The Power of Lived Experience: Inspiring People with HIV to Prioritize their Long-Term Health through Storytelling
By Marcus Wilson / Senior Director / Public Affairs / Sponsored by Gilead Sciences / Intended for US audiences only
For too long, conversations about HIV have centered primarily on preventing transmission. While that’s important, it often leaves out another vital part of the story: the health, well-being, and dignity of people with HIV themselves, especially those from underrepresented communities who rarely see their stories reflected back to them.
That’s where Choose U™ comes in. This new initiative from Gilead Sciences was created with one goal in mind: elevate the stories and lived experiences of people with HIV who are taking their treatment as prescribed and prioritizing self-care to help them lead healthier lives. It’s about choosing yourself—working closely with your doctor to find an HIV treatment that works for you for the long term.
Why Stories Matter
Stigma is one of the biggest barriers people with HIV face. It shows up in healthcare, in relationships, and in society. But when stories are shared openly, stigma begins to lose its power. Choose U is built on the belief that personal stories can spark connection, inspire action, and remind people that they are not alone.
Andrew, a patient ambassador for the campaign, adds, “Having HIV forced me to dive deeper and figure out who I really am beyond the diagnosis. That growth changed everything for me. Choose U represents that same transformation: helping people put themselves first and see their health as equally vital. It’s about embracing the right to live fully, not just surviving.”
Jahlove, an HIV advocate and educator who is also a Choose U patient ambassador, shares, “Letting go of shame and stigma felt like I was stepping out on stage. I felt free, seen, and powerful. That’s why I speak out, so others can feel that same freedom. Choose U matters because it reminds us to put ourselves first, to see our health and our future as something worth celebrating and looking forward to.”
From Gilead’s perspective, the campaign is about ensuring that people with HIV see themselves reflected in authentic stories. These stories can act as reminders that living a healthier life can be within reach for everyone with HIV, if they take and remain on treatment as prescribed and stay undetectable.
Real Stories, Real Representation
Through Choose U, people from across the country are sharing their journeys—their challenges, resilience, and triumphs.
These stories reflect the diversity and strength of the HIV Community, from a grandmother in the South who stayed engaged in care and uses her knowledge as power, to a Black man in New York celebrating two decades of advocacy following his HIV diagnosis.
These voices are honest and deeply human. They remind us that living with HIV is not one story—it’s many stories, each valuable and worth telling. The campaign was developed in collaboration with community representatives, ensuring that underrepresented perspectives are centered. The campaign amplifies voices often left out of national narratives—particularly Black and Latiné people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those over 50. By sharing these personal journeys, Choose U inspires individuals to prioritize their long-term health and amplifies the importance of starting and staying on HIV treatment to become and stay undetectable.
Why This Matters Now
A major goal of HIV treatment is to become undetectable, meaning there is so little virus in your blood that a lab test can’t measure it. In the U.S. in 2022, about one-third of people with HIV had not yet reached that point. Open conversations with doctors and staying on treatment are essential to getting to and staying undetectable.
Starting and staying on treatment as prescribed and getting to undetectable is the start, but the experiences of PWH go beyond treatment. Choose U is about more than the virus. It’s about saying, “your story matters, and your health matters.”
Join the Movement
Choose U is putting the stories of people with HIV at the center of the conversation. When we elevate stories, we don’t just reduce stigma—we create a community where people with HIV feel seen, valued, and inspired to prioritize their health.
Talk to your doctor today about an HIV treatment that’s right for you for the long term. Learn more at ChooseUHIV.com
The Power of Lived Experience: US-UNBC-3470 11/25
