Living Higher in Victory
A Black woman's journey from HIV diagnosis to purpose-driven advocacy and empowerment.
I Live Higher in Victory: How HIV Became Part of My Purpose, Not My Limitation
By Dominique Grant
When I received my HIV diagnosis in 2015, I thought my story had changed forever. What I did not realize at the time was that God was not ending my story; He was preparing me for my purpose.
As a Black woman living in Jackson, Mississippi, I have experienced challenges that many people never see. I am a survivor of emotional, mental, and physical abuse. I have faced stigma, judgment, and moments of uncertainty. Yet through every obstacle, I discovered something powerful: my diagnosis did not define me—my response to it did.
Over the years, I made a decision to stop allowing HIV to be something that happened to me and instead allow it to become something that worked through me. Today, I serve as an HIV case manager, advocate, speaker, and community leader. I have had the opportunity to share my story across platforms, connect with individuals newly diagnosed with HIV, and remind people that a diagnosis is not the end of their dreams.
Too often, society focuses on survival. I want to talk about thriving.
Thriving means showing up even when life is difficult. It means choosing purpose over pain. It means understanding that our greatest wounds can become the very places where we create impact for others.
One of the lessons I have learned is that our stories carry power. Every time we speak honestly about our struggles, we create space for someone else to find hope. Every time we choose courage over silence, we challenge stigma and inspire change.
My personal mantra is simple: “I live HIGHER IN VICTORY because of HIV.”
That statement surprises some people. How can victory and HIV exist in the same sentence? For me, victory is not about the diagnosis itself. Victory is about the strength, faith, resilience, and purpose that emerged because I refused to let my diagnosis have the final word.
Today, I am grateful for every opportunity to advocate, educate, and empower others. I am grateful for every person who trusted me with their story. Most importantly, I am grateful to God for transforming my pain into purpose.
My hope is that people walk away from my story understanding this: your challenges do not disqualify you. They may very well be preparing you for the work you were called to do.
We are stronger than our circumstances. We are more than our struggles. And when we embrace our truth, we create space to live boldly, authentically, and in victory.
