AFROGOTH: What are your top 3 favourite AI tools to use and why those three?
RUEL OKEYO: My top three are Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini, and each one serves a different purpose. I use Claude when I need to think clearly — for writing proposals, planning strategy, or working through something complicated. ChatGPT is more personal; I use it like a diary, to write down thoughts and ideas I might not share with anyone else. Gemini feels like a supportive friend — encouraging, without being overwhelming. I use all three because each one helps me in a different way.

AFROGOTH: In one of your interviews, you mentioned that you attended the 3rd African Union Men's Conference in South Africa. What were some of the highlights you experienced from that conference?
RUELE OKEYO: The conference took place in Pretoria on 27 and 28 November 2023. It was co-hosted by South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was the African Union Chairperson that year, and President Azali Assoumani of the Union of the Comoros. The theme was “Accelerating Commitments Towards the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.” It followed the first conference held in Kinshasa, DRC in 2021, and the second held in Dakar, Senegal in 2022.

Being in that room was a powerful experience. Several former and sitting heads of state were present, including President Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia, former President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim of Mauritius, former President Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic, and former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. The African Union's Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Bineta Diop, also attended. In his remarks, President Ramaphosa spoke about how men are responsible for most violence against women and children, but can also play a leading role in changing that. The conference also introduced the idea of the “Circle of Champions,” a group of African heads of state committed to promoting positive masculinity across the continent. This event was the result of months of preparation, with related discussions held with young people in Dakar, religious and traditional leaders in Kinshasa, and other groups across Africa.

For me personally, the biggest impact was not the official program but the feeling of being there at all. I remember thinking, “I am just a young man talking about HIV, and here I am in a room with heads of state discussing continental change.” I never imagined being part of a space like that. It confirmed how important this kind of advocacy is, and it later led me to join Usikimye, an organisation that supports women and girls affected by gender-based violence.

AFROGOTH: You live with a condition that would make some people (understandably) be less curious and playful. How do you maintain your curiosity and playfulness?
RUELE OKEYO: I don't let HIV define my daily life. My relationships, my work, and my sense of curiosity are not centred around my status. The only time I actually think about it is when I take my medication. After that, I go on with my day like anyone else. This is part of what U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) means in practice — living well with HIV without letting it control your identity or your happiness.

AFROGOTH: Pick two or three of your outfits. What stories do they tell?
RUELE OKEYO: I would choose three. The first is traditional African wear, which represents pride in my heritage and culture. The second is bikinis and lingerie, which represent confidence and sexuality — something we don't talk about openly enough in this field, even though it's central to the work we do. The third is clothing and styling that sparks conversation or makes people think — men with nose rings and belly button piercings, men in heels, styling that leans into gender neutrality. It's a quiet way of pushing back on rigid ideas about how men are “supposed” to dress and present themselves. Together, these three styles represent different parts of who I am: my roots, my confidence, and my mind.

AFROGOTH: Any advice for people who want to venture into the fields you operate in — communications, technology (AI), and/or human rights activism?
RUELE OKEYO: My biggest advice is to build strong professional networks, because that is often where opportunities come from. Take time to develop real skills, because once people see you as valuable, they will come looking for you. Keep learning and growing, because there is always a better version of yourself still developing. Finally, remember to help others as you rise — success is not something that runs out. There is enough room for everyone to succeed.