Longtime HIV activist Stokes was aware of Shanti from the time he arrived in San Francisco in 1984, though Stokes’ story with Shanti really begins in 1991, when he started working for the Activities Program. After a year or so, Stokes left his job but continued to support Shanti’s fundraising efforts. Several years later, suffering from declining health, the loss of his grandfather, and lack of familial support on the West Coast, Stokes turned to Shanti for support. Returning from his grandfather’s funeral, Stokes thought it was very important to take advantage of any services available and accessed Shanti at that time. "I turned to Shanti, very desperate for help," he remembers. Since then, Stokes’ involvement with Shanti has included being matched with several volunteers and speaking at City Hall in support of maintaining Shanti’s funding.
Stokes notes that his involvement with Shanti was an instrumental part of his journey to accept and embrace his serostatus. "Coming to Shanti was an acknowledgement that I had HIV and I didn’t know how to deal with it," he said. Stokes’ first volunteer was none other than Planning Council Director Mark Molnar, and Stokes recalls their time together fondly. Mark remarked that Stokes "could handle any situation."
Over the years, the connections that Stokes has made through Shanti have remained in his life. Stokes appreciates the thought put into his peer support matches and reports that "adaptability, patience, compassion, and holistic support" are the attributes of his Shanti volunteers that he finds most valuable. "Having a person dedicated to my needs, accepting me for all that I am has helped me allow people to help me and that has made me feel more a part of the world."
