Rae Lewis-Thornton Urges Honesty: Breaking Down HIV Myths and Stigma

Rae Lewis-Thornton vividly recalls the day she learned of her HIV diagnosis. At 23, vibrant and thriving in her desired role as a political strategist, she received a troubling letter after organizing a blood donation drive. The brief visit to her local Red Cross revealed her HIV positive status, plunging her into “quasi-denial.” As she shared with attendees at the National Minority AIDS Council’s U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS, it took five years to disclose her status to more than three individuals. Now, at 63, Lewis-Thornton stands as one of the longest-surviving women with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., an Emmy-winning AIDS activist and author. She emphasizes the critical importance of breaking the silence surrounding the virus, especially among the Black community, which comprises 39% of HIV sufferers despite making up just 12% of the population. Open dialogue is vital, she insists, as secrets can be deadlier than the disease itself.

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