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Unprotected: A Memoir
Unprotected: A Memoir is Rae Lewis Thornton’s captivating story of what happened to her as a child and how it helped to shape the trajectory of her life. Living in a continuous cycle of trauma—rejection, violence, and childhood sexual molestation with no one to protect her, Rae’s abnormal environment becomes her normal existence. By the age of 24, she is diagnosed with HIV. Rae chronicles her journey from HIV to AIDS and situates her life in the dichotomy between the early days of the AIDS pandemic and as a major force and political organizer for
notable giants in politics. Rae’s transparency and self-awareness are both shocking and heartfelt. Today, almost three decades after Essence and four decades of living with HIV, Rae tells all—the trauma that shaped her life, and how she survived the odds and continued to soar with a broken wing.
notable giants in politics. Rae’s transparency and self-awareness are both shocking and heartfelt. Today, almost three decades after Essence and four decades of living with HIV, Rae tells all—the trauma that shaped her life, and how she survived the odds and continued to soar with a broken wing.
454 pages, Hardcover
Published May 18, 2022
About the author
Rae Lewis-Thornton
4 books49 followersRae Lewis-Thornton is an Emmy Award winning AIDS Activist. She rose to national acclaim when she told her story of living with HIV/AIDS in a cover story to Essence Magazine. In the past twenty- two years, she has traveled worldwide in an unending crusade in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Rae Lewis-Thornton has been featured in countless magazines such as, Glamour, O-The Oprah Magazine, Woman’s Day, Essence, Jet, Ebony, Emerge, Black Excellence, Heart and Soul, WOE, Poz and The Crisis, as well as, many newspaper outlets, such as The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun times, to name a few. She received an Emmy Award for an on-going series of first-person news reports on her life of Living With AIDS, for CBS-Chicago. She has been featured on national television and on line shows such as, Huffington Post Live, TV One, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Nightline with Ted Kopel in a news article Rae’s Story, AIDS the next Wave and AIDS 25 years in review with Ted Kopel. She has also been on Dateline, Black Entertainment Television (BET) CNN, and the Montel Williams Show as well as, countless other news and radio shows around the world.
Prior to Rae’s motivational speaking career, she was on her way to a promising political organizing career. Having served as Senator Carol Mosley Braun’s 1992 Senatorial Campaign Advance Coordinator, Illinois State Youth Coordinator for the 1988 Dukakis Presidential Campaign and National Youth Director for Jesse Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 Presidential Campaigns, Rae was forced to retire in 1993 as a result of her health.
Rae has become a pioneer in using Social Media to educate and challenge stigma around HIV/AIDS and to promote issues around self-love. Her integrated use of Social Media has gained her national acclaim. She was featured on BET News, and in a cover story for the Chicago Tribune, that was picked up by the Associated Press on her savvy use of Social Media.
Rae has been asked to share her expertise in blogging and Social Media for Social Change. She has spoken twice at BlogHer’s annual conference. In 2013 she was the closing keynote for HealthMinder and 2014 she lead a Pathfinder, helping bloggers specifically blog for Social Change. In 2014 to spoke at Walgreens Corporate office around HIV education and the use of Social Media. She participated in Chicago Social Media Week on a panel with Chicago’s Commissioner of Public Health in 2012.
Her award winning blog Diva Living With AIDS has had unprecedented success. (http://www.raelewisthornton.com In 2014 she was name Top Ten Social Makers in HIV/AIDS by ShareCare, Dr. Mehmet Oz, interactive online health and wellness site. She won the CBS Most Valuable Blogger Award in Health and Wellness in 2010 and the Black WEBlog Award in Health and Wellness in 2012. Her blog receives approximately 50,000 views monthly, with over a million views in just three years. Her blog is syndicated on the Body.com, which is the largest HIV resource in the country, Poz Magazine.com one of the oldest HIV/AIDS Magazines in the country and BlackDocotrs.com. Rae also writes for ChicagoMoms.com about health and wellness. Her brands include, Tea With Rae, Tea Reviews with over 20 Companies around the world participating. She launched a Twitter Book Club RLT Reads in 2010 with up to a 100 participates. Rae can be found educating on Twitter daily @RaeLT and in 2010 she won the British Academy of Golden Tweet Award in Public Service.
