Kelly H. (she/her) was born in Anacortes, Washington, and has been living in Seattle for 15 years. She has been living with HIV for 20 years, and has been sharing her story publicly for 19 of them. She went public with her story to show that the H in HIV stands for ‘human,’ and while most folks have a stereotype in mind about who gets HIV, truly anyone can contract this virus, even a heterosexual white woman.

Kelly has spoken with students in Seattle Public Schools, juvenile detention, women's prisons, and colleges. She’s also had her story published in local newspapers and magazines, and has participated in a theatre project focusing on the stories of women living with HIV.

The proud mother of a radiant 19-year-old, Kelly is passionate about her work as a mental health counselor for clients who live in supportive housing. She is a firm believer that housing is healthcare.

Nineteen years of sharing one's story in the same way over and over again can become quite tiresome. By becoming a Through Positive Eyes artivist, Kelly is most excited to explore the many stories within her story, and to take a different direction than she has before with what she shares with audiences.


Sign up for virtual experiences and public events wherein Seattle artivists share their photography and personal stories about living with HIV, and encourage participants to join the efforts to banish stigma—a major roadblock to both prevention and treatment.