On Thanksgiving Day, Alliance's Bernice Cowell gave a great interview with Driving Forces about celebrating an emotional Thanksgiving – her first in a real home, with her children – thanks to resources she found at Alliance. Bernice's interview can be heard here.
Honoring Transgender Awareness Week: Spotlight on Alliance’s Lexii Foxx
“I’ve been doing prevention training since way before I knew it was called that,” says Lexii Foxx, a Peer intern with Alliance for Positive Change. Lexii credits her intersectionality and personal journey with making her a strong ally for New Yorkers in need.
“Sometimes it’s just really hard for transwomen to feel they’re being understood. I’m black, queer, and trans, so that’s a lot of intersectionality,” Lexii says. Her identity makes her an authentic voice as she provides help to a plethora of New Yorkers. At Alliance, Lexii works with almost 30 people a week, while also helping co-facilitate women’s groups at Alliance.
Growing up in a conservative town in North Carolina, Lexii notes, “My family loved me, but was literally embarrassed to have me be around at family events.”
She knew she was a woman from a young age. She dropped out of high school to live in a small house with dozens of friends she met at a drag show. They called themselves the “Chanelles/Thug Misses,” and worked as escorts for survival.
Lexii lived in dozens of states in her teens and twenties, working as a model and a sex worker, all while teaching her friends about safer sex.
Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing their stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community. For Lexii, this means “educating children on who LGBTQ+ people are, and breaking that generational stigma.”
“I believe you have to start at the root, which is our kids, and help young trans kids out, make them confident in their true selves. And if they want to transition young, make it easier for them.”
It also means decriminalizing sex work, which makes transgender women disproportionate targets of violence. 2021 is already the deadliest year on record for transgender people in America, with 45 reported murders, according to the Human Rights Campaign, disproportionately amongst Black and Latinx people.
Decriminalizing sex work is also a barrier to services. “Being a sex worker helped me reach out to other sex workers, helping them get tested, use condoms, and get access to counseling,” Lexii says.
Lexii was involved in helping people before she joined Alliance, but says that “Alliance is the best thing that has happened for me. I feel like I am a confident woman walking out the door to start every day because of Alliance.”
Lexii started working with Alliance when she was referred from the Peer program.
Lexii Foxx
“She’s amazing, and she’s going to do amazing work,” says Malika Minott, Prevention Assistant Manager at Alliance, and also a graduate of Alliance’s PATH to Jobs peer-training program. “Lexii opened herself up to our work and participated in workshops, trainings, and now, she does wellness checks, reminder calls, therapeutic check-ins, and really invests in people’s lives as a Peer.”
Working for leaders like Malika at Alliance has fueled and refreshed Lexii, and allowed her to be a shining star and public health educator. “I’ve noticed that everyone at Alliance goes the extra mile for their clients,” Lexii says. “I feel like I’ve found family here.”
Transgender awareness is essential to Lexii because people who don’t know openly trans people “are afraid of us, or have a stigma against us due to negative media, TV shows, and movies that make a mockery of us. The fact is, we are human and we deserve to coexist in life.”
To Lexii, it’s not just on members of the LGBTQ+ community to support transgender people. “Cisgender people who have platforms should offer them to us and help with job readiness. Help us have the same opportunities as anyone else,” she says.
Transgender Awareness Week takes place from November 13-19, leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia. Please join Alliance in our efforts to support and honor those lost on this day and throughout the year.
WABC Radio: Al Ostapeck on this year’s International Overdose Awareness Day
On the eve of International Awareness Day, Assistant Manager of Harm Reduction at Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center Al Ostapeck spoke to WABC Radio’s Dominic Carter. Dominic shared very moving, personal stories and Al discussed the importance of in-person harm reduction services that connect people to services that start with—but go far beyond—harm reduction.
As Al said, “We all fall down in life, do you get back up?” Since 1990, Alliance has helped New Yorkers living with HIV and other chronic health conditions get back up.
NY1 Features Alliance on the Move in honor of Recovery Month
On Thursday, September 30, 2021, Spectrum News NY1 was on hand to cover Alliance for Positive Change’s LGBTQ+ carnival and resource fair outside of CASA Washington Heights. Participants came together to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride, make arts and crafts projects, and access substance use support services, free COVID-19, HIV, and STI testing through our Alliance on the Move mobile van.