Rae launched a line of fashion bracelets, RLT Collection in 2009. Her handcrafted original designs can be seen on the wrist of celebrities, such as Sheryl Lee Ralph, Phaedra Parks from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kim Coles, Dionne Warwick, Jennifer Holliday. Her exclusive web-store is http://www.rltcollection.com
Rae Lewis-Thornton graduated Cum Laude from Northeastern Illinois University. She began her Masters in Political Science at the University of Illinois-Chicago, two classes from graduating, s
Rae Lewis-Thornton has been featured in countless magazines such as, Glamour, O-The Oprah Magazine, Woman’s Day, Essence, Jet, Ebony, Emerge, Black Excellence, Heart and Soul, WOE, Poz and The Crisis, as well as, many newspaper outlets, such as The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun times, to name a few. She received an Emmy Award for an on-going series of first-person news reports on her life of Living With AIDS, for CBS-Chicago. She has been featured on national television and on line shows such as, Huffington Post Live, TV One, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Nightline with Ted Kopel in a news article Rae’s Story, AIDS the next Wave and AIDS 25 years in review with Ted Kopel. She has also been on Dateline, Black Entertainment Television (BET) CNN, and the Montel Williams Show as well as, countless other news and radio shows around the world.
Prior to Rae’s motivational speaking career, she was on her way to a promising political organizing career. Having served as Senator Carol Mosley Braun’s 1992 Senatorial Campaign Advance Coordinator, Illinois State Youth Coordinator for the 1988 Dukakis Presidential Campaign and National Youth Director for Jesse Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 Presidential Campaigns, Rae was forced to retire in 1993 as a result of her health.
Rae has become a pioneer in using Social Media to educate and challenge stigma around HIV/AIDS and to promote issues around self-love. Her integrated use of Social Media has gained her national acclaim. She was featured on BET News, and in a cover story for the Chicago Tribune, that was picked up by the Associated Press on her savvy use of Social Media.
Rae has been asked to share her expertise in blogging and Social Media for Social Change. She has spoken twice at BlogHer’s annual conference. In 2013 she was the closing keynote for HealthMinder and 2014 she lead a Pathfinder, helping bloggers specifically blog for Social Change. In 2014 to spoke at Walgreens Corporate office around HIV education and the use of Social Media. She participated in Chicago Social Media Week on a panel with Chicago’s Commissioner of Public Health in 2012.
Her award winning blog Diva Living With AIDS has had unprecedented success. (http://www.raelewisthornton.com In 2014 she was name Top Ten Social Makers in HIV/AIDS by ShareCare, Dr. Mehmet Oz, interactive online health and wellness site. She won the CBS Most Valuable Blogger Award in Health and Wellness in 2010 and the Black WEBlog Award in Health and Wellness in 2012. Her blog receives approximately 50,000 views monthly, with over a million views in just three years. Her blog is syndicated on the Body.com, which is the largest HIV resource in the country, Poz Magazine.com one of the oldest HIV/AIDS Magazines in the country and BlackDocotrs.com. Rae also writes for ChicagoMoms.com about health and wellness. Her brands include, Tea With Rae, Tea Reviews with over 20 Companies around the world participating. She launched a Twitter Book Club RLT Reads in 2010 with up to a 100 participates. Rae can be found educating on Twitter daily @RaeLT and in 2010 she won the British Academy of Golden Tweet Award in Public Service.
Rae launched a line of fashion bracelets, RLT Collection in 2009. Her handcrafted original designs can be seen on the wrist of celebrities, such as Sheryl Lee Ralph, Phaedra Parks from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kim Coles, Dionne Warwick, Jennifer Holliday. Her exclusive web-store is http://www.rltcollection.com
Rae Lewis-Thornton graduated Cum Laude from Northeastern Illinois University. She began her Masters in Political Science at the University of Illinois-Chicago, two classes from graduating, s
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 30, 2022
Raw, moving and compelling
I've followed Rae Lewis-Thornton for 25+ years. Her honest recollection of her painful childhood, sexual abuse and other traumas that preceded her HIV-- and then her AIDS diagnoses Were very difficult to read but also necessary to understanding her story & educating others. Bless her.
I've followed Rae Lewis-Thornton for 25+ years. Her honest recollection of her painful childhood, sexual abuse and other traumas that preceded her HIV-- and then her AIDS diagnoses Were very difficult to read but also necessary to understanding her story & educating others. Bless her.
June 26, 2023
Good read. Ther trauma that the author RLT experienced throughout life was overwhelmingly unbelievable. I wanted to save her myself. The political adventure and fight proved to be exactly what it still is today challenging. Some of the experiences I wasnt surprised by. Im so very grateful for the shared information and stories related to her medical condition as education and information was needed then and is still necessary now. I'm also grateful for the trial and CORE center that she got to be a part of as it still stands and continues to serve many people in need.
July 7, 2023
Thank you for sharing your amazing story.
Read
August 14, 2023This is an excellent book; a must-read memoir.
February 15, 2024
Loved It
Very interesting and heartbreaking story.
But a story of Triumph. Very strong lady who had all odds against her succeeded.
Very interesting and heartbreaking story.
But a story of Triumph. Very strong lady who had all odds against her succeeded.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews