José Salgado – 34 – Boston, Massachusetts José Salgado, originally from Puerto Rico, moved to Dallas, Texas in 2013 when he was almost 24 years old, and he now resides in Massachusetts. Despite dealing with bullying while growing up, José didn’t deter from striving for personal growth. Moving away from his birthplace was tough, especially after he was diagnosed with HIV in December 2011. This diagnosis brought big challenges, including facing HIV stigma and even domestic abuse, which took a toll on his mental health. To turn his experiences into something positive, José decided to learn all he could about HIV prevention and treatment. He wanted to educate others and do more for his community. After a period of working on his own mental well-being and educating his friends and family, José took things further. He joined programs like ELEVATE and ESCALATE with NMAC, which opened new opportunities; also he is getting certificated as a CHW. José’s main goal is to fight HIV stigma through education and support. He’s taken part in events like the US Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) and the Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit to spread important messages, including “U=U” (Undetectable equals Untransmittable). His ultimate hope is for a kinder and more understanding world that stands by those living and impacted by HIV.