Alex M

Alex has been a part of Positive Youth Outreach, an organization for HIV-positive youth in Toronto, for almost six years. Alex has been there for me. He has seen all my ups and downs but has always been someone I could talk to without judgment and he always has a helpful solution or idea. For all his help through the years, I see Alex as my Positive Hero.

Alex M. tested HIV positive in 1998 at the age of 19. He immediately started to volunteer at Positive Youth Outreach (PYO) a small organization looking to meet the needs of HIV-positive young people.

As one of only two such programs run by and for young people living with HIV/AIDS in Canada, PYO is innovative in many ways. The peer-based program, which merged with the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) in late 2001, works with a very diverse population of young people in downtown Toronto and across Ontario. Alex is now the coordinator of the program.

Although he is getting older, Alex is still very passionate about the unique issues facing young people living with HIV. Alex has spoken about his experiences being HIV positive around the country and has even traveled to the Arctic to speak with Inuit communities. Since 2003 Alex has been on the Board of Directors of the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS).