Meet Todd
Todd grew up in a family with strong parents who were loving and supportive. From a very early age Todd knew he was adopted and felt proud to be loved and wanted. It was this knowledge that helped drive him to accomplish what he set his mind to. He was involved in church, school and community organizations, but he always felt “different” from the other kids. When high school started, he didn’t want to hide anymore. He was terrified to tell those close to him but knew he needed to be himself. Suspicions grew at school that he was gay. Taunts turned into daily emotional abuse and by his junior year he signed out of public school. Angry that he had to give up his education for a lifestyle, he was determined to educate himself. He moved to Los Angeles, then New York City trying to get his life together. He worked in a dental office by day and he educated himself in accounting and economics at night. In the city that never sleeps, Todd was sure that he had found the man of his dreams but he realized that he didn’t know how to talk to his partner about sex and protection. He wasn’t given the information in high school sex ed and hadn’t taken the time to find it on his own. He stopped using protection out of fear and considered it his ultimate expression of trust. The relationship ended and Todd was ready to move on. He felt confident that he could find an accounting position, so he sent out resumes to companies across the country. He got a job in Salt Lake City with a contractor during the Winter Olympics. Todd moved into a home with gay men from around the world. They were friends who understood and supported him. On World AIDS Day 2001 his best friend asked him to go and get an HIV test with him. Assuming he would go for emotional support, Todd agreed. He wasn’t planning to get tested himself because he didn’t feel he was at risk, but the nurse persuaded Todd to have an HIV test. Leaving the clinic, he didn’t give the test a second thought. Two weeks later Todd found out the news that would change his life forever–-he was HIV positive. Devastation, confusion, anger, regret and isolation quickly filled Todd’s mind. He spent weeks in bed. He was living uneducated about HIV and AIDS and he was depressed. “I’m not sure what changed. Maybe I was tired of feeling sorry for myself and I certainly didn’t feel or look any different than I had before. Also, I had worked too hard to let this diagnosis stop me from accomplishing my goals. I wasn’t going to tolerate being stigmatized in my life,” said Todd. He got out of bed and started living his life again. Todd read that half of new HIV infections were in young people under the age of 25, yet he still felt alone and isolated. He started to share his story of living with HIV with family, friends and strangers and found that his story had a great impact. He knew that peer-to-peer education would not only educate others, but also validate his own life. Today, Todd is the Executive Director and founder of Hope’s Voice. After being diagnosed with HIV at the age of 20, he decided to take an active role in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It was through his own experiences of living with HIV that Hope’s Voice was born. He motivates young adults to get out and make a social change in their community and in the world. Todd believes that one person can truly make a difference.
Download Todd's Bio
