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.

Skull with headphones, a red ribbon, white angel wings, and a sword in the background.

Angels & Warriors is more than a message—it’s a movement in action.

We support long-term survivors by educating the public, speaking out in schools and communities, and fighting stigma through lived experience.

We organize:

  • An annual Toy Drive benefiting children impacted by any health condition. Every child deserves a spot of brightness in difficult times.

  • Public speaking and education events to share survivor stories and shift the narrative

  • Plans for AIDS walks, awareness campaigns, and grassroots community action

We don’t just talk about change. We show up.

Because silence has never saved lives. But truth still can.

A man in a suit and tie sitting comfortably in a large, high-backed chair with a smile on his face.

not just a footnote in history.

D-REK’s Angels & Warriors was founded by Derek Canas, a long-term survivor who contracted HIV as a child through a blood transfusion following surgery for a congenital heart defect. Born with transposition of the great arteries, Derek underwent open-heart surgery as an infant and has lived with a pacemaker since he was a child. Now on his fifth device, he continues to navigate life with both HIV and chronic heart disease.

Over the years, Derek’s personal fight evolved into a broader mission. He became a passionate advocate. Not just for himself, but for others living with HIV whose stories are often left out of public awareness and policy conversations. Angels & Warriors was created to spotlight these realities, with a focus on communities that are routinely underrepresented: heterosexual individuals, serodiscordant couples, and long-term survivors.

This nonprofit exists to challenge stigma, educate the public, and center survivors who rarely see themselves reflected in advocacy spaces. Derek speaks openly about his medical history, the emotional toll of long-term illness, and the gaps he sees in healthcare systems. His voice is unapologetically rooted in lived experience and fueled by a determination to build connection, not pity.

D-REK’s Angels & Warriors is more than a message, it’s a movement. The organization leads community-based efforts like the annual toy drive, contributes to national conversations on stigma, and works with partners across the country to amplify survivor voices and promote understanding. It stands for truth, visibility, and the power of showing up even when the world would rather look away.