[Viva] A personal request to all Viva women

[Tami Starlight]

tansi/hello peoples,

interesting.

a few things come to mind as a founding member of ViVA. one of a number of
them. some passed.

viva should govern itself and according to well articulated principles
founded on intersectionality, democracy and inclusion. not only what i want
or what margarite wants.

certainly if viva has slipped from these foundational goals, then there are
steps the group could take?
i actually feel viva has not accomplished much of a basic understanding of
anything other than basic advocacy/support online and some in person of
HIV+ women. perhaps this is all it was meant to be?

as i check my herstory with viva, i can see its relevance in terms of
networking and info sharing. that remains. certainly at is inception it was
more dynamic and, maybe even diverse. especially with members involvement
and their life experience. at that time i was just over 10 years positive.
i was also more involved in the HIV+ community. on the board of BCPWA - now
positive living. i am now over 20 years positive and am involved in other
grassroots community organizing vaguely related to being HIV+.

for me i bring my 20 years community organizing and 17 years work on
intersectionality / anti-oppression.

my wish, would be for viva to continue to trudge through the mire of our
colonial government, non profit industrial complex and society as a whole.
to continue to advocate and challenge status quo's / oppression. to
advocate, have semi formal structure, vision and accountability.

i will be attending the viva event this friday, march 17th, 2017. i will
not be participating in the positive gathering due to other commitments.
actually here is one: https://www.facebook.com/events/1392452030826655/ <--
anyone on lekwungen territory / victoria. hosted by camas bookstore and the
anti-oppression network.

looking forward to the meet up this friday.
blessings all around for another day. :-)

tami

"Until all of us are free, the few who think they are, remain tainted with
enslavement."

https://www.facebook.com/TheAntiONetwork

http://theantioppressionnetwork.wordpress.com





On Sat, Mar 11, 2017 at 1:58 PM, Margarite Sanchez <
margaritesanchez at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi girlfriends,
> Allow me to pour my heart out...with the changing world of HIV, I am
> questioning if ViVA is still relevant and I'd like to know how you feel.
> ViVA will be turning 10 in April and I wonder if it has run it's course?
>
> ViVA is understated. No one knows about us, we have no funding, no
> infrastructure (other than that provided by Positive Living BC), no
> visibility - basically no one thinks about it, most poz people and HIV
> organizations aren't even aware that it exists. And those that do know
> about it largely ignore it. - And maybe that's ok.
>
> *My questions to you are:*
> *Does ViVA matter? *
> *Does ViVA enhance, or make your life better, in any way?*
>
> If you are receiving this email you are on the Viva Listserv and however
> you feel, your opinion, your voice is important!
> *Everyone* please share your thoughts, thank you,
> Margarite
>
> _______________________________________________
> Viva mailing list
> Viva at lists.resist.ca
> https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/viva
>
>
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