Union Positiva & Love

It has been 22 years since Santos, 47, was diagnosed with HIV, but it was not until recently that with the help of a Latino support group called Union Positiva Inc, he finally had the courage to reveal to his children the truth.

“Whenever I’m having a bad day and I feel depressed, I come to Union Positiva to speak to my friends,” said Santos with a smile.

Union Positiva, is a non-profit organization located in the heart of Little Havana. They are a committed agency leading the fight against the devastating medical, social and economic effects that the HIV/AIDS epidemic inflict on the Latino community in South Florida.

“In Union Positiva we give HIV/AIDS patients the tools to disclose their status to their relatives,” said Union Positiva Program Manager, Christian Ocon.

But in addition they offer countless other services to the Latino community.

In 2000, Union Positiva began providing free HIV/AIDS testing. On average they administer 2,000 CTR/HIV Rapid Tests per year. According to their data collected, an average of 1 new HIV case for every 47 Latino that is tested results positive.


This alarming statistic differs from the stats that the CDC has recorded which states that 1 from every 102 Latino that is tested result HIV positive, said Ocon.

According to Union Positiva’s research, although all populations are equally affected by HIV/AIDS, men who have sex with men better known as (MSM) are ranked number one in reported cases with HIV. Next in line are heterosexual woman, and last are heterosexual man.

However, Ocon notes that there is a striking inconsistency with the aforementioned statistic, and that is that heterosexual men come in third place in regards to new reported cases of HIV simply because they are the least likely to get tested for HIV/AIDS.

Evidently, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is a serious threat to the Hispanic/Latino community. In addition to being a population seriously affected by HIV, Hispanics/Latinos continue to face challenges in accessing health care, prevention services, and HIV treatment.

That is why once a patient is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at Union Positiva they generally refer them to the Ryan White Program.

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, makes the right care and treatment possible for low-income, uninsured and under-insured men, women, children and youth with no other way to meet their medical care and support needs.

The Program prioritizes lifesaving services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, including HIV/AIDS medications and targets resources to areas that have the greatest needs.

“Here at Union Positiva we are 100 percent dedicated to the Latino community providing prevention, awareness, and offering help both psychologically as well as emotionally to those that suffer from HIV/ AIDS,” said Christian Ocon.

Ocon who is of Nicaraguan descent and whose brother died of AIDS many years back enjoys working at Union Positva.

“It fulfills me,” he said.

In his three years of working at Union Positiva he has countless anecdotes about the Latino community who are affected by HIV/AIDS.

He adds that the hardest part of his job, however, is telling people that they are HIV positive.

“HIV affects everyone differently,” Ocon said. “I remember once I told a gentleman that he was HIV positive and he just got up and said, “Oh okay thanks, well I need to go to the gym now.”’

But one anecdote that he will never forget was the story of Argentinean couple whose love super ceded HIV.

Ocon, decided to keep the identity of the couple confidential but their love story he told with great flair.

There was a middle aged man, who had been living with HIV for years and was in a relationship with a woman who did not have HIV. The couple after being together for a few years decided to work closely with doctors to bring up his T-Cells to the maximum level possible.

Once the T-Cells were at the level they aimed, the couple started having unprotected sex because they wanted to have their own baby.

Miraculously it turns out that the women became impregnated but not infected with the virus. In the end, both the lucky woman and the baby were HIV free.

“That case was unprecedented, I had never heard of anything like that before,” Ocon said with excitement.

But just like the Argentinean couple who were able to achieve their dream of having a baby. There is also the story of Santos and Eduardo, who met in Union Positiva and whose love for one another is what keeps them going in life.

Santos and Eduardo met while attending a support group meeting called “Grupo Reacción,” designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for men of all ages who have sex with men.

The program focuses on developing skills, building beliefs that they can make their situation better and creating hope for a positive and better future.
While attending the support group, Santos was at the verge of being diagnosed with full blown AIDS. He weighed 115 pounds, and had lost faith in life.

But his life made a 360 turn when he found love.

“It was in here in Union Positiva where I met Eduardo,” said Santos with a smile.

That friendship later developed into a stronger bond and soon Eduardo started helping Santos take his medicine, which he often neglected to take.

“Eduardo helped me a lot,” Santos said, as he patted his chubby stomach.

Both Santos and Eduardo are grateful of being able to go to a place such as Union Positiva where the staff welcomes them with open arms.

Whenever the couple is in the area of Little Havana, Union Positiva is one of their stops.

And For Ocon, talking and helping couples like Santos and Eduardo simply makes his day.