects might be. My first regime, which was Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada, nothing really happened until the first week was over and then my eyes turned yellow. I was embarrassed about it, stayed away from my family, and wore sunglasses. But the worst was yet to come,” he says. “At that time I worked as a medical technician at a dialysis unit in Baltimore, Maryland. One afternoon I thought I was going to pass gas and little did I know, it was diarrhea. I went home and had to tell my boss what had happened. She was sympathetic and supportive. I was so embarrassed because here I was helping some of the patients with this same issue. From then on, I made sure that I had an extra pair of scrubs and underwear with me all the time!”

As Justin tells this story there’s no hush-hush in his voice. That’s what is engaging about him. He chalks up human behavior, well, as human behavior and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. He doesn’t have to be so revealing. This honesty is what sets him apart and the trendsetter has parlayed that into videoblogging in an effort to save lives.

At thirty-one, nearly six years after being diagnosed, Justin is healthy. “My T cells are decent, but I want them better,” he enforces, adding that he needs to exercise more, too. “I have hypercholesterolemia which is an inherited genetic disorder. This gives me double the risk of having a heart attack and with my HIV meds it’s even higher, so it’s important I stay healthy.”

As lunch winds down, Justin surges. “I want to voice my opinion on the new-found research on the Truvada pill that [might] prevent someone from being infected with HIV. Yes, technology has given us this one pill that will lower your chances, but this doesn’t mean you should go around having unprotected sex. This is not the morning after pill.” He looks away briefly then continues. “The new medications work wonders but your body was not meant to fight off a virus for the remainder of its life. You can live with HIV a long time but why not live without it? Would you rather use a condom or would you rather take four or more pills a day to stay alive?” he says with a stern, quizzical look. “And even then, you can die of complications, not from the virus itself.”

Not fully satisfied with his earlier answer about the motivation behind his videoblogging, I press on. “When I get an e-mail from a fifteen-year-old asking, ‘What do I do, I’m HIV positive?’ I feel bad for him, but I also let him know that there’s life to be lived and you have to live for you—now. Don’t let HIV rule you, you have to rule it,” he states. “On the other side, when I get an e-mail saying, ‘Thank you Justin for helping me through this,’ I know I’m doing my job of helping others.” He takes a short breath and says steadfastly, “I will continue until the day I die.”

Just in time! Click on www.justinbsmith.com.

Photos © Don Harris Photographics, LLC. All rights reserved. For more information, log on to http://donharris.viewbook.com.

Dann Dulin interviewed Suzanne “Africa” Engo for the April issue.

May 2011

Justin's HIV Journal: Magic Johnson STILL has HIV

Magic Johnson is NOT cured of HIV


I repeat Magic Johnson is NOT cured of HIV. In 1991 Johnson retired from the NBA (National Basketball Association) almost immediately after he made a brave public announcement that he had contracted HIV. I good friend of mine, Jason, while working fell into a brief debate with his co-workers on Magic Johnson and HIV.

The co-workers had stated that they thought that Magic Johnson was cured of HIV. Jason had told them that for a fact that was not true. In the co-workers opinions the reason why Magic Johnson was cure of HIV was because he wasn’t dead yet. They didn’t believe that someone could live that long with HIV. YES in the late 80’s and early 90’s many people saw HIV/AIDS as a death sentence but today this is not true. Johnson is still alive today but he is still infected with the virus that causes AIDS. He is NOT cured, because there is no cure yet.

There is only one time where science has found that a bone marrow transplant made it possible for a man to live HIV free. In 2006, a man in Germany who has been called, “The Berlin Patient” had Leukemia and HIV at the same time. The man went into the hospital to get a bone marrow transplant. After the transplant was a success he came to find out that there was not a trace of HIV in his body. Scientist went public with this news after 2 years to observe the man. The only reason why that man is now cured of HIV is because the bone marrow came from an HIV resistant donor.

