Diversity Rules Magazine

4 Diversity Rules Magazine April 2015 Benjamin Di'Costa is a 24 year old minor- ity bisexual man who currently resides in South Florida. Benja- min has worked in the HIV prevention field throughout Florida in various Community Based Organizations. He is also pursuing his degree in Com- munity Health Sci- ences. After watching his partner become diagnosed with HIV and after noticing an absence of HIV nega- tive young people (specifically gay and young people of color) advocating about so- cial issues he decided to dedicate his life to being involved in the LGBTQ community on issues surrounding social justice and di- versity education. He currently promotes HIV testing/education, PrEP, health/wellness, and partner notification. He also spends his time advocating for expanded services for HIV prevention and treatment for the Transgender community. Benjamin has dedi- cated his life to working alongside like minded people with a goal of ending the AIDS epidemic for good, getting new HIV infections down to zero, and reducing HIV related stigma. He also pro- vides technical assistance and capacity building assistance around social media, utilizing mobile hookup apps, creating story telling/personal nar- ratives, working with communities of color, rural regions, and other areas. In addition, Benjamin has been featured in Ambiente Magazine, South Florida Gay News, and CityXtra Magazine and has been on shows like Anderson Cooper LIVE! Benjamin has presented numerous workshops at conferences like the United States Conference on AIDS and has been invited by agencies around the globe to share his expertise or shared specific experiences. Benjamin participates on numer- ous Boards, Committees, and Coalitions around the nation advocating on behalf of youth and young adults. Benjamin is a 2014 Youth Scholar for NMAC's Youth Initiative to End HIV/AIDS in America. Benjamin is also a National Youth HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day Ambassador. He recently has been listed as 15 HIV Advocates To Watch in 2015 By MyFabulousDisease.com. JRK: Can you give Diversity Rules readers an idea of who Benjamin Di'Costa is -- where you are from and all that good basic information? BD: Well I am a 24-year-old Bi-Sexual male who currently resides in Chicago, IL. I work in non prof- it.. And my guilty pleasures are Disney, GLEE, and Marshmallows. JRK: You have decided to dedicate your life to be- ing involved in the LGBTQ community on issues surrounding social justice and diversity education. What prompted this decision? BD: It honestly was a process that started with a trau- matic event in my personal life and eventually lead me to make this my full time career. JRK: You have a goal of ending the AIDS epidem- ic for good, getting new HIV infections down to zero, and reducing HIV related stigma. What are you doing to achieve that goal? BD: It honestly starts with bringing it up in everyday conversation. It's time we made HIV a taboo thing and made it a routine thing. What I do to achieve that goal is to honestly be open about my sexuality and also being open about conversations regarding sex and health. JRK: What are some of the misconceptions about HIV and AIDS that need to be dispelled? How is that achieved? BD: e biggest misconception is that HIV only af- fects certain people. HIV doesn't discriminate against one particular community. Another misconception is that HIV is only contracted through sexual contact, Speaking Out With Benjamin Di'Costa An Advocate for Youth and Young Adults An Interview By Jim Koury, Editor/Publisher

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