Yevette Lindsey
ACTG CAB Member, ACTG Board Member, Community Leader, Research Participant, Educator, Mother, Native Washingtonian
What professional achievement are you most proud of?
I'm retired now, but I worked as a clerk at HRSA in branch management: working around HIV and AIDS, anonymously. My favorite position was with NoVA AIDS Ministry and I used to give talks to children. I loved working with kids, they kept me laughing and their attention made the work worth it.
Do you have any advice for women or people who want to get involved with research?
I am an example for younger women and I would let them know about all the studies that come up. And let her know that she could have a cure for something that ails her or help somebody else by getting in a study. A lot of Black Americans are still on Tuskegee, and I wish I could educate people on our own history and the benefits of research. And lastly, you see I ain’t dead yet, and I’ve done a lot of studies. Since 1986.
Are there challenges you’ve had to overcome as a woman in research?
Discretion. When I was first diagnosed and first started working in HIV education, I was in disguise and anonymous because I had children and didn’t want to put them out there like that. Because I saw what happened with Ryan White, so I was discreet. I didn’t want people to assume anything because I was doing the work. I was an educator, and even trained White House staff; that opened my eyes to how prejudiced people still were. People used to react badly. I was working with Red Cross doing this work around 2007.
What is it like receiving your care and research visits at the same place?
I got great care at Walter-Reed and NIH research, and Whitman-Walker played a big role in my care. I was scared I was going to die and that’s why I signed up. I was an IV drug user. It's been 37 years since I’ve been sober and 37 years I’ve been living with HIV. Honestly, I told myself I was doing other kind of drugs, I’m sure these can’t be worse than what I was doing. I didn’t think I’d be living this long, sober or otherwise. I am 67, I’ll be 68 later this year. I had to think as an individual, that I was trying to live. I did a study and 2 of my friends died in the trial.
Where would you like to see HIV-related research go in the next 10 to 20 years?
I was diagnosed in June of 86. I participated in AZT trials. I wanted to live more than I wanted to die. I would like to see a cure but I don’t think there is going to be one unless they take back what they said about viruses. Just help me maintain it and live. I would like more research to focus on women’s stuff because at first they weren’t doing many studies on women. So I’m glad to see that they are now. At some point they realized women and men might be different.
Do you have a favorite quote or scripture? Favorite author?
“I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope and I can’t get it out of my head.”
What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?
Getting sober! And getting my G.E.D. at 30 and not giving up. I failed it the first time failed it the second time but I didn’t give up. And my girls are wonderful, they all finished college and they turned out to be some good girls.
Anything else you'd like to add?
“Take a chance on a study, so you may thrive.”
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