I am a Latino immigrant from Lima, Peru, and came to New York in 1987 at 18-years-old with dreams for a better life, after suffering from discrimination in my country. I started to work at different jobs in the restaurant industry, and in 1990 started advocating for Latino immigrants living with HIV and AIDS, volunteering with different organizations doing outreach. In 2001, I was diagnosed with AIDS and started treatment, continuing to educate myself and my community. I have been a certified NY State peer educator for over 15 years.