Freda Jones

Freda was diagnosed with HIV in 2002. When she was diagnosed, she knew it was time to take a stand against HIV.

In 2003 she started at Aniz, Inc. which focused on Women and Children infected and affected with HIV/AIDS, and became a lead facilitator for the “Reaching Out to Sisters with HIV/AIDS” (ROSHA)program. In 2004 she focused on HIV Prevention and was certified as a Pre/post-test Counselor. In that same year, she also became a “VOICES” facilitator, as well as a “SISTA” facilitator in 2005. Keeping on the line of prevention, she became an outreach worker with Recovery Consultants of Atlanta targeting people who live with HIV/AIDS and substance Abuse.

In 2007 she was the PEER 2 PEER Adherence Counselor at AID Survival Project In 2008, and transitioned into a private health clinic specializing in HIV/AIDS focusing on Treatment Education and Peer Support. Freda was also trained in another DEBI Intervention called “WILLOW”. She has been profiled in a community newspaper (Atlanta Voice) highlighting African-American Women Living with HIV/ AIDS on World AIDS Day.

She was featured on a Faith-based HIV video “HIV/AIDS Have We Forgotten”, which was nominated for a Telly Award in 2009. In 2011, Freda received an award from Sistas Organizing to Survive for the contribution that she continues to give to the community. Freda has been on several planning committees for HIV events throughout the Atlanta area for many years. She has been blessed to be on several pharmaceutical companies’ speaker’s bureaus. Freda was an Ambassador for the nationwide campaigns, “Greater Than Aids”, also “Let’s Stop HIV Together”.

She is the founder of PPOG (Positive Peers of Georgia) and has served as the Chair of the AAOI (Atlanta Area Outreach Initiative) for four years, a healthcare initiative for people living with HIV/AIDS, and has created an online HIV support network LOTUS (Loving Ourselves Through Unity & Strength), with over 300 women diagnosed with HIV. LOTUS is a safe space to provide encouragement and support.