I'm HIV positive. Do you have any quesions? - Dai Aoki

Japanese-born Dai Aoki is one of the few Asians who openly confirmed that he is HIV positive. Through his experience, Dai realised that the information around HIV hasn't been updated for 20-30 years. He is trying to change that.

Dai Aoki (left) at the World AIDS Day event at SBS. With NITV Living Black host Karla Grant and James Gray from Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations Source: SBS

Dai Aoki (left) speaks at the World AIDS Day event at SBS in Sydney. Source: SBS

According to Dai, many people still think that HIV is a dangerous lethal disease and once you get infected with it, you have to ingest a large amount of medication for the rest of life and inevitably lose your quality of life.  But that is not the case anymore.

Dai is now a Positive Speaker for an advocacy organization called Positive Life NSW and shares his experience openly.  In Asian communities, there is still stigma around HIV because of cultural reasons.  Dai hopes that his contribution as a Positive Speaker will raise public awareness of HIV especially in the communities.

Dai has another hat to wear.  His dogs, Holly and Ace, and him are Youtube stars and Dai's Instagram account has more than 50,000 followers.  Dai openly confirms his medical condition in social media too.

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