Community Promise Stories: Khari

Can you tell us a little about yourself? How would people close to you describe you?  

I’m 48 years old. I’m a native New Yorker, born in the Bronx. I’m an outgoing person. I like to work outdoors, and play sports. All sports. Football, basketball, baseball, softball, field hockey, track, everything. I’m a Raiders fan because my favorite uncle was a Raiders fan, that’s why I wanted you to use a photo of Bo Jackson. I love God, I feel very spiritual. I used drugs for a very long-time. I’m sober now, and I’m writing a memoir going through different events in my life, because I have a story to tell. I think I can uplift and encourage people going through similar situations. 

What should I call you? Some people we interview like to go by pseudonyms-- 

You can use my real name. I’m very proud of myself. I’m proud of taking big steps to try to change my life. You have to want it in your heart. If you don’t really want it, you’re not going to be successful for long. I wanted this and I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don’t think anyone’s going to understand what that means until they’ve been there. Once I made up my it was like “okay, what am I going to do now?”  

When did you start using, and what were your drugs of choice? 

In my teenage years. I started with powder cocaine, drinking. Heroin didn’t really come into play until my early 20s. That pretty much took over everything else, it was my entire life. It was a physical addiction.  

What are your triggers? 

Well, I couldn’t physically function without heroin. But stress at home was a trigger too, for sure. Any type of stress. Stress at home. What’s different right now is the change in my heart. I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. My first few weeks on methadone, I still had the urge to use heroin again. But I had made up my mind.  

How long has it been since you last used? How has your life changed since then?  

I’ve been sober since December. I was sober for longer before, but that was when I was incarcerated, so it wasn’t really my choice to not use. Now it is.  

My mentality is so much more positive now than it was before I stopped using. Everything is half full now, not half empty. It’s not like “oh no, if I lose this half, I’m empty.” Now it’s like “Okay, I’ve got a half glass, that means I can get another and I’ll be full!” My life circumstances aren’t great, I’m still living in a shelter, but my mind state is totally different.  

What are your goals now? 

Things with my family are good, and a lot of that is due to my mentality. I have five kids with the same partner, ages 3 to 28. I don’t live with them but me and my partner now talk on the phone every night, and we’ve gotten closer. We’re both spiritual, and my half full mentality is helping us both feel confident.  

What are some reasons people wouldn’t want to become sober? 

Self-denial, because drugs are so powerful. They can dull the memories of just how good things can be. I missed the family memories and connection to God when I was using all the time. I’ve missed that so, so much, and I didn’t know it until I got sober.  

When did you start coming to Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center?  

A friend of mine told me about the methadone program that I’ve been on, and he also referred me to Alliance in November. I got Narcan and safer use supplies a few times but then I stopped using drugs.  

I come to Alliance’s groups, different days. Everything stays in the group, we respect confidentiality and we have open discussions to speak what’s on your mind. It’s freeing. Sometimes I need a little encouragement, and the people in our groups always give it. It keeps me motivated, it’s nice to hear. Everyone needs encouragement. 

And then I can talk to Ana, the CHOICES program manager, and Luis, my case manager. They’re amazing. Luis helped me set up social security appointments, and he came with me to dental surgery to take care of me afterward.  

It’s nice to know there are people who care in their heart.  Because I have a history of incarceration and drug use, a lot of people write you off, but I’m so grateful for the people in my life who care.  

What are your near-term plans and goals? 

In the near-future, I plan on moving into housing with the help of my case manager at the shelter . So they’ll let me look at a few places and I’ll move in within the next month or two. Then I’m going to see what type of jobs I can get. I have some medical conditions and I don’t want to do any more damage to my body. I want to re-enter physical therapy to heal up from a serious back surgery I had years ago. I had two crushed vertebrates, doctors thought I wouldn’t walk again, but I did. I walk with a walker but I want to dedicate myself even more to physical therapy and heal up so I don’t need that walker.  

I want to get some part time work and still keep my disability entitlements.  Like I said, I’m also writing a memoir. I want to publish it and get it out into the world.  

