Photos: David Nager/Alliance
1. Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what brought you to Alliance?
Vanessa: I’ve worked at Alliance for Positive Change since 2000. Back then there were fewer than 15 of us. And wouldn’t you know it, almost all of them are still working here today: Sharen, Ramona, Fulvia, Deborah, Lillian, Yvonne, Maria, Michelle, and John, at least. I came from Exponent, another program like our PREP training. I came here as a Peer educator specializing in recovery.
I’ve done so many jobs at Alliance. I’ve been a case manager, Peer trainer, so many different jobs!
2. Tell me about your current program/service and what problem it solves.
Vanessa: I’m a harm reduction manager. In harm reduction, at Alliance Midtown Central, we work with HIV positive people who are actively using substances, having sex with multiple partners, or are on medication. I work to help them get the resources they need. The beauty of Alliance is once people come through our doors, they see other services that can help. Sometimes that means helping them get certifications to advance their careers.
3. Tell me about a specific person in the harm reduction program.
Vanessa: The first person I’m thinking of was a man who didn’t have stable housing. He had discolored nails, which can be a symptom of really serious illness, so we got that addressed with medicine, to flush his system out, and we would text him to remind him to take the meds. We got him clean clothes, his resume up to date, and helped him get a job at Macy’s.
Within six months, we got his viral load improved, too.
4. Is there an achievement or contribution to this program you are particularly proud of?
Vanessa: Our purview tends to be drugs, including alcohol, but I’m a cigarette smoker, and I know it’s a terrible thing for your body, and addictive. One person I worked with was a chronic cigarette smoker and developed advanced throat cancer. We were trying to address her body image issues and were able to help her reduce smoking, too.
5. How has your program changed during the pandemic?
Vanessa: It’s been difficult with virtual treatment because a lot of people don’t have access or don’t know how or don’t want to do it. But we continued our virtual group therapy. I completed a Seeking Safety for Women training over Zoom, and some of those women really enjoyed that. But generally, trauma is better addressed in person.
6. If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?
Vanessa: I’d probably still be doing a lot of these same things, teaching harm reduction. After you’ve been doing this so long, it becomes a part of you. I’d also open up a foster care for children. I love children.
7. Is there another question that I have not asked you that I should?
Vanessa: I’ve been known to meet people on a corner and bring them up into Alliance. In fact, one person I met and brought into Alliance now works here and has been stably housed for a long time.