Creating a Community of Storytellers
to Combat HIV/AIDS Related Stigma
Common Threads is an innovative HIV prevention model organized around interactive, skill-building modules designed to increase the ability of participants to share their life experiences including their experiences with HIV/AIDS and other health disparities. The purpose of Common Threads is to enlighten us on: 1) the commonality of certain aspects of the human experience, 2) the interconnectedness of certain life experiences and 3) how these experiences may or may not make us vulnerable to HIV infection and other related sexually-transmitted diseases.
Common Threads seeks to change the beliefs, attitudes, and perspectives of participants and community members who are privileged to hear the life experiences of the participant presenters. The outcomes of this project are to: 1) decrease HIV/AIDS related stigma and 2) increase HIV testing and/or linkage to health care by improving the delivery of HIV and other health prevention messages. This three (3) day training will be offered to 8 to 12 women living with HIV/AIDS in selected geographical areas located in the United States.
