What is an advocate? By definition, an advocate is a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. However, if the thought of being an HIV/AIDS advocate in public is intimidating to you, there are other types of advocacy that might be a first step. You may know that you want to do something, but you may not know what to do or where to start. It can help to realize that you are already an advocate almost every day, usually without realizing it.

You might not think of yourself as an advocate, but in many ways you already are. Every time that you speak up for yourself or others, you are an advocate. It may be as simple as letting the cashier at the grocery store know that she overcharged you for an item or telling your children not to speak to you disrespectfully. It can also be more difficult, like fighting for disability or filing a complaint with human resources for discrimination or harassment at your job. You are likely an advocate for yourself or someone else every day in one way or another.

Much of your advocacy as an HIV+ person probably revolves around your health and the health care you receive. To get the best care possible, it is important to advocate for yourself. Below are some ways you can advocate for yourself with your health care team:

• Learn as much as you can about HIV, your health, and your treatment options
• Make a list of questions for your health care provider before your appointment
• Ask questions about the medications you are taking or new medications that you have heard about
• Ask your health care provider for an explanation anytime you do not understand something he or she says
• Take notes during or immediately after your visit so that you can remember the important points when you get home
• Discuss health issues that are on your mind with your provider, even if they do not seem like a big deal
• Ask for and keep copies of all of your medical records such as lab results
• Get a second opinion about any important health issue

Individual advocacy refers to supporting someone when they need help or trying to find a solution when someone has a problem. You likely advocate for other people often in your daily life, but do not think of advocacy as the word to describe your actions.

Examples of being an individual advocate for others:

• Helping an elderly neighbor figure out local shuttle and bus schedules so she or he can continue to live independently without driving
• Contacting the administration after learning a child was bullied at school
• Practicing or role-playing a difficult conversation that a friend expects to have with her boss

Examples of being an HIV peer advocate:

• Helping someone in your support group who is having trouble understanding HIV treatment materials
• Linking a friend to a better health care provider after hearing she was not getting her questions answered and the care she needed
• Volunteering at an AIDS Service Organization (ASO) to be a resource/peer advocate for people who are newly diagnosed

It can be a wonderful thing to advocate on your own or someone else’s behalf. It can also be very empowering to work together with a group of people; when more than one person speaks up about an issue, the message can be even stronger.

Community advocacy is a larger version of the individual advocacy that you may already practice in your daily life. The difference is, community advocacy involves groups of people acting to affect positive change. Before getting involved, decide how comfortable you are about disclosing your HIV status. This is a personal decision that requires careful thought and discussion with people close to you. Whether you decide to go public with your status or keep it private, you can still be a community advocate.

There are many things you can do. For example, you can speak at a church or other organization about the needs of people living with HIV or HIV prevention. You can get involved with local HIV awareness and fundraising events by participating in an AIDS walk or other AIDS event. You can join a patient advisory group at an HIV/AIDS research site, an AIDS service organization, or an HIV planning council. For more information about joining advocacy groups in the community, read our article ' A Place at the Table.'

If you are interested in politics and policy and want to help make a difference on a national or international level, you may consider becoming an advocate that focuses on policies that impact HIV treatment, funding, gender equality, women-centered health care, criminalization, or other issues. In these areas of advocacy, you might be asked to call, visit, or write letters to government officials. If this is of interest to you, most groups will provide some form of training to volunteers or interns to help people learn how to become public or political advocates.

In the US and around the globe, there are many amazing advocacy organizations fighting for the rights of people living with HIV. Below are some examples:

National Advocacy Groups/Coalitions:

• AIDS United
• Black AIDS Institute
• National Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network
• National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC)
• SisterLove, Inc.
• Treatment Action Group (TAG) U.S. Positive Women’s Network

International Advocacy Groups

• ATHENA Network
• Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE)
• Global Coalition on Women and AIDS (GCWA)
• International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS

There are many ways to be an advocate. Some of them are larger and require a lot of time and commitment. Some are more public and may seem confrontational. However, being an advocate does not necessarily mean speaking to the media, meeting with politicians, or participating in rallies and demonstrations. As we discussed, there are also many smaller ways to be an advocate that are just as valuable. Take your time in looking at your options and finding the best fit for you. Becoming an advocate for yourself, another person, or large numbers of people can be very empowering.