Juma Mwenda is a Tanzanian social worker, educator, and PhD student in Social Work at the University of Louisville. His work focuses on HIV prevention and supporting communities affected by stigma, poverty, and barriers to care. With years of experience in HIV care and public health programming, Juma is passionate about building systems that are both accessible and culturally grounded. His research explores how stigma and structural inequality shape engagement in HIV prevention and treatment. He believes in the power of community wisdom, storytelling, and collective healing. Through the Communal Grief Project, Juma honors grief as a shared experience one that holds potential for connection, remembrance, and transformation.