Advocacy Outside the Walls

Pregnant While Positive: My Husband, Me and Baby Made Three

rustishouse@hotmail.com (Rusti Miller-Hill) — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:05:00 GMT

My husband is HIV negative, and has been for the last 18 years. We made our son the old fashioned way -- with pure love. My desire to parent at 33 years old was overshadowed by my diagnosis. I AM a woman living with AIDS.

A Present to Myself, on My 50th Birthday

rustishouse@hotmail.com (Rusti Miller-Hill) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:14:00 GMT

On October 25, 1961, at 8:53 AM, I entered into this world a beautiful baby girl full of life and love and no expectations other than having a full, loving life. This year I am celebrating my 50th birthday. As my fourteen-year-old grandson stated, I am a half of a century years old.

I had to stop and take a moment of reflection. I have been around for a long time. I have had and lost much; but most of all I have had the pleasure of having some inspirational people in my life over the years. I thought about sharing some of my wisdom and decided to stop and breathe, enjoying each breath and the peace that it brings to my soul.

Where Was I When AIDS First Came on the Scene?

rustishouse@hotmail.com (Rusti Miller-Hill) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:30:00 GMT

I remember looking at the television thinking OMG this can't be ... I saw Ryan White and his mother and heard of their struggle just to be acknowledged for who they were as a family. I never thought that this would have an impact on my life other than hearing about it on the news. Magic Johnson and I found out around the same time!

So Long to New York's HIV Care Networks

rustishouse@hotmail.com (Rusti Miller-Hill) — Fri, 5 Nov 2010 08:36:00 GMT

As of December 31, 2010, the HIV Care Networks of New York State will no longer exist. The New York State Ryan White Part B HIV Care Networks' mission is to promote a coordinated community response that resulted in improved access to care and supportive services for those infected with HIV/AIDS.

My first reaction to the shutting down of the Networks was utter panic and fear. As a woman of color living with AIDS for the last 18 years, I worried that we, people living with AIDS, especially women, would become invisible in the face of chronic care management.

Fighting for Prison Health Care Above the Norm

rustishouse@hotmail.com (Rusti Miller-Hill) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:06:00 GMT

On June 10, 1993, I was released from Albion State Correctional Facility for Women. "91G1505," as I had been called for the last three years of my life, was no longer property of the State of New York. The road, while hard and painful, was getting ready to take a new turn.

My name is Rusti Miller-Hill. I was diagnosed with HIV on January 1, 1991. At the time I had just entered drug treatment and was trying to put the pieces of my life back together after five years of substance abuse. Nowadays, as an advocate living in the community for the last 20 years, I most recently served as the co-chair of the Conditions on the Inside and Re-Entry Committee of the Correctional Association's Coalition for Women Prisoners.