Becoming Violeta

Confessions

There are an estimated 50,000 Latinas living with HIV in the United States today. In 2020, there were 5,450 new HIV infections in women. CONFESSIONS is a podcast that follows the lives of 6 women who share their journeys. In 2021, among the 868 transgender people newly diagnosed with HIV in the US 31% (272) were Latina.
Please note that this episode contains explicit language related to sexual abuse and is not appropriate for children.

Welcome to this week's episode of our podcast. Today, we have a special guest, Violeta, who shares her story with us. Violeta is a transgender young woman who grew up in Tijuana,​ Mexico. She opens up about her childhood, marked by her parents' constant fighting. Violeta felt the responsibility to mediate between her parents, which was a heavy burden for a child to bear.
Violeta grew up in a strict Jehovah's Witness home, where she was taught that being transgender was a sin. She presented as a boy in school, but her effeminate nature made her a target for bullies. Violeta shares with us about her abusive experiences with an older family friend, which left her feeling trapped and hopeless.
After years of living with the trauma of abuse, Violeta reached a breaking point and checked herself into a psychological residential treatment facility. But life had one more surprise for her. After feeling sick, she received an HIV-positive diagnosis that forever changed her life.
Despite the challenges, Violeta found the strength to embrace her true self and become who she was always meant to be. Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. We hope that by sharing her story, we inspire others to live their truth and overcome any obstacles that come their way. Thank you for listening.
United States Call: 988
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Produced by:
Natalie Sanchez
Jazmin Rojano
Elia Silveyra

Los Angeles Family AIDS Network
lafan.org
facebook.com/LAFAN1
Instagram; @lafamilyaidsnetwork

HIV data obtained at cdc.gov/hiv
To find HIV testing, treatment, and other resources visit https://locator.hiv.gov/

This podcast is brought to you by the Los Angeles Family AIDS Network in collaboration with Women Together and produced by mejia.tv