Roughly one in 1,000 Europeans and Americans has an inherited genetic mutation, which prevents HIV from attaching itself to cells. This procedure is very expensive and excruciating. Bone marrow transplants kill about a third of patients and also doctors usually only use them in desperate situations like late stages leukemia.

A lot of Black heterosexual people think that Magic Johnson has been cured of HIV and sometimes that can lead to dangerous behaviors. Some people say that, “Oh so Magic Johnson’s been cured of HIV so I can have unprotected sex again”………………NOT. This is not the truth at all. My wished are that people keep protecting themselves against the HIV. Prevention right now should be one of our top priorities since there is no cure at the moment. I also wanted to say to Magic Johnson to please speak out and tell people that you are not cured that you are still living a long and healthy life with the virus that causes AIDS. People need to know Mr. Johnson so they can keep protecting themselves. We (the HIV community) are behind you.

One another note people do use Magic Johnson a lot for their examples of someone who is living healthy with HIV, which I think is great. But please understand that not all of us have the resources that he does to live healthy lives. There are organizations out there that help out with food, medications, housing etc. and we as HIV positive people need them. But it is almost a slap in the face to do such a “cost and comparison”.

Justin's HIV Journal HIV Denialist and Dissidents

HIV Denialist/Dissidents are people that do not believe that HIV causes AIDS. They also believe that taking medication to help fight against HIV is wrong. They also do not buy into the fact that HIV is a threat to public health worldwide. They also think that toxicities are the main contributors to why HIV test come up positive. Also HIV Denialist/Dissidents believe that the science of observing & discovering HIV is flawed and that it is not sexually transmitted. HIV Denialist/Dissidents believe that HIV is transmitted through reckless and recreational drug use.

Please keep that in mind as you read further.

When creating Justin’s HIV Journal I came across and man named Gregory. He seemed nice and wanted to talk to me about being HIV positive. He then proceeded to spout off about theories of HIV Deniailist/Dissidents. I quickly sparked up a dialog and then got very sick of his ranting and raving.

Recently I posted a vlog entry called, “Justin’s HIV Journal: Love in the time of HIV”. My good friend Mark Fischer, Sr. Vice President of, “Back to the Basics” posted it again on his facebook page. Well Gregory decided to comment on the entry and here where things started getting a little heated. Fischer has been an HIV activist and supports me in my decision to take HIV medications; Gregory is an HIV Denialist/Dissident and does not. Gregory posted a video about Mark Fischer saying that he was going to sue him for pushing me to take HIV medication.

Gregory’s video:



Let me just say one thing. THIS IS MY CHOICE. Mark and I are friends and he stand by my decisions. HIV Denialism is responsible for thousands of deaths especially in Africa.

Gregory’s video to Maria



Gregory for you to insult Maria is wrong. You clearly are being condescending by brining up that you should have spoken in Spanish to her so she could understand what you are saying. You are being spiteful and fanatical, and you don’t even know it. Honestly I’ve been very nice up until now, to me Gregory you have a couple of screws lose, the elevator doesn’t reach all the way to the top and the lights are on but nobody is home. Take your HIV Denialism/Dissidents elsewhere. How dare you threaten to sue someone and if I heard you wanted to include me in a class action lawsuit against the pharmaceutical companies I would think you were insane. For you to come at someone and say, “Here sign on this dotted line so that you can join us on this lawsuit” I would still think you were insane. Now I know I don’t just have to think it you are insane. Back off Gregory.

Gregory runs the youtube channels with usernames “oberservationmode” and creator of “hivquestions”.

Maria’s Retort:

Part I


Part II


Part III


Then I discovered that there was a website that called me a “Liar” and that I was a pharmaslut. Let me say this, who are you to call me a Liar.

www.deadarvpatients.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html




Maria honey I love you. Nobody scares me either, and you are very aware.

Justin B. Smith - I Have a Secret 05/08 by POZIAM RADIO | Blog Talk Radio

Justin B. Smith - I Have a Secret 05/08 by POZIAM RADIO | Blog Talk Radio