Alliance Joins Rally for Food Security Investments in City Budget

On Tuesday, June 16, Alliance staff and volunteers joined advocates from the Food Bank for New York City and other agencies in demanding a City Budget that addresses the needs of people experiencing food insecurity. Hunger is on the rise in New York City. Food pantries and soup kitchens are vital for feeding vulnerable neighbors, and we feel it too at Alliance, where we served over 20,000 hot meals last year.

The Food Bank for New York City’s budget request is simple, and constitutes a fraction of the City’s multi-billion dollar annual budget:

• $60M for Community Food Connection (CFC) - This ask amount is based on the previous allocation with an additional amount to meet rising fresh food costs and the needs of asylum seekers. Impact Numbers • CFC provides food to over 500 food pantries and soup kitchens across New York City, including Food Bank’s West Harlem Community Kitchen and Food Pantry.

• $65.3M for meals for older adults Administered by the NYC Department For the Aging (DFTA), home delivered meals and congregate meal programs at older adult centers support older New Yorkers facing food insecurity who are unable to prepare meals, provide opportunities for socialization, and allow staff to do wellness checks and connect older New Yorkers to available resources. In a recent survey, 88% of member agencies reported serving a high number of older New Yorkers and an estimated 1 in 5 NYC adults over 60 live in poverty. Food Bank For New York City’s FY25 City Budget Prioritie

• $10M to fully fund Groceries to Go Program Begun in response to the pandemic, Groceries to Go is administered by the NYC Dept of Health, with 8,000 New Yorkers currently enrolled receiving medication and meals. By maintaining the program’s current $10 million funding, the program can ensure ongoing service to current participants, and make possible the ability to expand and meet this growing need. Impact Numbers.

• Restore $170M in cuts and fully fund Pre-K and 3-K programs and prioritize rollout of universal 3-K Access to programs like Universal PreK and 3K is a vital support for families struggling to stay in New York City. According to a recent report by Citizens’ Committee for Children, more than 80% of NYC families with young children cannot afford adequate childcare.

Community Promise Stories: "Sally"

What’s your name, or what should we call you? 

Call me Sally. *I want to remain anonymous because I have anxiety. It’s not at all because I’m ashamed. I preach Alliance’s services all the time to people, and I thank HRA for referring me. This place saves lives. And you put up with a lot, you work with people going through heavy shit. 

We’re all in the same boat. Stigmatizing us isn’t going to get us anywhere. I just want to remain anonymous for reasons I can’t even articulate, just my anxiety, but I really want to share my story in case it helps anyone going through similar circumstances.* 

Can you tell us a little about yourself?  

I grew up in Flushing, Queens. I’ve been in Flushing my whole life. My parents’ house is two blocks from where I live now. My parents were my best friends. But I have a wonderful partner, he’s been with me for about 16 years, through everything. He’s also a client at Alliance.  

What are your hobbies? 

I like to read. I’m a big horror fanatic; I’ve read every Stephen King book at least three times. Gerald’s Game is probably my favorite book. I watch the movie adaptations of all and they’re good but none do justice to his writing. He’s brilliant. I mean, The Shining movie is pretty good.  

When did you start coming to Alliance and what services do you access here?  

About a year ago. I go to other care management agencies too, but they don’t provide the structure Alliance does. A friend recommended me to Alliance just before the start of the pandemic, so I didn’t really come too much. But I come here for groups on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It’s a long ride from Flushing, but I love the groups here, and the routine of coming here is really helpful for my mental health.  

Fan art of Stephen King, found at https://www.pinterest.com/pin/470907704760464150/

Do you work? 

I had to quit my job because it was taking a major toll on my mental health. I used to work 7 days/week, and believe me, if I could work, I would. But it’s always been terrible for my mental health, caring for that is really like a full-time job. Believe me, I want to. 

What were your drugs of choice? 

