Introduction

At age 28, Martina Clark was told she had HIV and five years to live. With a sense nothing to lose, she dove into activism and, unexpectedly, fell into an international career starting as the first openly HIV-positive person to work for UNAIDS. A mix of personal memoir, travel, humor and an up-close look at the squishy underbelly of the United Nations, My Unexpected Life follows her personal journey-emotional and physical-interwoven with her professional path. From diagnosis to starting treatment, surviving an abusive marriage and fostering a teenage daughter, Martina's memoir adds an insider's view to the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Throughout, she draws parallels to the COVID pandemic, reflecting on her experiences as she journeys through life with an incurable illness, a well-stamped passport, and a stubborn determination that keeps her alive to bear witness to the human condition.

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Discussion Questions

1. Before reading My Unexpected Life, were you aware of the role of women in the AIDS pandemic?

2. In what ways does living with HIV seem different for a woman than either men living with HIV or women living with other conditions such as breast cancer?

3. Which scene/section/chapter resonated the most for you and why?

4. Before reading My Unexpected Life, how much did you know about the inner workings (or even the outer workings!) of the United Nations?

5. Which parallels did you draw from the HIV and COVID pandemics, or any other if applicable (Polio, Ebola, Monkeypox, etc.)?

6. After reading My Unexpected Life, what is one thing you might be able to do to make the world a better place?

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