Blogs

Today, about 1 in 4 people living with HIV in the United States are women. Each woman touched by HIV/AIDS needs our support and our understanding. They need family, friends, and treatment. And they need us to listen to their stories.

I don't think anything can prepare you for the moment when they unveil the piece of paper that contains your fate. Even though the odds seemed to be against me, I was not prepared to be told I had HIV. Turns out, the doctor had worse news: It was actually an AIDS diagnosis and the doctor gave me 3 to 6 months to live.

There is life and love after an HIV diagnosis. That’s the message Maria Mejia, an activist and woman living with AIDS, wants to share in honor of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) on March 10.

Content warning: Physical and emotional abuse

What do you see when you imagine a heart attack? Does the victim — probably a man — stop what he's doing, clutch his chest, and fall to the floor? We call that the "Hollywood Heart Attack." It doesn't paint the most accurate picture, particularly for women. The truth is: Heart attacks can be much harder to spot. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. More women than men die from their heart attacks. That's why I want to share with you the common symptoms of a heart attack in women.

Just a month before my 27th birthday, my world stopped. It was Christmastime, and most everyone around me was preparing for the holiday festivities; but not me.

Ed. note: This blog is cross-posted from the U.S. Department of Labor Blog. The original post date was January 27, 2015.

Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States — surpassing stroke, diabetes, and even cancer? In honor of American Heart Month, we spoke with Yaskary Reyes. Yaskary is an ambassador for The Heart Truth®, a program sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute that strives to educate women about heart disease and motivate them to take steps to prevent it. She is also living with heart disease.

For most of my federal career, portraits of Harriet Tubman and Ida B. Wells have hung on my wall. These "s/heroes" remind me that freedom is precious and vulnerable populations need targeted attention, protection, and assistance. I am honored to work with abolitionists in the public and private sectors to end human trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery.

When you think about taking care of yourself, things like eating right, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep may come to mind. But what about health insurance? Is getting covered on your to-do list this year?