A = Stands for being AFRAID. Afraid to die. Afraid of living. Afraid of rejection. Afraid to not know if you're going to wake up the next morning.

I = Stands for ISOLATION. The isolation that you begin to feel once you learn that you have to live with a deadly virus. The isolation that comes when everyone turns their back on you, and fear, just because you're sick.

D = Stands for the DISEASE that is going to end your life faster than you thought. And for the DISCRIMINATION that people will give you just because of fear of the unknown.

S = Stands for SURVIVAL. The surviving methods that you'll now have to obtain to keep yourself going. And for the security that you'll find if you're a young person living with HIV/AIDS at HMI.

By: Marisol