THE NAKED TRUTH: YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL, AND HIV (POSITIVE)

Have you ever thought that you could take a look at someone and notice that they were infected with HIV? If you have thought that, take a look at a young woman who is young and beautiful with no sign of sickness whatsoever, and when you look at her know that she is infected with the HIV virus. Marvelyn Brown, a former top track and basketball star, was young, beautiful, and at a pivotal stage in her young life. She had everything going for her, health, beauty, education, and like most young 19 year-old feamles she was "in love." On one fateful day, when a sudden illness landed her in intensive care, myriad tests revealed that the then 19-year-old had acquired the HIV/AIDS virus.

Now at 24 year's old, she has accepted her status, and is committed to educating and empowering others. Brown's new memoir, ''The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (HIV) Positive' (Amistad/HarperCollins, August 2008) reveals her very intimate and personal journey of living with HIV/AIDS.

Embracing the Truth

By Marvelyn Brown

Writing a book about your life is probably one of the most difficult and challenging things one can ever do. It requires you to open up in a way that forces the recollection of memories you'd probably prefer be left in that forgotten mental vault. Writing a memoir also means being open and honest, first and most importantly with yourself. The process can strip you bare, leave you emotionally spent, yet happily free and cleansed. The title of my memoir couldn't be more relevant and appropriate to my experience – 'The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (HIV) Positive'.

My name is Marvelyn Brown and I am HIV positive. It took me so long to look in the mirror and be able to utter those words. When I look at myself today, I don't see HIV. What I see instead is a young, beautiful, worthy and positive woman. It is for this reason that I chose to place HIV in parentheses for the title of my book. Why is this important? Because we exist in a world where we continue to define the disease as only affecting people with a certain look or belonging to a certain socioeconomic group. I'm living proof that nothing is farther from the truth.

I was 19 years old, a normal teenager who'd met a guy that I really liked. We had unprotected sex. It only took one time, one impulsive moment, and my life was forever changed. Rather than looking forward to what should have been the "hey day" of my twenties, I was given a death sentence. Suddenly, many of the people I loved and who'd cared about me were afraid to touch me, hug me, kiss me. Many refused to believe I was HIV positive, so the topic was avoided altogether. To be able to look in the mirror and state the truth, what is fact, that I am HIV positive, was a major step for me. It's also the moment when I realized that I do not live with HIV, rather HIV lives with me. And no matter how negatively the world views this virus, I will always love myself, no matter what.

One of my chief concerns is that HIV-positive people may not pick up the book because they are fearful their own HIV status will be revealed by merely purchasing or reading the book. I also fear that HIV-negative people may look at the book and feel sorry for me. Or worst, not read the book at all because they feel HIV is not an issue for them. Might I add, a feeling I likely shared before being diagnosed with HIV. The reality that I pray 'The Naked Truth' brings to light is that HIV is everyone's problem-it is a human disease.

Despite all of the stigma and ignorance surrounding HIV/AIDS, I finally quit living my life for everyone else and started living it for me. 'The Naked Truth' is about my journey of finding self-love, self-worth and self-acceptance despite this devastating virus.

Marvelyn's Blog

The Naked Truth Book Signings
Wednesday, August 27, 20085:- 07:00 PM Virginia State University Foster Hall University Avenue Room 300 Petersburg, VA

Wednesday, September 03, 20087-8:30 PMDAVIS-KIDD BOOKSELLERSTHE MALL AT GREEN HILLS

2121 Green Hills Village Dr Nashville, TN 37215

Saturday, September 06, 20081-3:00 PMDAVIS KIDD BOOKSELLER

387 Perkins Ext Memphis, TN 38117

Wednesday, September 10, 20087-8:30 PMBORDERS BOOKSTORE6081 Center Dr

Los Angeles, CA 90045

Friday, September 12, 20086:30- 8 PMMARCUS BOOKSTORE 3900 Martin Luther King Jr. WayOakland, CA 94609

Thursday, September 18, 20085- 7:00 PMHOWARD UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE 2225 Georgia Ave NW Washington, DC 20059

If Martvelyn comes to your area, please check her out, she's quite a powerful young BLACK sister, with information that our community needs.

GAS PRICES HAVE AFFECTED MR. "TAKE THAT, TAKE THAT" HIMSELF, AND HE MUST NOW FLY COMMERCIAL

Apparently, Diddy just found out that gas was too high. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Combs, P. Diddy, or whatever he goes by these days is no longer using his personal jet, he says, "I'm actually flying commercial."

The hip-hop mogul said he is now flying on commercial airlines instead of in private jets, which Combs said had previously cost him $200,000 to $250, 000 and up for a roundtrip between New York and Los Angeles.

Diddy called out to all his "Saudi Arabia brothers and sisters" and to "any other country that has oil" to send him some free oil. I wouldn't be surprised if Diddy received some oil next day mail. LOL

Peep the video blog from the man who thinks its a big deal to fly commercial below. I'm sure this video is completely for humor, but in all seriousness, if you never realized how much money he has, please just listen to him talk about $250,000 like its a few thousand.

