AAHU Fellow Christopher Barnes: 'I Don't Sit in the Back Anymore'
Christopher Barnes
One in a series about recent graduates of the African American HIV University (AAHU).
I was brought up as a little country boy, so there are things that I know how to do. That's why taking various jobs, including working in a chicken plant, before finding my calling at My Brother's Keeper (MBK) is nothing that I am ashamed of. I came to Hattiesburg, Miss., from Alexandria, La., to attend college, first at Pearl River Community College and then the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss). I dropped out after suffering injuries from a car accident. At that time I did not know what direction I wanted to take. To make ends meet, I cut up chickens. I hated the job, but it was steady, good pay and I would not go without.
It took three years before I had the opportunity to be interviewed for MBK in Hattiesburg. June Gipson, Ph.D., president and CEO of MBK, had observed me at J-Sette, a dance competition held as part of the Jackson Black Pride weekend. She said that she loved how I carried myself when the Hattiesburg team lost and I motivated my group to stay positive, telling them that there was nothing to worry about, we can practice and try harder, and that there's always next year. We won the competition the subsequent two years.
When a friend mentioned that MBK was expanding to the area, I immediately applied online. No organization in the community catered to young Black gay men, and the number of new HIV cases in Forrest County, where Hattiesburg is located, and STD cases was increasing. I had always wanted to be involved with MBK, and although I had no experience in the HIV field, I was a well-respected member of the community and someone people knew they could trust. MBK knew I could reach their target audience.
I was hired as an outreach specialist and have been in the position for a year. I advocate for free testing at community colleges, attend community events and Christian services to provide HIV education, conduct surveys in the LGBT as well as the general community, and hand out condoms, a service that has been well-received by young men. Since Hattiesburg is a small town and does not have all the resources available in our Jackson, Miss., office, I've been working with vendors and other organizations to pool our services to better serve the public.
Before AAHU, I knew the basics of HIV but lacked the science and treatment knowledge. I began reading about AAHU to get a better understanding of the disease. Dr. Gipson felt the training would be beneficial, and I applied even though I was concerned about the academic setting. I had not seen a classroom in over three years, and I tend to get lazy in school. But I stuck with it and graduated. Now, instead of just handing out MBK pamphlets, I can answer questions about how the virus impacts the body and tell folks about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) when I go to the barbershops, clubs, restaurants and community events.
I used to doubt and really be down on myself. Even during my training, I would listen to people who were training me and be like, I hope I'll be able to do that. In addition to gaining the scientific knowledge, being at AAHU has provided me with a safe place to develop my public speaking skills and build my confidence. I am no longer intimidated when giving a presentation in front of a group of professionals. I don't sit in the back anymore; I don't have any doubts anymore.
I used to doubt if I could do my job, and now I feel like I'm part of MBK. AAHU has built my confidence to actually have a voice. Not only can I respond to a question now, but I can speak more confidently when answering and not sit in the back like a shy little pup.
My association with both AAHU and MBK has pushed me to hold myself to a higher standard and go back to school. I am currently back at Pearl River Community College and will be going to Jackson State for a bachelor's degree in public health.
The 10th anniversary of Jackson Black Pride takes place Nov. 15-20. For more information, go to jacksonblackpride.org.
April Eugene is a Philadelphia-based writer.