On Episode 10, Season 8, of Project Runway, the challenge for the contestants was to design a fabric inspired by a moment from their past.
Mondo Guerra designed a fabric inspired by his HIV positive status. During the Project Runway episode, he discloses his status publicly for the first time.
In this video blog, Guerra shares how he decided to disclose:
Mondo Guerra designed a fabric inspired by his HIV positive status. During the Project Runway episode, he discloses his status publicly for the first time.
In this video blog, Guerra shares how he decided to disclose:
Rock on Mondo, I hope you go all the way. What you have done can only lead to better awareness, understanding, and acceptance.
It's good that you felt you had to bare your soul/tell all, but WHO THE HELL WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT SOMEONE's HIV STATUS? There is no benefit to viewers/readers/audience knowing this and it is not a badge of honor one wears either!!! If you really want to make a difference, volunteer at old folks home, read to the blind, go wack the homeless men off for jollie or cheap thrills, but please don't share your status with other strangers!!! You're not going to get a higher place in heaven because of it and contintue with your counseling/therapy sessions biatch!!!
Per the first comments saying there is no benefit from mondo's honesty and that if he wants to help he should volunteer at an old folks home...if you feel that way why don't you post someplace other than POZ.com? There is enough anti-poz snark clogging the Internet, you don't have to bring your poison here. Mondo had a legitimate reason to share his status and in doing so he inspired many people with the virus to realize that there are plenty of young, ambitious, intelligent infectees.
I'm very proud of your courage Mondo. I hope you win it all. I've been positive since 2003 and can certainly understand your story. Congratulations!
to Sinclair Adams, Shame on you! The more people that come out about their status, the more information and education will come out to help prevent further infections!
Mondo way to go man. As a poz person for 25 years, it meant allot to me when you shared your news. It will help opur community and I am very proud of you. That was a very brave thing to do. Keeping something like this a secret is very difficult. I kept my status a secret for 15 years, so I can relate to your sitsuation. Bravo Mondo!
Way to go Mondo! That took guts, and was so brave. And yes, I, too feel that the more people see openly HIV positive, healthy people living their lives fully, it helps ALL of us. I feel for Sinclair that he/she is in a state of pain, that they would rag on someone for dealing head on with their status. Im still working on that myself, and when I see brave souls like Mondo, it encourages me. Let us all be gentle with ourselves as we deal with something that is life altering.
who the hell want to hear about your ignorance.
it's the fastest disease in youths 13 - 17,
it's exploded in senior care homes,
It's a North American and world epidemic
Grow up. Each person who speaks up puts a face on that fact - we are all vulnerable. So let's
ask ourselves one question - are you homophobic
thinking it's gay only disease? Or are you aware
that more straight people in USA, Canada and Europe are getting it - rather then gay people.
It's critically important to have education.
This is education. Would you want someone you
know to get HIV?
So it's all education. It's all good.
Open your Mind to the education
and your Heart to the compassion that lets us understand and feel for others - and be able
to educate our kids, friends, and others that
we all need
STRONG SELF ESTEEM
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
A CONDOM WHEN YOU ARE DATING.
You don't want to know the USA statistics of married couples that step up, on the down low
or with someone they don't know WELL - and bring
HIV into the relationship so both people have it.
So - you don't get a free pass, you are not invulnerable.
@ Sinclair, WOW!! That silence you wish to perpetuate is the reason so many people still think you can look at someone and tell. What a foolish and insensitive thing to post...so so sad and disheartening. There's a higher power that deals with folks like yourself, sad to say, but you'll see, I just hope you won't end up on the inside looking out.
What courage Mondo has....I like the way the show handled it as well, no sensationalizing him as some producers might have done. Very classy Heidi and Tim.
Great job Mondo really!
And Sinclair... You're an IDIOT !!!
Mondo, I am so in awe of your strength and courage. The comments posted by Sinclair Adams only point to the continued stigma that is suffered by all who struggle with this disease. Bravo to you, Mondo. Although you are trying very hard to win Project Runway, just know that you have already won many friends throughout the world.
Sinclair is a stupidity-junkie. Do not ask him where did the common sense go?
I am amazed and inspired by your courage, Mondo.
You are blessed with talent and a great attitude and I hope to be more like you.
You have all my best wishes!
CONGRATULATIONS MONDO! You are a winner!
People need to realize HIV is all around us in all different shapes and sizes, color and race, gay or heterosexual. Thank you for sharing, this helps people to understand this disease is all around us and people need to pay attention to it and not be afraid of it so we may stop the spread of it.
You are a great designer!
Mondo, I'm so proud of you. What a great show of bravery! I wish I had it in me to do what you did. There was nothing easy about that.
In some bizarre way, I can partially see your point; however, Mondo was courageous in what he did. For 10 years he, like MANY OF US, have been too afraid to come out with our status because even in the 21st century, so many (HIV -) people are still of the 80's mentality that having HIV/AIDS is gross--a deviate's disease--communicable in ways that it's not communicable. I really don't believe he was grandstanding for a 'medal of honor' as you say.
People like Mondo are indeed putting a face on the disease, and are helping to take away the negative stigma attached to it. So good for him (and the rest of us) that he spoke up!
Wow Sinclair Adams, cover up your self-hatred much?
Who cares? The show cared. They wanted an outfit design that was inspired by something from their past. They ask him and he delivered. It's not like he went out of his way to give them a pivotal moment in his life.
BRAVO MONDO!!!
Congratulations for having the courage to revel your HIV status on TV. My question would be: how do you feel now? I hope / pray you are doing GREAT! I know by fact that people out there can be nasty, cruel and everything is based on the HIV stigma and ignorance.
From my point of view, I believe it should not matter what your HIV status is, unless you would be having sex with someone there. What it matter is what is your value as a person, as an individual that his only “mistake” was to trust in someone. No one question or finger points a person with cancer, diabetic, etc but HIV/AIDS. All of us living with HIV/AIDS are just regular individuals, that for 1 or another reason got this virus, but this doesn't mean we are less than others...
CONGRATULATIONS for your courage and may you be blessed with all things good.
Greetings from Miami.
I don't appreciate your outdated views regarding my response to Mondo's decision to let HIV be known about him. You people give this hiv way too much power and seem to celebrate it with every breath you have!!! What a joke!!! It's a condition, an illness, a disease, if you will-lots of us have it and don't think twice, it's not your job to inform others, it's Red Cross' job. It's a man made disease to get rid of blacks/gays point fact. If it is man made, man can make the cures/treatments for it to deal with it. The pharmacy drugs are making people live longer, yes. But they are living longer sicker and at what expense? You are just a number to your doctor, your employer, your hubby/wife or he-she tramp boyfriend you have, so get over yourself and live and let live and love and let love. Mondo apparently wants to let the world know HIV is him and he cannot seperate the fact he is more than the illness. I have a problem with that biatch!!!
Wow that was deep what you did , I wish alot of us were more like you . God Bless you !
Thank you Joe for your support, just remember you are alot stronger than you think you are!! :)
Face it, its got Power and has been influential in our lives for quite a while now. The power it has needs to be crippled and its people like Mondo who will get us there. At what expense are we living longer, the price is that we can raise our children and contribute to society, worthwhile I would say. In this world, fellow human beings have gotten it in themselves that they are more equal than others and deserve the world, maybe its hurray to beliefs of strong human superiority complex, so far what has been the result, certainly, not satisfaction because history tells us something has always gone contrary to.....