About Sharing Stories, Creating Hope Sharing Stories, Creating Hope is an engaging way to spark discussions about strategies Latinos/Hispanics living with HIV and HIV service providers can use to help identify and overcome barriers to effective HIV care. A few features that make this resource unique include:
Bilingual videos highlighting effective, replicable HIV care strategies for both patients and providers to implement
Relevant and relatable personal stories of Latinos/Hispanics across the U.S and in Puerto Rico Bilingual tools and action-oriented resources for facilitators and participants
Video Description
Video 1. Words of Welcome
This first video "Words of Welcome" invites individuals living with HIV and HIV service providers to come together to address the HIV epidemic in the Latino/Hispanic community. Guillermo Chacon, Oscar De La O, and Dr. Yvetter Calderon provide an overview of the epidemic and explain why it is important to build more strategies to improve HIV care and treatment for Latinos/Hispanics.
Video 2. Understanding Your Diagnosis
This second video "Understanding Your Diagnosis" shows Judith's and Isaliz's experiences after being diagnosed with HIV. Both women describe their lack of knowledge about what being diagnosed with HIV meant, what questions they had about HIV, and the strategies they used to learn more.
Video 3. Navigating Care
This third video "Navigating Care" shows the challenges that some may face when attempting to navigate the healthcare system in the United States. Ernesto shares the challenges that he encountered when accessing care, including language barriers, difficulty finding convenient transportation, and lack of housing. He then identifies the proactive personal strategies he used to overcome those challenges.
Video 4. Building Support Networks
This fourth video "Building Support Networks" highlights the importance of support networks to provide help for people living with HIV. Jose describes the pain of feeling isolated and how finding others who shared his experience helped him cope with his struggles. Manny speaks to the Latino/Hispanic concept of familismo, the centrality of family to one's identity, and explains how he created a new "family" when his
biological one did not stand behind him. Amelia and Maria provide additional examples of support in community-specific groups and innovative online networks.
Video 5. Strengthening Communication
This fifth video "Strengthening Communication" provides examples of the critical role that good communication plays in ensuring quality care. It speaks to the Latino/Hispanic cultural value of personalismo, or relationships based on warmth and personal engagement.
Video 6. Owning Your Treatment
This sixth video "Owning Your Treatment" provides examples of the multi-faceted decision-making process around treatment for Latinos/Hispanics living with HIV. Isaliz and Maria describe the personal paths they took to begin and stay on treatment. Isaliz decided to begin treatment through collaborative deliberation with her doctor and Maria chose to talk with her doctor about initiating treatment after educating herself about HIV. Dr. Iván Melendez-Rivera explains the provider's role in communicating treatment options to patients but emphasizes that the decision to accept and adhere to the treatment plan is ultimately the patient's.
Video 7. Words of Hope
This seventh video "Words of Hope" is a collection of messages of inspiration from the individuals living with HIV featured throughout the Sharing Stories, Creating Hope videos. Each person speaks to their perseverance, inner strength, and hope that have gotten them through difficult times.
NOTE: Sharing Stories, Creating Hope was created through a unique collaboration
between the Latino Commission on AIDS and Merck & Co., Inc
CDC DISCLAIMER: This site contains HIV prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. If you are not seeking such information or may be offended by such materials, please exit this website. Since HIV infection is spread primarily through sexual practices or by sharing. needles, prevention messages and programs may address these topics. Individuals who are mentioned or whose photographs appear on this site are not necessarily HIV positive or have AIDS. This site is not designed to provide medical care, if you are ill, please seek medical advice from a licensed practioner. HIV prevention materials funded by CDC must be approved by local program review panels, however, the materials may be considered controversial by some viewers.
