At birth, Hydeia Broadbent was abandoned at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas where Patricia and Loren Broadbent adopted her as an infant. Although her HIV condition was congenital, she was not diagnosed as HIV-positive with advancement to AIDS until age three. The prognosis was that she would not live past the age of five. Now at the age of 26, Hydeia spends her time spreading the message of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, by: promoting abstinence, safe-sex practices (for people who choose to have sex), and the initiative “Knowing Your HIV/AIDS Status.”
“People think because I was born with HIV my story does not apply to them. Well this same disease I am living with is the same disease you can get if you don’t practice abstinence or safe sex. I ask people to use my testimony as a warning of what you don’t want to go through.” - Hydeia Broadbent
Hydeia Broadbent began her debut as an HIV/AIDS activist and public speaker at six years old. By 12 years old, Hydeia appeared on many national television programs including Oprah, 20/20, Good Morning America, Weekly with Ed Gordon, and “A Conversation with Magic Johnson” on Nickelodeon. She has been featured in prominent publications to include; New York Times, Teen People, Essence, YM, Ebony, Health Quest, Sister to Sister, POZ, National Geographic, Real Health, Seventeen, and Heart & Soul. She also graced the cover of TV Guide. Hydeia has also taken part many of America’s talk radio programs including, The Michael Eric Dyson Show, Russ Parr Morning Show, and The Tom Joyner Morning Show.
Over the next 10 years, Hydeia has become a notable speaker and guest panelist at many of America’s most respected educational institutions including Duke University, Morehouse School of Medicine, UCLA, USC, and Howard University. Hydeia has been a featured speaker for the International AIDS Conference in 2006. She also spoke at the 2007 Essence Music Festival as well as the 2007 AIDS Rally at the Potters House lead by Bishop TD Jakes, in Dallas, Texas.
Hydeia is one of few young activists to passionately speak out on an international level about being effected by the HIV/AIDS virus. Broadbent is also considered a pioneer as the first African-American youth to speak up and speak out about the epidemic. Ebony Magazine named Hydeia one of the Most Influential 150 African Americans in 2008. She has been honored with an American Red Cross Spirit
Award and an Essence Award.
Last year Hydeia was invited by the BET Networks Chairman/CEO Debra Lee to participate as a panelist in the First Annual Leading Women’s Defined Summit in Washington, DC. Hydeia also received an award for Health Education and Awareness from WEEN (Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network). Recently Hydeia Broadbent has been named by TheGrio.com and NBC News as one of today’s Top 100 African American History Makers.
Today, Hydeia is a distinguished international, public speaker and HIV/AIDS activist with a mission to educate people of all ages. She has an innate ability to bond with any audience. When addressing the public about the issues of HIV/AIDS, her primary goal is to provide a clear understanding of how to avoid at-risk behaviors through self-examination and informed decision-making. She succinctly stated “...with all that we know about the virus, it is clear to me that contracting HIV/AIDS today is a choice and we can’t allow anyone the power to make that choice for us!”
Visit her site http://www.hydeiabroadbent.com
Hydeia spoke at my high school during my freshman or sophmore year. She was about 10 or 11 then. She is dynamic young woman. It is good to see she is doing well and still educating the public.
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