MJ CELEBRATES THE BIG 5-0

The King of Pop celebrates his 50th Birthday today. As one of his biggest fans, I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!  In celebration of Mike's 50 years, take a look at the classic Thriller video below.  I don't know about you, but after all of these years, this video still scares me.  But with all that said, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

IT'S OFFICIAL - HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE

Today, Barack Obama was officially voted the Democratic Presidential nominee at the Democratic National Convention.  A few states officially gave their votes in their designated speeches, and briefly after that, Senator Hillary Clinton spoke over a loud roaring crowd for New York and she moved to suspend the roll call vote, and officially named Senator Obama the Democratic nominee.  This was an emotional and historic moment, and not only for all BLACKS, but also for this wonderful country.  Overjoyed is what I feel. After all of the suffering and all of the pain that my people have endured, finally progress has a name, Barack Obama- YES WE CAN! 

 

DR. DRE'S 20 YEAR OLD SON HAS DIED

Dr. Dre's 20 year old son, Andre Young Jr. has died.  Dr. Dre's publicist said in a statement that, "Dr. Dre is mourning the loss of his son Andre Young Jr."  Andre Young Jr. was found dead Saturday by his mother at their home in suburban Woodland Hills, county coroner's Lt. John Kades said.  

An autopsy was performed Monday, but the cause of death is not likely to be determined for some time while toxicology test are done, Kades said. 

Please keep Dr. Dre and his family in your thoughts and prayers, and may Andre Young Jr. rest in peace. 

SOUTH SIDE GIRL

If you did not know or understand Michelle Obama before her Monday night speech at the DNC, you definitely knew and understood her afterwards.  Her mission was to humanize her

husband, and for skeptics to see her husband as the next President of the United States.  She did everything that she set out to do and she did it perfectly.  

    During this speech, she dismissed those who questioned her patriotism.  A few months back, republicans took her statement in which she said that she was "really proud" of her country for the first time, and made it a negative statement.  They tried to say that this statement showed that she was unpatriotic.  

    This was a very touching and genuine speech.  Afterwards her two daughter joined her, while they spoke to Presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama via satellite from Missouri.  Obama's first statement to the crowd was, "How about Michelle Obama?" "Now you know why I asked her out so many times even though she said no.  You want a persistent president."  

    She used this speech to explain and show ways in which Obama unites people together, while she also mentioned many things that made people see that Obama is just an ordinary man with extraordinary plans for this country.  She said, "Barack doesn't care where you're from, or what your background is, or what party- if any- you belong to.  That's not how he sees the world.  He knows that thread that connects us- our belief in America's promise, our commitment to our children's future - is strong enough to hold us together as one nation even when we disagree."

    The whole thing was phenomenal. I was proud to be a woman, a BLACK american, and a BARACK OBAMA supporter watching this speech.

Below is part of the video, "South Side Girl," that the audience watched, which was a biographical film narrated by her mother.  It covered her entire life, everything from her childhood to her career in law to her apprehension to dating a man with a funny name.

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA PICKS HIS VP

My text message reads:

"Jennifer--

I have some important news that I want to make official.

I've chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate.

Joe and I will appear for the first time as running mates this afternoon in Springfield, Illinois -- the same place this campaign began more than 19 months ago.

I'm excited about hitting the campaign trail with Joe, but the two of us cant do this along.  We need your help to keep building this movement to change."

Senator Biden definitely meets the test and is highly capable of becoming the President of the United States if anything were to happen to Senator Obama.  This key moment was something that all were eager to see, and in my opinion, he has choose someone who can take the punches and throw them as well.  Senator Obama, who has been criticized for not being as hard as many believe he should be on the McCain campaign has definitely chosen someone who is not afraid to fight back at criticism and someone capable of holding his own.

Obama's former rival, Senator Hillary Clinton stated in a written statement Saturday morning that, "Senator Obama has continued in the best traditions for the vice presidency by selecting an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant."  While many Clinton supporters are upset that Senator Clinton was not even a consideration, this statement proves that Senator Clinton is not totally dissatisfied with Obama's choice.  

When Senator John McCain's campaign found out who would be the veep, they quickly reacted with a written statement and campaign ad, calling attention to Senator Biden's past remarks about Senator Obama's experience.  This is not the first time that a presidential nominee has chosen a VP who has criticized them during the primaries.  No matter who he choose, i'm sure that they have criticized Obama for something in the past.

My words to OBAMA is that he has picked a candidate who enhances his chances of winning and I am proud to support an OBAMA/BIDEN ticket! YES WE CAN! 

Sidebar: With everything in my being, I believe that CHANGE will happen for me, my family, and my unborn children, as soon as Senator Barack Obama is elected the next President of the United States of America.

Take a look at the vid below if you BELIEVE!

TODAY'S HOTTEST FEMALE ARTISTS COME TOGETHER TO COMBAT CANCER THROUGH SONG

Antonio "L.A." Reid along with longtime creative colleague Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds produced and created a smash hit dedicated to combat cancer. "Just Stand Up" features Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood. All sales of the star-studded single will benefit cancer research.

All of the singers will come together to perform the song live on Sept. 5 during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special, set to air simultaneously on ABC, NBC and CBS. Other stars expected to turn out for the hour-long fund- and awareness-raising program include Jennifer Aniston, Lance Armstrong, Katie Couric, Sally Field, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep, Forest Whitaker and Reese Witherspoon.

In 2007 the Entertainment Industry Foundation founded the Stand Up to Cancer program, which calls on entertainment-industry people and platforms to help fight cancer.

Press play below to hear the song.