Listen up! Brace yourself for an incredible audiobook that will hit you right in the feels. "Positive" is not your average memoir. It's a powerful story that sheds light on the devastating impact of bullying and gives a voice to the countless children who have felt its cruel touch. So grab your headphones, because this is a must-listen for teens, parents, educators, and administrators.
Our narrator, Paige Rawl, is not your average teenager. She has been HIV positive since birth, but she has never let her illness define her. That is, until one fateful day in middle school when she confided in a friend about her HIV status. Little did she know that this act of vulnerability would unleash a torrent of bullying that she never could have imagined.
Every day became a minefield for Paige. She never knew when the next hurtful text or taunt would come flying her way. The weight of it all became too much, and one night, she found herself standing in her bathroom, staring at a bottle of sleeping pills. It could have been the end of her story, but instead, it became the beginning.
Paige's memoir, written in collaboration with Ali Benjamin (the bestselling author of "The Truth About Jellyfish"), is a rallying cry for action, compassion, and change. She urges readers to rise up against complacency and cruelty, and to choose kindness instead. In a world marred by stigma and ignorance, Paige's story serves as a lifeline for those who have felt the pain of being different.
But Paige doesn't just stop at sharing her story through this audiobook. Oh no, she is on a mission. She speaks out about HIV and bullying, she attends conferences, and she gets involved in advocacy projects across her home state of Indiana and beyond. Paige is a true ambassador for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and she hopes that her tireless efforts will reshape the way her generation thinks and talks about HIV/AIDS and bullying.
To all the HIV-positive youth out there, Paige wants you to know that you are so much more than your diagnosis. "You are living with HIV, but HIV is not who you are," she affirms. So tune in and let Paige's indomitable spirit inspire you to embrace compassion and make a positive change in the world.
