MILWAUKEE — Diverse and Resilient is a nonprofit working to improve the health, safety and quality of life of the LGBTQ+ community in Wisconsin. It has offices in Appleton and Milwaukee.

Anthony Harris is the manager of prevention and care for the organization. He is also HIV positive. He was diagnosed with HIV 13 years ago. He said sharing that information with others was harder than when he first came out as gay to his friends and family.

“All of the sudden, I had this information about being someone who was HIV positive, and I had to make those decisions all over again,” said Harris. “Who do I tell that I’m HIV positive? When do I share that story? Who do I trust with that?”

While working through his own challenges, he became an advocate for others.

“It brings me a lot of joy to be able to at least provide someone a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, or at least someone that has also navigated this world before,” said Harris. “We will be there to help hold your hand until we get you to a place where you get what you need.”

Diverse and Resilient offers an HIV Peer Navigation Program, which includes counseling and support. It also offers free testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The testing and treatment plans are done in collaboration with the Holton Street Clinic in Milwaukee.

Tou Fong Lee showed how testing is done at Diverse and Resilient. He said he wants people to know it’s painless, confidential, free of charge and offered in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.

“People that come in may not have the education around HIV and how STIs work, so along with their testing, we also educate them,” said Lee, the lead prevention care coordinator at Diverse and Resilient. 

Both Lee and Harris said their work is rooted in an effort to destigmatize HIV.

Harris said there are still too many misconceptions about HIV. He pointed out that many people don’t know that HIV doesn’t always progress to AIDS, and that with proper care and a healthy lifestyle, people with HIV can live a very normal life.

“What we know is that if people can get the care they need and take the meds they need to take, they can get themselves down to an undetectable viral load,” said Harris. “Once people get down to an undetectable viral load, they can live healthy, happy, full lives. In most cases, it makes it so you can’t even transmit HIV to other people.”

Diverse and Resilient also helps LGTBQ+ community members overcome violence, discrimination and substance abuse. For more information, click here.