Alcohol, because I was bartending, so it was unavoidable. And then I got into cocaine and heroin. Since I started Methadone in 2014, it curbs my cravings. I’m down to one bag a day. Quitting cocaine is a walk in the park. It’s mental. Benzos and opiates are physical. You feel the sickness all over your body.  

Because I’m an addict, it really takes a lot of structure to not abuse any of the pills I’m prescribed for my chronic conditions, but I don’t. I take five medications, six if you count the methadone. (On Medicaid, Food Stamps, Welfare—applying for Disability) 

I don’t smoke or inject drugs, but I typically sniff them, so the safer sniffing kits are great for keeping myself safe. 

What has your recovery looked like? 

Relapses are going to happen. I don’t need to be stigmatized. I  

I joined the program in 2014 doing almost 100 bags a day. I joined Human Resources Administration (HRA).  

What services do you get at Alliance? 

Support groups and safer use supplies. I’m in Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. My God, I love the women’s group on Fridays. Everyone who runs our groups, CC, Lillian, Carol, are amazing. They’re like family. I’m in care management as well, they’re always looking out for me, and currently they are helping me apply for disability. 

What were some of your triggers? 

Anxiety. I have severe PTSD, anxiety, and much more, so it’s very easy for things to trigger me. So having structure is big for me. I go all the way to Alliance and HRA (also in lower Manhattan) because the routines are important for me. Having a good support system helps my mental health.  

Do you have any reservations about taking Suboxone instead of methadone? 

I was on Suboxone many years ago, but I felt the doctor who prescribed it to me was very rude and impatient. For one reason or another, it stopped working eventually, and my methadone treatment is doing pretty good for me. I go to a methadone clinic near Alliance.  

How do you think your life will be different when you’ve been sober for months or years? 

I’ll have more control over my life, I’ll be more relaxed in general. I’ll savor the little things more because something won’t have a hold over me, I’ll be so at peace.  

What are the small victories in your recovery, and how do you savor them?  

When I decide not to use an extra bag, or I can go another day without it, because this is a disease I’ve been living with for decades! Talking about my recovery is a victory. Staying on top of my health issues, like my heart, and my mental health are small victories.  

What advice can you give to someone who’s just beginning their recovery journey? 

Find the people who care about you, and be honest with them. Especially your care managers, they are there to help you. Be honest with yourself, most of all. How are you going to know how to get from A to B if you don’t even know what A is? And look, there’s a lot of case management agencies in New York, but a lot of the people are overworked and underpaid, so you need to find the right agency that cares about you and works for you.  

Do you have a philosophy in life, or in harm reduction? 

Harm reduction saves lives, hands down. Meeting a person wherever they’re at in their journey makes a huge difference. I mean, so many people are laser focused on abstinence, that just isn’t possible for everyone. It’s a disease. I’ve been battling this for decades, I’m not where I want to be, but I’m close! And without harm reduction centers, I might’ve died before I could get to this place. This is my journey, and I’ll stay the course until I get where I want to be.  

Community Promise Stories: Dr. Bryan Hopping

Can you tell us a little about yourself?  

I am a psychiatrist and addiction psychiatrist originally from Alabama and Georgia. I’ve worked with Alliance for almost five years, helping people reduce or stop their opioid use with prescription Suboxone. I’m good friends with Alliance’s other prescriber, Dr. Jeffery. 

Do you work anywhere else besides Alliance? 

Yes, I'm only at Alliance two days a week, between CASA and LES Harm Reduction Center. So I do work for another recovery clinic in Harlem where people can have group counseling and medication services. When I was in residency, I worked in hospital settings, but I love the way community centers approach holistic healing.  

What are your hobbies? 

I am a runner. I picked it up about a year ago. I’ve had lots of mental health struggles in my life, and tried many things, but running has been really transformative for me. It’s the foundation of my mental health and self-care. I run 5 miles a few times a week, and the shift in my mental health is so profound. 

How long have you been in this line of work? 

Almost 15 years. My career was shaped by my personal experiences in childhood.  

