““[As a new board member, my hope is] to be a part of a group that has ended the HIV epidemic in the South (but actually the entire U.S.). I know that’s lofty, but we need to think BIG.”
—Donna Sabatino, RN, ACRN, Southern AIDS Coalition Board Member
Q1: Introduce yourself, where do you come from and why do you want to take this important step in pursuing the end of the HIV epidemic in the South?
“My name is Donna Sabatino and I live in Flagler Beach, Florida, but spent 35 of my 37 years in South Florida. I have been in the HIV fight for 28 years as an HIV Specialty RN and I have experienced the stigma, fear, and hopelessness that many of my patients/People With HIV have experienced through the years. Unfortunately, not much has changed in the South and I find that extremely sad and troubling. This has to change, and I feel my clinical background can help the Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) make these needed changes.”
Q2: What excites you about joining the Board of Directors of Southern AIDS Coalition?
“I am excited to work with such a dedicated and passionate group of people. I am excited to bring my years of experience to the group as we continue to build and strengthen the infrastructure of SAC and make an impact toward ending the HIV epidemic in the South.”
Q3: Share a moment—a policy, movement, or experience that has shaped you and deepened your commitment to work with organizations like the Southern AIDS Coalition in this fight.
“When people ask how I got started in HIV, I tell them about, “church cancer,” the horrible code phrase used to describe HIV/AIDS while I was growing up in black church (when gay men would become “mysteriously” ill with advanced HIV). For years, I was frozen in fright as friends and others in my proximity who I admired suffered and died in silence and shame. At 24, I vowed to become a voice for forward thinking and change, fighting for fairness and equity in human health—and I’m still at it.”
Q5: Are there any other thoughts you’d like to share about the start of your journey with the Southern AIDS Coalition family?
“In addition to doing the work to “stop” HIV, it is my belief that “starting” the work around holistic health and wellness may allow SAC to take a step back and think through new ways to reimagine long-term funding sources.”
