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Name: Ineudira Barbosa
Age: 17
Hometown: Dorchester, MA
School: Cambridge Rindge and Latin School - Cambridge, MA
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Background
At the age of 14, Ineudira “Dira” Barbosa became shocked by her peers’ lack of sexual awareness - particularly about HIV/AIDS. So Dira started volunteering countless hours at local health centers and with community groups to care for HIV patients and educate her peers about their sexual health.
But eight months ago, Dira’s crusade became personal when a close family member was diagnosed with HIV. Dira decided to redouble her efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. With strong academic credentials and a wealth of community and personal experience, Dira plans to get undergraduate and law degrees, and to use her education to continue her fight for those less fortunate, particularly those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Mission:
My mission is to let my peers know that HIV and AIDS does not discriminate-it can happen to anyone.
Personal Quote;
I have seen and been through enough to understand that in life it is not who you know or what you have, but what you know and what you stand for.
How do you plan to continue advocating HIV/AIDS awareness in the future?
I plan to expand my own knowledge on this topic to the fullest extent and, by doing so, I hope to make a difference in the world. I will do this by continuing my volunteer work and committing myself to HIV/AIDS education and activism. Right now, the only cure for HIV/AIDS is education and I want to show my peers the power to be gained through such knowledge.
Where will you be in five years?
In five years I will be in law school and further on my way to becoming a successful lawyer. I plan to study the law because I have a passion to help people who do not understand the law and their rights. I will also be working on creating new programs, such as my program Teens for Education Advocacy and Leadership (T.E.A.L), that educate people on health issues such as HIV and AIDS.
Why should people care about fighting HIV/AIDS?
It is absurd how many people of all ages, especially young people, die of this virus each year because they do not educate themselves. Knowledge is a powerful thing and it can change and save many lives. The more people know, the better chance they have of keeping themselves safe and the more we can decrease the rate of HIV and AIDS all around the world. One person helping another can make a big difference and that is why it is important that we all care.
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As part of MTV's Fight For Your Rights: Protect Yourself campaign and in conjunction with LIFEbeat, the Lisa Lopes AIDS Scholarship was launched during MTV's Video Music Awards on August 29th, 2002. Since then, over 20,000 young people from around the country requested applications for the $25,000 scholarship. The goal was to recognize and reward one young person who has shown dedication and leadership in the fight against AIDS - whether through comforting the sick, educating the uninformed, researching a cure, or any other action. Sexual health experts from the Kaiser Family Foundation, AIDS Action, SIECUS, Advocates for Youth and LIFEbeat, as well as recording artists T-Boz and Chilli of TLC and executives at MTV, reviewed the applications to help select the finalists and determine the winner.
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