Tea began as medicine and morphed into a beverage of choice!
I don't quite remember when I fell in love with tea but I do remember the most 
Until recently I had never drank Peppermint Tea made with loose leaves. And Honestly, I will probably never go back. The freshness of loose Peppermint Tea cannot be denied. When I open the can of 
I love to read! Inside a book I escape into someone else's life. There is something wonderful about turning to the next page of a wonderful story. Something intoxicating about the smell of the book and the story it brings to life. Reading brings me joy, and these days with my health in the balance, I find solace in my books.
I wanted people to know that I don't do this work for any gain of my own, but because of the pain; the pain that me and so many others live and have lived with because of HIV/AIDS.
In 1996, at the height of my popularity, one of my closest friends, Tory Johnson, died from complications related to AIDS. He was so ashamed that he never disclosed his status. Tory died just as much from the stigma and shame associated with this disease as from the physical complications. By the time he entered treatment, it was to late. I promised him on his death bed that I would knock down the freaking walls of shame and stigma as long as God gave me breath in my body. I have kept my promise! Even when I'm sick and at my lowest, I hold my head up high and keep it moving. Even when speaking engagements are few and far between and I'm trying to figure out where my next meal is coming from, I understand that this is the call on my life. I feel like Jonah, caught up in the belly of the whale. God won't let me out. This is the purpose He has for my life. I'm resolved to that fact!
Then God gave me a vision and in four days the fruit of this vision will come to light. Yes, this is an old-fashioned Tweet-Up/Meet-Up where people from Twitter and Facebook come together to hang out for an evening of mixing and mingling. But it will be so much more. First, everyone who comes to this event, will be taking a stand publicly against stigma and shame around HIV/AIDS. To support a social event that has HIV/AIDS Prevention and Awareness as a theme is a milestone. Second, while we are "hanging out," HIV/AIDS education will take center stage. I am asking my supporters to do the following:
2. Those on Twitter and Facebook, I'm asking that you feed your Twitter through your Facebook for the night so that those who follow you on Facebook but not on Twitter can still be an a part of the event.
3. I'm asking all those on Twitter to ask their followers to support the event by retweeting what you Tweet and retweet.
The hashtags for the evening are #RLTEvent and #EncoreAllegro.
Twitter handles are @raelt and @EncoreLounge.
Social Media is the craze. More people go to Facebook then to Google. Target quadrupled their sales of a tea through Facebook and Twitter in one month. The power of Social Media is loud and clear. I want for us to take HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention to cyberspace en masse on Thursday night.
Hope to see you there... I'm hanging all night... Attire: whatever you want to wear. I think it will be from after work to jeans to chic... Me, well, y'all know how I roll... #DivaImage #DivaApproved.
