The mission of Bay Area Young Positives (BAY Positives) is to help young people (26 and under) living with HIV/AIDS to live longer, happier, healthier, more productive, quality-filled lives. Their programs focus on emotional support (groups and counseling), advocacy, prevention case management, information, referrals, education, outreach, retreats, and social events. BAY Positives is a peer-driven organization that supports the development and leadership of fellow HIV-positive young people.

What inspired you to get involved? I have always been interested in health and sex education (my father is a doctor and my mother a social worker). I was working at the Academy of Friends Oscar Gala in 2003, and I happened to meet Curtis Moore, who was the outreach and volunteer coordinator for BAY Positives. I started to volunteer, working in the office, promoting and working at events.... As I approached my senior year of high school, we began to talk about the internship. What really inspired me to take the job were the people, both staff and members, with whom I had grown close. Also, through volunteering, my interest in both health and BAY Positives had grown.

Can you describe the support groups, workshops, counseling, newsletter, or other projects you were involved with? As an intern, I spent most of my time in the office, which meant doing odd jobs, as well as meeting members and chatting with them. I felt like it was part of my job to make sure that BAY Positives was a safe space for everyone. I was also responsible for inputing data into the online database about the demographics and behavior of our target youth population. As I gained more experience, I began conducting outreach myself, including surveys, handing out supplies, talking to youth.... Specifically, I helped design a new student survey to find out how much the typical high school student knows about HIV/AIDS, as well as more general sex issues. I also compiled a list of useful online resources for the members.

And who leads these programs? Curtis Moore and Catherine Toyooka were my primary supervisors, but they were also colleagues and friends. These two people are very important even after I have moved away from San Francisco for college, because of their guidance throughout the year and a half at BAY Positives. They are also responsible for coordinating outreach programs and volunteers at the agency.

Who benefits from these programs? Everything BAY Positives does benefits young people. Whether it is a support night for members, or sex education outreach in local high schools, or just the safe space itself, the BAY Positives energy is definitely felt throughout the youth community in San Francisco. Unfortunately, there are far too few places like BAY Positives where youth can seek guidance from adults who will not judge them and will treat them as equals.

Can you give me an example of who has benefited from the programs? For example, Curtis taught about safe sex at my high school and afterwards many students approached him to ask how they could help and learn more. A few of them began volunteering and now there are more than 10 volunteers from my high school alone that help at the agency. The success here is that, in working at BAY Positives, these students are learning more and feeling empowered to teach their friends and peers what they know. It is very important to teach young people the facts, but it is equally important to empower them to teach others. This happens at many high schools around San Francisco.

What future activities would you like to see? I think there are an infinite number of places where thoughtful and effective street outreach can occur. I wish there were more outreach activities in youth facilities, like juvenile prisons, rehab centers, half-way houses, foster homes.... as well as hangouts like malls and movie theaters. It is important to target high school students in school, but it would be great if BAY Positives could be everywhere kids are. I don’t think this outreach is too far off either. As more people wise up to the need for honest and informative sex education, BAY Positives will be there.

How do you feel about the community's role in promoting/weakening youth health? I think the community has a huge influence on youth health. If a community is secretive about sex and cannot inform the youth, then it is the youth who suffer. A supportive community can change lives for the better. A community that encourages open discussion about health issues is one where youth can ask questions and seek honest advice. Of course, if all communities were like this, then BAY Positives would not need to exist. Until then, BAY Positives is helping young people learn the truth about health and seek protection.

What was the best thing about your experience? What new things have you learned? Hhow have you changed as a result? For me, the best things were the people I met. I think the staff at BAY Positives is incredible at what it does: helping the community. Whether it is at a high school , a street fair, or a nightclub, the youth flock to the outreach workers. It is a team of amazing adults and youth who will talk about anything. Kids on the street will recognize them and say hi or ask for condoms. This personality paired with a constant flow of condoms and information is no doubt the best way to promote youth health. I just wish there were more agencies like BAY Positives, so youth everywhere could have access to the services and great people. From these staff members, I have gained role models. I have learned how to engage in conversation about health, as well as promote it as a peer. I have also learned to have fun doing it. Here at college, I am beginning to cultivate my own outreach programs and have even taken up some sex education teaching here. The best thing has really been the long-term lessons and, as I keep saying, the people!

What was the biggest surprise? It was really surprising how much need there is for a place like BAY Positives. There are so many HIV-positive youth in SF, and so few support networks created just for them. Also, the amount of knowledge that a typical high school student has about HIV and safe sex is very low. There is such a need, even in a liberally minded city such as San Francisco, for educators who do not come with judgments!

What are you doing now? Currently, I am finishing my first year at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. I am pursuing a Science in Society major. I have continued my interest in public health through the Sexual Health Sub-committee of the Student Health Advisory Committee, as well as a group called AIDS and Sexual Health Awareness that performs outreach on campus and teaches HIV workshops in local high schools. Here I have found a community of students who share a similar interest in youth health.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of volunteering? If, after reading this, you think you want to volunteer for BAY Positives, then my advice is to do it! I have never seen an agency that has so many youth volunteers and manages to keep them coming back for more, week after week. The atmosphere and staff make it interesting and fun. In general, I would say it is very important to enjoy what you do as a volunteer and feel needed by the organization and by those you are helping. This does not mean waiting around for something that sounds perfect, but rather thinking about creating something on your own within an organization. Many organizations need helpful people to do the dirty work, but they also need creativity. A good volunteer can do both. My other advice would be to work with youth. It’s never boring!