My sister was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder when I was young, so I had a front row seat to mental health issues. In those days, people treated mental illness very differently than today. She was in the hospital for over a year. Witnessing the chaotic, traumatic treatment process was very eye-opening. I saw how treatment could impact families. I’m also in recovery, myself. 

I want to get your perspective on the work itself, but first can we talk about your experience with substance dependency? What were your drugs of choice? 

I would do any drug at any time with anyone. My drug use history is long and intensive, from alcohol to heroin to methamphetamines.  

What has your recovery looked like? 

I’ve struggled and recovered and been sober for a while, and then “relapsed.” Like most people in recovery, it's not linear. Things can be going well and then a tragedy or hardship occurs and they go back. For example, I had just got out of rehab when my sister died by suicide, and then I started using again.  

So it’s all about trying, and trying again, and getting to a place where your routine and lifestyle is working for you. 

A lot of our participants talk about needing to totally restructure the people, places, and things in their recovery. Was that true for you? 

It resonates for me, especially the people part. Isolation is such a big part of drug use, and CONNECTING with people is a huge part of healing. Getting that community support, and actually getting better in general is essential for healing. Connecting and showing up and forming recovery connections. I’ve tried NA and AA, and they’re a key part of my life. I need a complete lifestyle. 

I also go to a recovery group for health care professionals in recovery. It’s a great community because we have similar experiences and professional settings, so that theme of community is a huge part of my recovery.   

I’m gay so I also go to gay addicts' meetings, which offers that niche community of people who really understand my experience. Whatever your background, there’s a community. 

Did you ever take Suboxone? 

My heroin use was actually a long time ago, so I was actually never on Suboxone. Suboxone wasn’t really around back then. 

You currently prescribe Suboxone. Is that better or worse than other medically-assisted treatments? 

I’ve never prescribed other forms, though I briefly worked in a methadone clinic. I’ve given Sublocade which is the injection long-acting form of Suboxone. It’s great for people who’ve adjusted well to Suboxone (taken twice daily) who want a monthly shot.  It’s catching on with our participants because the level of Sublocade stays consistent in your body. It’s constant all day, it’s so gradual that most people don’t notice. Yes, some people start noticing it by the end of the month, but for most people they aren’t feeling daily highs and lows. 

What is the hardest part of this line of work?  

Addiction is a chaotic illness, and it is difficult to deal with. Accepting the fact that not everyone is going to follow a comfortable, familiar linear trajectory is difficult to accept. Much like my own history, it’s not linear, and you have to learn to role with it, but it’s painful to see people struggle. But I have to be onboard for people’s journeys, the positive parts and the difficult parts. 

What’s the most rewarding? 

Seeing people take even small steps forward. I’m the biggest cheerleader in the room for my patients. I love seeing them go a few days without picking up, learning to appreciate small victories.   

What do you see as common risk behaviors for relapses? 

Isolation and loneliness. And that’s where counseling and strategizing with patients really comes into play. A lot of people know their risk behaviors, but don’t have strategies to avoid them, or coping mechanisms. That’s why Alliance is so special, because there are groups full of people who’ve been there, and get it.  

If you could do anything else in your personal or professional life, what would it be and why? 

I’d probably go back to a Buddhist monastery where I spent four years a few decades ago, the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California. I had read this amazing book “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” and went to the monastery the author founded, intending to stay for a few weeks. It turned out to be a lot longer! We studied Buddhism, and we had no computers, no technology. We got up at 4:00am to meditate, did different jobs to support the monastery. I’d love to go back to that for a few years, that simple lifestyle of spirituality.  

Alliance Joins New York State Care Management Conference

Senior staff members from Alliance’s care management program attended the NYS Care Management Conference on May 14th and 15th in White Plains, joining other NYC and NYS organizations that provide vital services to low-income New Yorkers with chronic conditions. The conference was an opportunity to discuss the future of the Health Homes managed care model in New York State, which has been drastically changed over the previous years through austerity measures at the state level and cuts at the federal level. But our team is committed to the New Yorkers who rely on our services.

