About D-rek’s angels & warriors

  • Defy it

    The world tried to erase us.

    Long-term survivors were never meant to be here. So we are.

    But survival isn’t the end of the story.

  • Honor it

    We carry the names of those lost. We remember the partners, caregivers, and chosen families left behind.


    We don’t let their stories fade. We build legacy from silence.

  • fight for it

    We fight for those forgotten; because no survivor, no loved one, should ever be erased again.

OUR MISSION

The mission of D-REK’S Angels & Warriors Corp is to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by HIV. Through advocacy, education, and outreach, the Corporation works to reduce stigma, provide resources, and foster a supportive community. Its activities include:

  • Organizing AIDS awareness walks to promote public education and support.

  • Attending and speaking at medical conferences to stay informed and advocate for those affected.

  • Raising awareness by speaking at public events and schools to educate communities about HIV.

  • Engaging in community education programs to dispel misinformation and promote health resources.

  • Hosting an annual toy drive as part of charitable giving efforts.

More than a message. A movement in action.

D-REK's Angels & Warriors is a survivor-led HIV education and advocacy nonprofit based in Brunswick, Georgia. We educate the public, speak in schools, churches, and community spaces, and fight HIV stigma with lived experience.

What we do

  • HIV education in Brunswick and Glynn County. Honest, judgment-free conversations about HIV, prevention, and living well with HIV.

  • Survivor speaking. Founder Derek Canas shares his story as a long-term HIV survivor to shift the narrative and put a face to the facts.

  • Heterosexual HIV support and visibility. We center straight men and women living with HIV, serodiscordant couples, and families who rarely see themselves in HIV advocacy.

  • The Annual Toy Drive. Toys and a spot of brightness for children affected by any health condition.

  • Grassroots action. Awareness campaigns, community events, and plans for local AIDS walks.

We don't just talk about change. We show up. Silence has never saved lives. Truth still can.

Not just a footnote in history.

Derek Canas acquired HIV in 1984. He was three months old, receiving a blood transfusion during surgery for a congenital heart defect. He went undiagnosed for sixteen years. A long-term HIV survivor, Derek founded D-REK’s Angels & Warriors. Born with transposition of the great arteries, Derek had open-heart surgery as an infant and has lived with a pacemaker since childhood. Now on his fifth device, he lives with both HIV and chronic heart disease.

Over the years, Derek's personal fight became a broader mission: advocating for people living with HIV whose stories are left out of public awareness and policy. Angels & Warriors spotlights communities that are routinely underrepresented, including heterosexual men and women living with HIV, serodiscordant couples, and long-term survivors.

Derek speaks openly about his medical history, the emotional toll of long-term illness, and the gaps he sees in healthcare. His voice is rooted in lived experience and driven by connection, not pity.

Today the organization leads community work like the Annual Toy Drive, adds a survivor's voice to national conversations on HIV stigma, and works with partners across the country to amplify survivor voices. It stands for truth, visibility, and showing up, even when the world would rather look away.

Where do donations go?

Angels & Warriors isn’t built on hope. It’s built on action.

Your donation fuels the operations that let us show up, speak up, and fight stigma loud and clear. We don’t pocket your generosity. Every dollar goes straight into the mission—not into anyone’s wallet.

All board members are volunteers. No salaries. No profit.

  • Core Operations

    • Website hosting & platform tools
      Keeps AngelsAndWarriors.org online, active, and accessible 24/7

    • Tech & Tap-to-Pay Access
      Supports instant donations, mobile engagement, and contactless outreach

    • Design, print, and material costs
      Handouts, QR flyers, donation posters, and public-facing education tools

    On-the-Ground Outreach

    • Animal crew and merch giveaways
      Each one given, not sold, where they’re most needed

    • Merch printing and shipping
      Every shirt, pin, or sticker spreads the message and funds the work

    • Event readiness
      From tabling gear to transport, we show up ready to represent

    • No salaries

    • No admin fees

    • No travel stipends

    • No fancy offices

    • No “nonprofit overhead spin”

  • Donating to Angels & Warriors doesn’t mean funding a logo. It means keeping the lights on, printing the words that break silence, and getting the tools in our hands when they’re needed most.

  • Angels & Warriors is about building spaces where people living with HIV, long-term survivors, families, and allies can gather without stigma.

    Your support helps lay the groundwork for:

    • Community AIDS Walks
      Events that honor long-term survivors, remember those we’ve lost, and bring visibility to underrepresented voices.

    • Local HIV Testing Events
      Accessible, stigma-free environments where testing is normalized, not whispered about.

    • Educational & Awareness Gatherings
      Panels, speaker sessions, and outreach efforts focused on heterosexual individuals, serodiscordant couples, and long-term survivors who are often overlooked.

    • Partnerships with Local Organizations
      Collaborations that amplify resources and strengthen regional impact.