I was a child in the height of the AIDS scare, and it has colored my life since I began exploring sex and sexuality.

I’ve had friends who died.

I have friend who are living with HIV today.

My mother worked on the quilt project.

So, when I saw that a new vaccine is generating an immune response in 97% of study participants, I was thrilled.

Not just for how far we’ve come, and how this has been taken seriously (FINALLY!) enough to warrant dedicated study.

We’re still a long way from being in the clear, but at least today, on this HIV Vaccine Awareness holiday, we have something to give us hope.