Nick Rhoades - HIV Criminalization

On Sunday June 24th at 9pm, POZ I AM Radio will be speaking with Nick Rhoades. Nick Rhoades was convicted of “Criminal Transmission of HIV” in Iowa in 2008, even though his viral load was undetectable, he wore a condom and his accuser did not contract HIV. He was sentenced to 25years in prison and lifetime sex offender registration. After a year of total incarceration, the judge reconsidered Nick’s sentence and released him on five years probation, as well as the sex offender registration requirement. His case for post-conviction relief is still ongoing.

Nick's story was recently featured in Sean Strub's upcoming documentary HIV is Not a Crime.

Today he works as an Outreach and Event Specialist with The Center for HIV Law and Policy’s Positive Justice Project, which combats HIV criminalization. He spoke in Geneva, Switzerland, about HIV criminalization at the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board’s meeting in December, 2011, and as part of a panel discussion organized by the UN Human Rights Council meeting in March, 2012. Rhoades has also volunteered with the Community HIV/Hepatitis Advocates of Iowa Network(CHAIN), Iowa Community Planning Group, Positive Iowans Taking Charge (PITCH)and as a board member with Community AIDS Assistance Project, in Waterloo, Iowa.

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Robert Suttle - HIV Criminalization

Tonight I will be speaking with Robert Suttle on POZ I AM Radio. Robert will be sharing his experiences of being subject to HIV criminalization and how he is advocating for change. Robert Suttle was convicted under Louisiana’s HIV-specific criminal statute after accepting a plea bargain and served six months in a Louisiana prison for HIV non-disclosure to a former partner, with whom he had a contentious relationship. Upon his release in January 2011, he has become engaged in anti-criminalization advocacy work.

Today he is now assistant director of The SERO Project, a new nonprofit initiative combating HIV criminalization, stigma, and discrimination, promoting the empowerment of people with HIV, providing support to those charged or at risk of being prosecuted.

Jeromy, Robert & Robert

Prior to joining, SERO in March 2012, Suttle was a case manager and prevention specialist at the Philadelphia Center, a local AIDS service organization in Shreveport, Louisiana, working with other positive young African American men who have sex with men.

 Robert is also featured in the documentary film HIV is Not A Crime, has traveled abroad to Geneva, Switzerland to speak at the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board’s meeting in December, 2011, and Oslo, Norway for UNAIDS High Level Consultation on HIV criminalization in February, 2012, sharing his story. Robert is active with the Positive Justice Project and the HIV Justice Network.

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Monique Moree - Living Inside My Skin of Silence

On Easter Sunday April 8th at 9pm EST, I will have the pleasure of speaking with Monique Howell-Moree. Monique was born in Oklahoma City, Ok. in April 1981. She is a 1999 graduate of Summerville High School and after graduation; Monique enlisted in the United States Army. As a member of the U.S. military, Monique worked as an Administrative Clerk assisting fellow soldiers to ensure that their personnel were maintained accurately and were always up to date. She completed four years of military service and during these four years, she traveled all over the world. During the cycle of her life, Monique has many experiences that have made a dramatic impact on her life today. During a low point in her life, Monique faced an experience that forever changed her life. This experience was in finding out that she was HIV positive. As a result, Monique had to learn how to gain the strength from God necessary for her to walk out of the valley and climb back to the mountaintop. She relied on God to take the pain away, and she began to work in the church that her father Bishop Howell founded, Solid Rock Outreach Ministry. Monique's story is told in "HIV is NOT a Crime" - A Film by Sean Strub, Edit by Leo Herrera/HomoChic

Monique is a new author, with her first book titles "Living Inside My Skin of Silence", which was released late in August 2010. This book is a leadership and self-reflection testimony. Her story is moving beyond her local community, and is now reaching out to the nation. Monique also host her own radio show "The Monique LIVE Show". Monique is also the Founder and CEO of Monique’s Hope for Cure Outreach Services" in Holly Hill, SC where her organization provides assistance to include food, clothing, counseling services, referral services, HIV/AIDS & STD testing, as well as providing outreach health education and promotion services to individuals to help stop the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.

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Sean Strub - HIV is Not a Crime - HIV Criminalization

On Sunday January 29th at 9pm EST Jeromy and I will be speaking with Filmmaker & Activist Sean Strub  is a leading voice for the people with HIV self-empowerment movement and is the founder of POZ Magazine. Sean is the senior advisor to the Center for HIV Law & Policy's Positive Justice Project (combating HIV criminalization) and serves on the board of directors of the North American regional affiliate of the Global Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS.

People with HIV who have been subjected to criminalization prosecutions have only rarely been heard from and are typically portrayed in the media as, at best, reckless and, at worst, monstrous. Most hold jobs, raise children, go to church, and are otherwise unremarkably different from others in society, except that they have HIV and were caught up in a profound injustice that often ruins their lives.  HIV Is Not a Crime will bring their stories to light, raise awareness of the public health threats and human rights abuses created by HIV criminalization and help mobilize the advocacy necessary for reform.

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