Jeff Berry (he/him)

Executive Director, The Reunion Project

Twitter handle: @Reunion_Project

What does HIV Long-term Survivors Awareness Day mean to you?

HIV Long-term Survivors Awareness Day is an opportunity to honor our past, our history, and all that we've been through, and find within us the strength, courage and resilience to create a better future for ourselves and our community. We all strive to become HIV long-term survivors one day.

Why did you join the fight to end HIV/AIDS?

I became involved with HIV when I was diagnosed in 1989 when there weren't any effective medications to treat HIV, and little hope. What became a desperate fight for survival ultimately became my life's work. I could not ignore what was happening to me, or my community. I didn't really have a choice, and it was the best decision I ever made. Having access to good care and trustworthy information are a privilege, so I've been working most of my life to ensure that it's available for others, too.

What does ANAC mean to you?

I'm not a nurse, but I remember all of the nurses in my life. I have deep admiration and respect for anyone who goes into nursing, they are trying to make the world a better place, one person at a time.

Who/what inspires you?

People who share their stories of resilience inspire me, it makes me feel less alone. We've all experienced some sort of trauma or suffering in our lives, by hearing others' stories I realize that it's a universal experience, and a way in which we can connect, bond, forgive, and find a path toward healing and growth.