What was the first thing you thought this morning when you woke up? “WOW! Today is Friday finally. It is my last day of the week at work… YEAH! I’m going to get ready after work and enjoy myself to the fullest, dress nicely to shine, put some perfume or cologne, come to Transdiaspora Network’s Annual Benefit Cocktail and meet new interesting people there. COOL!

This is New York City, the center of professional success and glamour. (Or so we New Yorkers like to think.) However, I want to invite you to step inside someone else’s shoes. Many HIV positive New Yorkers and people living with AIDS greet each morning with some very different thoughts. When the sun is shining outside, they may have a grey feeling within themselves, dressing with not so much glamour, not because they are not beautiful and extraordinary people like most of us, but because they are experiencing a virus that has changed their view of

creating life every single morning.

Paraphrasing James Taylor’s song, my team and I have seen fire, have seen rain. We have seen sunny days and lonely times that we haven’t seen friends around, but this time today we are able to look around the room at all our friends here tonight and see that our years of hard work, dedication and integrity have made us one of the leading HIV prevention organizations in the country, let alone this city. People are talking about TDN because we did not give up our vision. And our vision is changing lives one by one.

It is very symbolic to see that after two days of constant raining, we all can finally enjoy the color of blue in the sky. Today is May 25, 2012, but two months ago the weather was not that great, especially for me. My dad passed away in Havana, but my father’s passing helped me cross over from death to love. I want to infuse Transdiaspora Network with a love for life and encourage our culturally diverse teenagers and young adults to practice love. Yes, to practice love of dancing and learn more about their bodies. Yes, to practice love of talking to others without fears and learn more about prevention. Yes, to practice love of embracing their cultural roots and transform traditions by tackling the taboos coming along. Yes, to practice love of taking the risk to be bolder against social stereotypes and stigmas. You are here tonight because you believe in this vision. Thank you for your support. We couldn’t do it without you.

Ariel Rojas
President & Founder
New York – May 25, 2012