When the 32nd Annual AIDS Walk Atlanta Music Festival and 5k Run kicks off Saturday at Atlanta's Piedmont Park, Tammy Kinney will be front and center among its supporters.
Kinney doesn't languish in the background, though she's been living with HIV for 36 years. "What helps me is knowing that I can be me with my diagnosis, taking my medication and celebrating the work that I do."
Imara Canady, with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), describes Kinney as someone "who represents millions and millions of individuals that are thriving and overcoming what may sometimes be perceived as obstacles while living with HIV."
Grammy winners Ashanti and Mya are scheduled to take the stage during the music festival portion of the event which raises more than $1 million each year for 11 Atlanta-based HIV/AIDS service organizations.