Warrior Princess »

"Life for Princess Kasune Zulu began in a privileged Zambian family living by the shores of the majestic Victoria Falls. But a mystery illness claimed the lives of her parents, baby sister and brother. That illness would become known as AIDS, orphaning more than 15 million children around the world." When Princess learned at the age of twenty-one that she herself was HIV-positive, she emerged as a champion for those at risk and affected by the virus. Her extraordinary journey has taken her from the dusty villages of Zambia to the global corridors of power, from the White House to the United Nations.

Publishers Weekly

Princess is her name, not her title. Yet Zulu brings almost regal strength, hope, and a sense of responsibility to this memoir. Born in Kabwe, Zambia, Zulu had little more than a ninth-grade education, learning more on Africa’s diverse streets. She tells of the toll AIDS took on her life, ripping away her parents before it came for her. With astounding perspective, Zulu happily claims her HIV-positive diagnosis as God’s mission. Against custom and her husband’s wishes, Zulu speaks out about her status, risking divorce and excommunication. She bears Zambia’s burden by educating her countrymen about the disease, a journey that takes her from truck drivers on African roads all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue and the White House. In this book, she puts faces on the population of HIV-positive Africans. “Death is so much more common in Africa, but does it hurt less?”: Zulu demands respect for people with HIV and asks the world to be aware of Africa’s needs. Openly and tirelessly, she turns AIDS into an injury to the global body that readers won’t be able to ignore. (Jan.)

About My Story 9

From the Coauthor 11

Map 14

Pt. 1 A Child of Courage and Hope

1 Positive 17

2 "Princess Is Her Name" 21

3 My Big Family 26

4 The Short Life of a Baby Named Linda 35

5 Bataa's Gun Goes Missing 40

6 Be Strong and of Good Courage 43

Pt. 2 Changes and Challenges

7 The Sugar Daddy Syndrome 59

8 A Teenage Mother Growing in Faith 72

9 A Call to the Sick 86

10 I Have to Know 93

11 I Shall Not Die Before I Am Dead 101

Pt. 3 A Warrior Princess Emerges

12 A Fountain of Life 107

13 Hitchhiking with Truck Drivers 116

14 Meeting Dr. Phiri 125

15 Trouble in the House 135

16 The Making of a Broadcaster 145

17 "You're Listening to Positive Living" 154

18 My Vision for the World 165

Pt. 4 The American Flag Stands Still

19 Coming to America 183

20 Chicago 196

21 From the Village to the White House 205

22 The Best of Humankind 221

23 To All Things a Season 237

Epilogue 249

Photos 251

Appendix Join the Movement to End Extreme Poverty and Disease 261

Acknowledgments 264

Notes 267