[Viva] Calling for Feedback from Members

[VIVA Working Group]

 Hi gals,
After consultation with the ViVA membership, the ViVA Working Group has put
together this draft letter to send to Marcie Summers at PWN.
We would like the response to reflect the opinion of of ViVA women,
therefore please let us know if this draft is acceptable. You can do this by
clicking REPLY to this email, sending a separate email to
vivawomen at gmail.com or if you prefer call Margarite toll free 1 866 482 3445
Please reply by Sunday evening.
Thank you




Dear Marcie Summers,



ViVA would like to thank you and acknowledge the receipt of your invitation
for 1 or 2 members to attend a PWN staff meeting for “information sharing”.
We welcome the potential of future communications.



Many women in Viva have informed us of their concerns regarding working with
PWN, so it is important for us to gather more information about such a
meeting before agreeing to it. Therefore we would like to see an agenda and
know what “information sharing” looks like to you.  ViVA has made efforts in
the past to create a reciprocal relationship with PWN and we felt this
involvement was discouraged. Given the nature of past experiences, we would
like to know what, if anything, would be *new *and to our *mutual *benefit.



Viva is a unique group of women who have an understanding and appreciation
of what it is to live with HIV. We have been in existence 4 years and our
membership is growing steadily. This is due, in part, to the large numbers
of women living with HIV who have felt devalued, alienated and/or have not
had the kind of support they were looking for through their experiences with
PWN.  It is important to bring this up, since over the years many women
living with HIV have experienced marginalization, and we see it as a recurring
pattern.



The ViVA working group agrees that in order for talks to begin between PWN
and ViVA it would first be necessary to acknowledge our shared history and
take steps towards reconciliation. This email is being copied to the above
addresses because we believe it is time for transparency.



We appreciate you contacting us and sincerely hope that you will embrace
this opportunity to begin honest discussions. We look forward to your reply.



Thank you,



Funke Ilumoka

Alexandria Keating

Margarite Sanchez

Tami Starlight



VIVA Working Group
vivawomen at gmail.com
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