Cindy Pivacic, changemaker, HIV activist and HIV management, author, lay councillor and victim empowerment, amongst other things.
Twenty years ago, we stayed quiet. Now, we speak up.
Years ago, I lived in the shadows of my potential. Mentally, I felt boxed in by discrimination, doubt, and societal expectations. I was surviving – but just barely – through life’s twists and turns, unexpected diagnoses, and personal upheavals. Silence was my armour, but it was also a cage.
Then came the shift. I did not just survive – I created something new from it. I turned my pain into purpose.
The obstacles that once seemed challenging – living with HIV and battling judgment – became my building blocks. I started speaking out, not just for myself, but for those still silenced.
That act of courage opened doors I never knew existed. I found strength not despite my challenges, but because of them.
Today, I stand not as a survivor but as a voice, a mentor, and a guide. I built my present on authenticity, education, and advocacy. I lead conversations about health, empowerment, and transformation. I walk alongside women who are finding their voices and holding space for those still learning to use them.
Being a woman is not a setback – it is my strength. It is in our nurturing, our resilience, our fire. I
have seen what happens when women support women – we grow.
I have seen what happens when stories are shared – we heal.
And I have learned that vulnerability, when embraced, becomes power.
Where am I going? Forward. Always forward. I am building platforms, safe spaces, and new narratives. I am planting seeds of change in places once silent. I want every woman I meet to leave with a new story that starts with, “I can.”
This journey has not been easy – the pitfalls were real, the doubt constant – but the victories? They have been sweeter than I could have imagined.
I built them with commitment and persistence.
My story is not just mine anymore. It is for every woman still waiting to begin again. And to her, I say: your time is now.
