Jessica Adams

My name is Jessica Adams and I began volunteering for a.l.p.h.a. earlier this year as the First Thursday Event Coordinator.  I organize a different event for the first Thursday of every month.  I am passionate about HIV & AIDS awareness and support.  I first encountered the need for HIV & AIDS awareness and education as a kid growing up in California.  In the early 1980's, I was in the same first grade class as a little boy who had AIDS.  As other parents removed their children from this classroom in fear, my dad and a few other parents chose to educate themselves, their children, and their communities. My dad is gay and I have known several of his friends and partners who died of AIDS in the late 80's and early 90's. These experiences gave me a great deal of compassion as well as awareness of the challenges of people living with HIV and AIDS and the need for widespread education. I am a yoga teacher with Yoga for Wellness and a mental health counseling graduate student.