Duane Quintana Shares his story

30-year old Duane Quintana hails from Wendell, a small town in Idaho, where he was an honor student, regular church goer, and the apple of his family's eye. Following high school, Duane made the trek to Phoenix, Arizona where he began attending college with dreams of becoming an architect. His social life blossomed, and things appeared to be on the up-and-up for Duane; and then, in 1999, at the age of 20, he was diagnosed with HIV. Upon returning to his hometown with complications related to the virus, Duane was forced to move to Boise where HIV services were more accessible. In 2002, Duane released "I'm Just Me, Just Like You," an educational film documenting his family coming to terms with his diagnosis. In 2003, Duane began a national tour, giving speeches at esteemed universities, and also campaigned with Does HIV Look Like Me?, along with Hope's Voice an international organization that battles social stigma toward those living with HIV. That same year, Duane founded a.l.p.h.a (Allies Linked for the Prevention of HIV and AIDS), a non-profit organization that focuses on counseling, rapid testing, and networking between local HIV services. In the five years since its inception, a.l.p.h.a. has grown from a small non-profit into Idaho's largest HIV testing organization and is looking to open to more locations in Idaho.