Community Promise Stories: Joseph

Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I’m Joseph and I’m from New York City. I was raised in Queens. I dropped out of school in seventh grade but later got my GED and went to college. I was proud to be the first in my family to do that.  

I’m an entertainer, I love entertaining. I’ve been a dancer and a choreographer for over 40 years. I’ve been in recovery for over 20 years now. I’m a member of, and a big believer in the organization Rehabilitation Through the Arts.  

Let’s talk about it. What is Rehabilitation Through the Arts? 

RTA is an organization for people serving time, like I was, who care about the arts. Some of them have a professional background like I’d had, and others don’t. But for people whose reason for staying sober is the arts, this is a supportive community. And when I went to an RTA meeting, I was asked to write answers to the question “Who am I?” and it was the hardest thing I ever did. I wrote something so deep, I couldn’t recite it without breaking down crying.  

I’ve got this great network through RTA. They want me to come back and talk to prisoners about my experience. I would totally do that, but my schedule keeps me busy, and I need to preserve my wellness and not overburden myself. 

Was trying to be sober the reason you started taking Suboxone [the medication widely prescribed for people with substance use dependency]? When did you start taking Suboxone? 

No, I was already sober for many years. I was self-medicating with Suboxone. I had put my body through a lot with my addiction, and Suboxone helped the pain. I started buying illegal Suboxone in prison, and then when New York State legalized it for inmates, I got it legally.  

Is there a big Suboxone market in prison? If so, why do you think that is? 

Yeah there definitely is. I started buying it in 2012. I think a lot of people in prison want to stop using, but they know detox is rough. But they also want to get high, so it’s a tough balance. Suboxone kind of kills the high from opioids, so it’s like a waste of your money to take drugs if you’re also on Suboxone, which a lot of people in prison found out the hard way. 

What do you think is a big reason people who want to be sober struggle with it, with or without Suboxone? 

Pain. Emotional or physical pain. Or a lot of times it’s both. In my situation, it was more about loving the lifestyle of party, party, party, and then not being able to deal with the comedown.  

When you were using drugs, what were your drugs of choice? 

I used a lot of cocaine. It came with the lifestyle, I was a professional breakdancer in the 1980s. I got introduced to coke on tour. Whenever I’d snort, I’d get these awful nose bleeds, so I freebased. And I got into a vicious cycle of robbing and stealing to buy cocaine and going to prison. I finally had enough during my last time in jail. 

When did you start coming to Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center? 

When I was released from prison. Alliance has a great program that helps people adjust to life outside. My guys Ruben and Eugene really helped me out, and when we talked Suboxone, they told me about the program here. So I’ve been seeing Dr. Jeffery for about two years now, he checks in on my response to Suboxone.  

Are you accessing any other services here? 

No, not really. I work full-time, although I’m currently on medical leave after having hip surgery. I actually refused a prescription of Oxys after my surgery, and I’ve just kept moving, and I’m healing up great. But no, my reentry program was about six months, and after that I’ve stuck to the Suboxone program with Dr. Jeffery. Great guy. I completely trust him.  

I ask because I know a lot of people in recovery need stability and groups are helpful for them. 

Yes, absolutely. I’m all about stability, I have my little routines. And I’ve got a great support system in my life right now. I’m in a good relationship. I’m healing up and doing some choreography. I go back to work in a few weeks. And I’m a dog owner.  

Alliance for Positive Change Celebrates 64th Graduating Class of Peers

On Wednesday, May 14, Alliance for Positive Change celebrated the 64th graduating class of its renowned Peer training program. The ceremony – which included 13 graduates - was held at Alliance Midtown Central headquarters, with over 75 guests in attendance. 

You can find photos and videos from the moving ceremony here.

For over three decades, Alliance for Positive Change’s renowned Peer training program has provided New Yorkers living with and affected by HIV and other chronic conditions with leadership and economic mobility opportunities. Peer graduates become community leaders who use their lived experience and training to help fellow New Yorkers facing health challenges.

