Juanita Williams received little support as an HIV-positive woman. Doctors in her family’s hometown in South Carolina disregarded her needs. She found her health neglected by the system that was supposed to help her, and she was denied access to procedures as basic as tubal ligation. She had to uproot to Atlanta, Georgia for better reproductive care. 

Her experiences motivated her to close the gap herself. 

As an icon in the reproductive-justice movement, Williams heavily influenced organizations such as SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective and SisterLove, Inc,

She, along with others, founded the Positive Women’s Network, which centers on women living with HIV. The Positive Women’s Network prioritizes informing, diversifying, and mobilizing this community for positive change. She used art and quilting to create space for women living with HIV, normalizing a culture of agency and advocacy when there was none.

"We need positive women's voices to continue to fight the stigma. How do we do that? We tell our stories and reflect on each other. I am not the enemy. I am the answer."

—Juanita Williams

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