Posted on March 12, 2015
Source: Jonathan Washington
Howdy! My parents named me Jonathan Paul, and I am a peer of Generation Tomorrow Cohort 3. I am an Ohio transplant who moved to Baltimore in 2011 to work for the Viral Hepatitis Center at Johns Hopkins. My initial involvement with Generation Tomorrow began with my work as a research coordinator for a hepatitis C liver study within the ALIVE study. However, at the time, I did not realize the magnitude of involvement the organization had within the Baltimore community. I wanted to join Generation Tomorrow after meeting the organization’s students and hearing about their work. Generation Tomorrow gave me the opportunity to work beyond the HIV clinic and provide public health knowledge and services to the community.
As part of Generation Tomorrow, I work with Project Re_, which primarily offers mobile HIV & hepatitis C testing, education, and linkage to care. My hope is to begin creating a presence and atmosphere throughout the community with Project Re_ in which HIV is not stigmatized so that individuals do not fear knowing their status. The art of storytelling dates back to our ancestors and has always been used as a vital tool for survival. After meeting diverse study participants of all ages, I am able to see the importance of sharing public health knowledge and their stories. My work with Project Re_ and the ALIVE study has taught me the significance of using knowledge (e.g., knowing your status) as one form of preventative health care. My experiences with Generation Tomorrow have translated directly to my work as a research coordinator and have allowed me to become a better public health worker and advocate.