Alliance for Positive Change’s Peer training program is an intensive eight-week capacity-building and skills training program that harnesses the power of mentoring to help others initiate and maintain healthy behaviors. Through the training, participants learn how to help break down barriers to health care access and become leaders in their communities. Alliance for Positive Change employs over 100 trained Peer Workers who provide prevention education, HIV and hepatitis C screening, linkage to care, harm reduction support, overdose prevention, accompaniment to appointments, and more to thousands of New Yorkers across the city.

"I enrolled in Peer training because I wanted to help others navigate health challenges. Peer training has empowered me to turn that idea into action," said Laverne Bailey, the graduate testimonial speaker. “Along with learning how to meet our community’s needs and create a supportive community of our own, Peer training made me confident and motivated to share my knowledge to help other people access HIV and hepatitis C screenings, prevention education, and other resources that improve health.”

“As role models, Peers are both empowered and powerful,” said Sharen I. Duke, Alliance CEO & Executive Director. “And this is the essence of Peer training: understanding your inner power and translating it externally through role modeling and through the sharing of lived experiences. I am thrilled to celebrate Alliance’s newest Peer graduates as they apply their healthcare knowledge and personal experiences to help others.”

Presenting Sponsor Avita Pharmacy was in attendance and joined by sponsors Corporate Synergies and Aurora Private Wealth.

“Avita is proud to once again sponsor Alliance for Positive Change’s renowned peer education program,” said Avita Pharmacy CEO, Michael Yount. “We applaud this year’s graduates, who epitomize leadership and the future of health outreach, as well as those who follow in their footsteps. It is an absolute honor to partner with Alliance on their crucial mission of helping people navigate systemic health inequities and achieve true wellness.”

About Alliance for Positive Change

Alliance for Positive Change is a leading multiservice organization that provides low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions with access to quality health care, housing, harm reduction, coaching, and our renowned peer training and job placement program that cultivates leadership and economic mobility. Alliance opened in 1991, at the height of the HIV crisis—a welcoming community of transformation and opportunity. Today, we deliver on the promise of Positive Change with services and resources that equip people to navigate systemic inequities and achieve health and well-being. Learn about all the ways we inspire Positive Change at www.alliance.nyc.

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City-wide Consumer Advisory Council Meeting

Alliance joined the NY HIV planning Council town hall event in mid-April, participating in panel discussions with other HIV and multiservice nonprofits that have Client Advisory Boards. The groups present spoke of how important and necessary it is for nonprofits to have a CAB. 

Alliance’s Advocacy Project Manager Luis Worrell spoke on how important it is to hear from the people we serve. He quoted a saying that our CEO Sharen Duke and Deputy CEO/COO Brenda Starks-Ross often repeat:  “it is because of the consumers that we are here and we work for the consumers."

Alliance-Authored Study Published in American Journal of Public Health "Black Women First"

Alliance for Positive Change provides direct services to over 1,000 Black women in New York City every year, and provides health workshops specifically to advance health outcomes. Much of this work includes care management and medication assistance for cisgender and transgender Black women with HIV. Our work was recently documented for the peer-reviewed American Journal for Public Health in an article titled “Using Bundled Interventions to Improve Health Outcomes for Black Cisgender and Transgender Women: Findings From the Black Women First Initiative.” Co-authored by Alliance’s Director of Evaluation Dr. Erin McKninney-Prupis, the article explains the successes of these vitally important programs. These include long-term viral load suppression:

“In the 12-month postenrollment period, 85.0% of women reached viral suppression and 74.3% were retained in care.”

Share this important work on Instagram or Facebook.

Funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services, many of these interventions are already being cut or eliminated entirely. This makes the existing reporting on the proven success of effective interventions all the more important to study.

