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Among the people who are diagnosed with HIV, many are young people. In this episode, host Gabriella Spencer talks with Marshun Redmond of NMAC to discuss how we can take steps towards understanding the problems with HIV/AIDS among youth, and celebrate the effort young people are making to fight the battle against HIV/AIDS.
Every episode of Real Talk with NMAC provides people of color, allies, and advocates in the community — regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity — who are at greater risk of HIV/AIDS with a greater understanding of the role racial inequities play in the epidemic, and how to address them.
NMAC (The National Minority AIDS Council) leads with race to normalize discussion about race within the HIV movement, bend the curve of new HIV diagnoses, and retain people of color living with HIV in care. Listeners will receive tools to advocate for better policies to care for people living with HIV — and to end the epidemic — and learn about the services NMAC offers to empower our community to achieve these goals.
This show is for everyone of color living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS, the allies who fight alongside them, and advocates who represent for us at all levels of power. Listen now and become part of our community of advocates who champion our issues and the issues of those living in communities most affected by HIV.
Learn more at NMAC.org and join our communities on Facebook and Instagram.
Gabriela Spencer (00:10):
Hello everyone. I'm Gabriela Spencer, and I'm the host of MX Real Talk, and I'm joined here today by Marshawn Redman. Marshawn, would you like to introduce yourself?
Marshawn Redman (00:20):
Yes. Thanks Gabby for having me. My name is Marshawn Redman, and I'm excited about being here for the first segment for the All-Star Scholars interviews. We're really going to get into some things today.
Gabriela Spencer (00:33):
Thank you, Marshawn. That was a lovely introduction. Today, we're doing this podcast for National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. And I just want to give a brief history on what that is. In 2013, National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day has commemorated on April 10th across high schools and colleges and churches and more. This awareness day is making big steps towards understanding and spreading the word about problems within HIV and AIDS among youth, and celebrating the efforts that they are putting forth to battle against HIV and AIDS. That is just a brief history about National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
Gabriela Spencer (01:17):
Today, we would like to start off with Marshawn. Marshawn was once a Youth Initiative scholar, and now he is here in Mack working alongside. So I think Marshawn would be a very great person to start off our All-Star segment for the Youth Initiative. So the first question Marshawn is when did you become a Mack Youth Scholar, and what inspired you to do the program?
Marshawn Redman (01:41):
Okay, so I'm going to just start from the top. So in 2018, I was a part of BLOC, the Building Leaders of Color. And then just from me checking out the NMAC website and receiving a couple of emails, in 2019, I noticed they had a new program called the Youth Initiative, and that was back in 2019. And what really got me inspired in the program Gabriela, I would have to honestly say it's just me being an advocate for my community. I've been in public health for about five and a half years now. And in my previous roles, I served as a HIV and STI counselor and tester. So I just all always felt like I needed something extra to help me, not only personally, but in a professional way as well. So when I saw the two programs, I was just like, oh my God, yeah, I have to do this. I have to do it for myself and my community.
Gabriela Spencer (02:37):
Thank you Marshawn. My next question is, how did it feel when you met your fellow youth scholars for the first time?
Marshawn Redman (02:44):
So like all things, of course, I was a little nervous. I hadn't been in a space like that in a while. So meeting everyone and hearing their stories of transmission and how they protect theirselves really changed my thought process. I felt safe. I felt like I was privileged to be in a space where we all had similar experiences and backgrounds, just because some of your coworkers and friends, you can share your stories with them, but they can't really relate to them. But the fellow scholars at that time could definitely relate and understand where I was coming from. And I could relate to a lot of things they shared with me as well.
Gabriela Spencer (03:28):
Thank you Marshawn. I'm happy that the youth initiative was a safe space for you.
Marshawn Redman (03:32):
Absolutely. Definitely a safe space.
Gabriela Spencer (03:36):
Can you describe your experience of attending your first United States Conference on HIV and AIDS? What did you learn?
Marshawn Redman (03:43):
Okay, so, like I mentioned earlier, I've been in public health. I've been in the game for a while now, my first United States Conference with HIV and AIDS was with my job I believe back in like 2017. I don't remember the year, but I believe the focus was viral suppression and HIV transmission, something around that. And then since I was a part of BLOC in 2018, I came back for the conference, I believe one of them was in Washington and one of them was Orlando. I don't remember which one, but I remember one was focused on viral suppression. The other one was trauma-informed care. And I want to say like opioids or transmission, I may be confusing them, but it was a great experience being in a setting with professionals in public health, just because like I had mentioned, it's rare that you're in that type of space. I'm from Memphis, Tennessee, shout out to Memphis. And there's not a lot of work being done in Memphis, which is why I took it upon myself to get in the public health field.
Gabriela Spencer (04:56):
And how did that experience challenge or change you?
Marshawn Redman (04:59):
I guess I could say it challenged me simply because yes, I work in public health, and I met with strangers five times out of the week testing them and counseling them on HIV. But it's different when you're around people who also do that. So it's kind of like you're afraid to say something because you don't want to seem like your input won't be valued or you're not as educated as others are. Because I don't even have a college degree, so it came off a little intimidating, but for me attending it twice, I challenged myself to sit at a table with someone who I possibly didn't know. And if you're in the elevator having that conversation just because I'm kind of, I know this is hard to believe, but I'm low-key kind of shy in a way. I just portray myself as if I'm not, but it was definitely challenging just to be in that space and just be around people who you don't know from across the world. And it was definitely an experience that I will value for the rest of my life, definitely.
Gabriela Spencer (06:05):
I'm happy to hear that. And I want to commend you for challenging yourself and going into spaces where you're not necessarily comfortable, and making sure that you're heard. I'm happy that you're were able to do that. And it sounds like you had a great first two experiences at UCHA.
Marshawn Redman (06:22):
I do have to say I do admire that about you as well, because I do feel as if you will include your input in whatever space you're in, and you're unapologetic about it. So definitely shout out to you as well.
Gabriela Spencer (06:37):
My next question, what did you do for your HIV community project? It was previously known as your World AIDS Day project. And how did you use your leadership skills to plan and execute your idea?
Marshawn Redman (06:49):
Okay, so I definitely just, I don't know, once you asked me a question, I just thought about my outfit and how cute I was. I'll send you pictures later, but it was interesting Gabriela, because I had just moved to DC maybe a few weeks before the deadline for the World AIDS Day project was due. So in my head, I had already planned out the organization in Memphis that I was going to meet with, but I got a new job opportunity and I moved from Memphis to DC. So it was kind of hard, but also you mentioned challenges. That was another challenge for me, but honestly, I still don't know how I did it, but I definitely pushed through. I reached out to a couple of organizations. I didn't hear anything back from them, but one of my coworkers was actually a part of a gay men's fellowship advocacy group called Impulse DC.
Marshawn Redman (07:45):
So I was able to connect with him, and he was able to assist me with planning everything with food and the venue and a DJ, shout out to Impulse DC. They definitely held it down for me because without them, I still have no idea what I would've done. And for my World's AIDS Day project, I held a mixer, well a mixer, and we also offered HIV and STI testing upstairs as well. It was like a three story building. So downstairs is where you registered. The second floor was kind of like where the people were mingling, the bar, the food. And then on the top floor, we offered confidential HIV and STI testing. And I basically, I don't remember, honestly, Gabriela, I'm so sorry, but I just know that I did briefly give a speech around me being positive, the importance of getting tested. I have that video too. I do remember that. It was kind of a event with a purpose type thing. We had condoms available. We had lube. And like I said, we offered testing as well. I just remember those few things.
Gabriela Spencer (09:02):
I definitely need those pictures, because I know you said your outfit was cute, so I definitely want to see what your outfit was. And it sounds like you hosted a really great World AIDS Day event. It sounds like you had something for everyone. You had testing upstairs, you had mingling and networking on the second floor, and then the bottom floor was food. So that's the type of event that I would love to go to.
Marshawn Redman (09:24):
Right. It was really unbelievable. I had like 65 people there, and Gabriela, I had only been living here for like a month. I was like, "Oh my God."
Gabriela Spencer (09:34):
No, that's really amazing. And you were really able to pivot from moving from Memphis and then coming to DC and doing that project. So I really commend you because I know it can be hard to get in contact with some organizations sometimes because everyone's busy. So I really commend you for making that happen, and your work was impactful to the community, and I'm sure that they needed it.
Marshawn Redman (09:56):
Thank you. Yeah, I really think that it was impactful now that I'm really thinking about it. I just know afterwards, like I said, it was my first time publicly disclosing my status, and I just remember people coming up to me afterwards hugging me and thanking me for it. And I was just like, oh my God, it kind of made my heart warm a little bit. I was like, okay, it was hard, but it wasn't just an I thing. I did it for the benefit of others, which is why I was just like, "Marshawn, you got to push through this."
Gabriela Spencer (10:26):
I'm happy that you were able to use your story to help others. Storytelling is truly a powerful tool that is sometimes underestimated. You never know what your story can do for other people or what your words can do. So I'm really happy you were able to do that. So it was like a two-tiered World AIDS Day project. You had testing, and then you also told your story.
Marshawn Redman (10:50):
Yes. And I did a little bit of the social media piece as well, because I advertised the event on my Instagram on Facebook and Impulse did as well. So it was kind of like a mixture of all three, because I remember, it was like three or four or five different types of events you could hold. I know the kissing booth and something like that. That's just the one I always remember. Because you always explained it was so amazing. So yeah. Thanks Gabriela for that. Just me reflecting on it, it just kind of made me smile a little bit.
Gabriela Spencer (11:28):
I'm happy I was able to put a smile on your face. My next question has to do with, so since you graduated from the Youth Initiative, what have you been up to?
Marshawn Redman (11:38):
L-O-L. So I have actually been up to a lot, like I said, I moved to DC. I got a new job, the best organization to work for in the entire world in Mack period. Other than that, I'm kind of just working on myself in a way, now I can say I'm finally like in a really good space for myself. I've never been so happy with myself, just because I realize that things that don't make you happy, it's not a bad thing cutting those things off and change is a little difficult. So other than that, I've just been working on myself, of course, working for my bag, because I have to get to the coin. Other than that Gabriela, that's really all I've been doing. And Happy Hour, but that's pretty much it.
Gabriela Spencer (12:29):
I know that's right. You need to get to the coin. So I'm right there with you.
Marshawn Redman (12:33):
Period.
Gabriela Spencer (12:35):
I'm happy to hear that you're also working on yourself and knowing when to cut ties when you need to, and knowing when to say no. So that's really good. That's also a hard skill that many people don't learn until later in life. So I'm happy you as a younger individual know it now, because that will literally help you go further in life than anything else. And that's just my opinion. I got to put that out there because I don't know if that's a statistic or anything, but in my opinion, knowing when to let things go, and knowing when to say no will help you a lot.
Marshawn Redman (13:06):
No, I definitely agree with that. I'll say it's our opinion because it's really hard, and not a lot of people have the capacity to do that. You mentioned National Youth Day, especially our youth. That's why I just think it's really important just to educate yourself on a lot of things and have those conversations like we mentioned earlier, speaking to your peers, simply because a lot of people have a hard time letting certain things go and they don't necessarily have a lot of people they can talk to. So also incorporating self-care somewhere into that. But that's my TED Talk for today.
Gabriela Spencer (13:46):
No, keep going. That's what we're here for. This is National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day podcast. We need you to talk to the youth. We need that peer-to-peer mentorship. We need this.
Marshawn Redman (13:58):
I'll say a few more things. I don't know, before working in public health, I didn't even know National Youth HIV Awareness Day was actually a thing, honestly, but since I have been in the field, of course we celebrate it every year on April 10th. I think it's very important to people because I remember in my younger years, of course my parents and different ads on social media tried to educate me on sex and STIs and different things of that nature, but I'm not listening to them. I'm listening to my friends, which is why I think peer-to-peer education is really a weapon in really fighting against HIV and AIDS simply because we're going to listen to our friends. Our family members, our parents and colleagues, our coworkers and other adults, the youth may not necessarily listen to them, but your friends hold a special place in your heart.
Marshawn Redman (14:55):
So you're always going to consider what they say and not so tune out so much what they're telling you rather than adults in a way, which is also why I loved working at my drop-in center, simply because I worked with the youth. And I'm a part of the youth, I'm still going to say that. And I feel as if they really did listen to what I was preaching to them about. I'm going to say preach, because I did outreach in the clubs at two o'clock in the morning. And I became known as the gift card girl because I'm always in the community talking into the youth, which is another reason why I joined BLOC and the Youth Initiative, because I feel like I'm doing the work and the tools that I learned in the program I literally still use today. And I was what, 24, 25, going through the program. I'm 27 now, I'm still using the things that I were taught in the different programs. I'm still advocating for the youth. I'm still educating the youth on their status and ways to protect themselves.
Gabriela Spencer (16:00):
That is great to hear. And you kind of answered my question after, which was, do you utilize any of the leadership skills that you attain from MX Youth Initiative in your daily life? And I know you said you do, but what skills would you say that you took away from the program and you use the most?
Marshawn Redman (16:17):
So honestly, Gabriela, I will say the one thing is code switching, like Miss Dotty and Charles and Tyrell, when they went over the piece of code switching, I don't know why they really stuck out to me the most because I wasn't aware of what I was doing. You know how you code switch when you're on the phone with your friend and when you're at work talking to a client, of course you know what code switching is. Also self-care. I think the programs really helped me understand the importance of self-care and how I shouldn't be selfish to myself. If I want to get my nails done and not go to dinner with my friends, girl, get your nails and go to dinner with your friends later, or have your friends come over for dinner. And that was the type of person that I was, I wouldn't do for me because I wanted to make sure I was good with other people.
