Meet the Staff at CEG Series - J'Mia Edwards

J'Mia Edwards - HIV counselor and tester

When first meeting J’Mia Edwards you see her as someone who is very bubbly, full of personality and laughter. By the end of the interview though, you learn that she is someone who is also deeply passionate and committed to the HIV work she does here at CEG. J'Mia was also featured in "The Other City" documentary, check it out if you have not seen it yet!

1. What is your role at CEG?

My role at CEG is being a HIV counselor and tester. I conduct field and venue based testing to individuals who reside in ward 7 and 8 of DC. I also conduct HIV 101 sessions and female condom demonstrations.

2. What do you hope to achieve at CEG?

I hope to achieve educating community members about HIV awareness and learning how to prevent people from getting infected with STDs or HIV.

3. Tell me your greatest accomplishment as it relates to CEG or otherwise?

My greatest accomplishment with CEG is I have learned how to listen from both sides meaning the corporate side and field side- field side meaning the clients that we work with at CEG. Also, another accomplishment is I learned how the system is set up like how the funding goes, how it is divided up, and how much the client gets.
Outside of CEG my greatest accomplishment, I was featured in “The Other City”.

4. What makes you stand out from others?

What makes me stand out from others is that before I became a tester/counselor, I was a client going through some of the same issues our clients at CEG now go through. So I can really relate with the people that I interact with in some aspects like homelessness, poverty, the need for food, single parent homes, and the lack of education.

5. What are your hobbies?

Reading and spending time with my kids.

6. How do you like your peanut butter smooth or chunky?

SMOOOTH, it’s the best!