Positive Change Heroes: Niko Flowers

1.       Can you share a little about who you are, and what do you do?

Niko: I’m Niko Flowers. I’m a health educator. I’ve been working for Alliance for Positive Change for two years, and I’ve been a spokesmodel for HIV Stops With Me for 10 years. I’m the 4th floor receptionist at Alliance for Positive Change Midtown Central. I’m also involved in our Health Homes Care Management, helping people get connected with services.  

2.       You’ve been providing HIV awareness trainings for a long time, right?

Niko: Oh yes, for over 20 years. I’m 34 years of living with HIV and I’ve always wanted to help remove stigma by sharing my story. I’ve led trainings in schools, disclosing my HIV status to young people to make them aware. I became a health educator so I could be more than a speaker and also break down HIV 101 for people to really understand it, prevention and treatment. 

3.       And you’re a prominent spokesmodel with HIV Stops With Me. What is that?

Niko: Yes, I’ve been a spokesmodel for 10 years now. HIV Stop With Me is a New York State advertising campaign with a mission is to encourage testing, awareness, and treatment. We have 30 spokesmodels across the state appearing in glamorous, educational billboards. Because of stigmas, people still don’t know their status, and HIV is totally manageable today. My HIV levels are undetectable, which means it is untransmittable, and everyone can get there with testing and treatment.  

I’ve been involved in it for 10 years now. We put advertisements across billboards and public spaces, i.e. train stations, bus stops, and subways.  

They look for people who can talk about their experience and have really made it their business to educate themselves on their conditions. So we do annual trainings, then get dolled up and have fun photo shoots to destigmatize being open about your status, because there is still stigma. 

4.       How did you get involved with HIV Stops With Me?

Niko: About 10 years ago I saw an HIV Stops With Me ad on 14th Street of someone I knew. I asked them to connect me with it. I wanted to be a more public messenger, and the group that runs it saw I’m in it for the right reasons, so like all the spokesmodels I participated in annual trainings, shared more of my experience, which you can read about at Niko - HIV Stops With Me. And of course we take fabulous photoshoots that appear on ads in subways, billboards, and everywhere. I’m not ashamed and I think that helps remove stigmas. 

5.       What’s your favorite photo campaign from HIV Stops With Me? 

Niko: That’s so tough because I really love them all. Can I say two of them? It's between “Slay” and “Hardcore Treatment Advocate.” “Slay” was from 2023 and I think “Hardcore Treatment Advocate” was from 2019.  

The message on “Slay” is “Meds keep me Undetectable and Untransmittable. I manage my physical, mental, and sexual health. I’m slaying HIV.”  

That one was all over the trains in the city. I never saw it but lots of people saw it. I just saw the new campaign “CEO of My Life” on the subway in Brooklyn, which was pretty cool. We’ve got all the ads on the walls here at Alliance.  

6.       When did you first come to Alliance?

Niko: March 2023. I came here to work on a program we had with Tangelo, a food delivery service for people with chronic health conditions that helps them stay healthy. I loved it, and I loved my boss, Ox. I love Ox for his work ethic, patience when I’m trying to learn new skills, and the trust. 

Before 2023, I took the Certified Peer Recovery Advocate training. And last year I took the Peer Recovery Education Program (cycle 62.)  

I knew most of the information. Our trainer Ms. Joyce was like ‘Niko you already know this information but you’d be good for the other people in the training, so come in.’ So I’ve always been about continuing education, especially for health care issues.  

7.       What motivates you day-to-day at Alliance?

Niko: Being present for this moment in time. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever, so I try to be my best self, and help out everyone here at Alliance, my coworkers, my bosses, the participants we serve, because everyone has unique challenges, and helping people find the best programs for them brings me a lot of joy. 

8.       What do you do for fun?

Niko: When I’m not modeling, haha? I love reading, and watching TV and movies. Sometimes when I’m watching a good movie, I’ll be able to accurately predict what a character’s about to say. Right now, enjoying I’m watching Beauty in Black on Netflix.

9.       If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be? 

Niko: I’d do more health education in schools like I used to. As a matter of fact, I’m going to make some calls today and get back to that before the school year is over.