Marshawn Redman (17:10):
I guess another thing would just be being considerate and leading with intent, and also thinking things critically in a way, I guess, I don't know, it really opened up my mind. I feel like I was in a college course low key, in just like a excelled college course, going through the program. And I guess boundaries also. I feel like both programs, no, no, no, I think it was maybe BLOC that touched on boundaries. And correct me if I'm wrong, I think it was BLOC that more so touched on boundaries a bit more, simply because you had to have boundaries established with people. And it taught me I shouldn't feel bad about setting these boundaries with people. People are not going to talk to me any kind of way in the workforce or friends, family, anyways, and it's okay to set those boundaries. As long as of course you're doing it in a respectful way, but definitely the Youth Initiative and BLOC. I just remember BLOC more for some reason, Gabriela, I don't know, but definitely, I still utilize those tools in my daily life today.
Gabriela Spencer (18:23):
No, that's completely fine that you remember BLOC a little bit more. Maybe it was a little bit more recent, but I'm happy to hear that you learned a good couple of skills within both of those programs, setting boundaries, self-care, code switching. So those are some great things. And almost final question is, why should one apply to the Youth Initiative?
Marshawn Redman (18:47):
Oh my God, why should one not apply to the Youth Initiative? It's a great program for you to have a conversation and you'll learn so many things that you thought you knew, but you really just didn't understand it like you thought you understood them. As well as just, I don't know, the opportunity. It's rare that people get the opportunity to be around people in that space and everything is compensated. I'm just being real. Everything is compensated. You don't have to worry about how you're going to get there, how you're going to eat once you're there. No, this is a training for you to focus on the curriculum and put aside everything that you have going on in your own hometown, your own spaces back at home. I don't know. I just think, I don't know, if I could go back in time, I would do it over two times again. And just me sharing my experiences with my friends. They wish that they were a part of something like this. So if you have the opportunity to apply, I think you definitely should. Why would you not?
Gabriela Spencer (19:46):
Exactly. Well, thank you so much for that. And then my final question is, what would you like to leave your peers? I know you answered this earlier in the question, but what are some three things that you really want youth out there listening to this podcast to know from Marshawn?
Marshawn Redman (20:03):
I'm going to say to my youth, it's okay to not know. I feel like people feel as if you're just supposed to, a lot of times know certain things about STIs and HIV when it's okay to not know, but it's also okay to pick up your phone and Google certain things and attend certain trainings around testing and building yourself as a person simply because I don't know, thinking back to my younger years, I don't know, having sex and the thought of HIV was definitely a scary thing. But as I educated myself a little bit more on HIV and after I contracted HIV, I understood that it honestly was just a thought in my head, to be honest. And I'm using I statements. The scariest thing was actually just a thought in my head that I thought that I couldn't overcome, but clearly I'm living lavish today. Body looking good, skin looking good. So I don't know, education also, like I said, education, and that peer-to-peer education helped me overcome my fear of HIV and all of that. So that's my first thing.
Marshawn Redman (21:15):
My second thing, please get your self-care. It's okay to cut your phone on D and D. Not answer the phone for a few hours. If you need to, listen to some music, light a candle, take a bath. You don't have to feel bad for being selfish to yourself. And then my third thing is, please join a youth initiative. It's the most beneficial program, one of the most beneficial programs, I'm not going to forget about BLOC. So one of the most beneficial programs that I've definitely been through, it was a great experience being in that space, feeling the energy, the emotions, letting my tears out, crying, laughing, all of that. It was definitely a great space. And like I said, if I could go back in time, I would do it all over again. So those are my three things Gabriela I want to leave the youth with.
Gabriela Spencer (22:04):
Thank you so much Marshawn, those are three excellent things. I'm sure the youth will take a lot from our conversation. And before we end, I just want to leave the youth with a couple of statistics. So in the United States, approximately one in five new HIV diagnosis are young people between the ages of 13 and 24. And most of those young people, about 54% were black. So please go out there, get tested, protect yourself, whatever that means for you, just so you know, I want you to be aware of everything. So thank you so much Marshawn, this was a great conversation, and look forward to future upcoming podcasts for our Youth Initiative All-star interviews.
Marshawn Redman (22:49):
Thank you Gabriela for having me, and this was fun.