The event took place during the last day of National Recovery Month, but Alliance’s work continues every weekday at its six locations and its mobile unit Alliance on the Move every Monday through Thursday.
Alliance for Positive Change Awarded Grants to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Access
—Funding will expand equitable vaccine access among New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including low-income and BIPOC communities—
—Amid the Delta variant, the need for increasing vaccination rates has taken on new urgency—
(New York, N.Y.)—Amid the rise in Delta variant-related coronavirus cases, Alliance for Positive Change, a nonprofit that has been working to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic for three decades, has been awarded grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Fund for Public Health. The funding will help to reduce preventable COVID-19 infections and death among New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including low-income and BIPOC communities.
Support from HRSA will advance goals to stop the spread of COVID-19 by implementing strategies that Alliance has deployed for decades in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including leveraging partnerships and community outreach to identify and engage New Yorkers who are vaccine hesitant. In partnership with Housing Works, Argus Community Inc., and BOOM!Health, the grant will enlist Alliance’s corps of peers to serve as community vaccine ambassadors, and involve weekly discussion groups, outreach through Alliance on the Move -- the organization’s mobile van, development of educational material, assistance with scheduling vaccine appointments, and employ social media to reach new audiences.
The Fund for Public Health’s Vaccine Equity Partner Engagement Project supports equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The grant will strengthen Alliance’s ability to disseminate tailored, community-informed, and culturally relevant messaging about vaccines to address concerns in disproportionately impacted communities, and provide one-on-one navigation services to improve access to vaccinations in Central Harlem.
“Alliance is eager to implement the outreach and education strategies we have learned over the past three decades as an organization serving New Yorkers with HIV and other chronic health conditions to expand equitable vaccine access amid the pandemic,” says Arianne Watson, Director of Outreach & Community Engagement at Alliance for Positive Change. “Tailored vaccine messaging in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic will be instrumental to advancing the fight against COVID-19.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis that has presented significant obstacles in efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. New data demonstrates that people living with HIV who become infected with the coronavirus are at extremely high risk of severe illness from COVID-19. HIV testing—our most important tool for early detection that saves lives—has decreased by as much as 45% nationwide. People have lost access to care due to lockdowns and increased economic hardship, while the overburdened and under-resourced healthcare system has struggled to keep up.
About Alliance for Positive Change
Alliance for Positive Change supports lasting, positive change among low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Focusing on underserved communities of color, our culturally competent, multilingual services remove barriers to accessing quality medical care, managing addiction, escaping homelessness, and achieving economic mobility. We address the underlying issues that contribute to health inequity through individualized, full-service support based on a harm reduction approach designed to help New Yorkers lead healthier, more self-sufficient lives. Because everyone deserves the chance to feel better, live better, and do better. Learn more at www.alliance.nyc.
Positive Change Hero: Operations Department's John, Conrad, & Steven
1. Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, what you do, and what brought you to Alliance?
John: I am Alliance’s Director of IT & Operations. I started with Alliance in 2001 as a case manager. It was my dream job to be able to help people. I had the opportunity to get into the technology field and Sharen, Alliance’s CEO, encouraged me to get my certification. I am fascinated by technology and love building and tinkering with electronics. I am proud that these 20 years later I now have my dream job with an amazing organization. I am a happy guy with three beautiful children and a wonderful wife.
Conrad: I am a native New Yorker. I am responsible for Alliance’s Midtown Central facilities. I supervise the security, reception, cleaning, and maintenance staff. My relationship with Alliance goes back to 2005. At that time, I was the Head Coach of Team New York Aquatics, which was the largest LBGT+ adult competitive swim team on the planet. Alliance was the recipient of the team’s annual fundraising in support of the HIV advocacy event, the One Hour Swim. This established a great friendship between the team and the work of the Alliance. The team has given to Alliance, through the One Hour Swim, many times over the years, including the past year of the pandemic. In 2013, I had the opportunity to interview for a job at the Alliance. I remain a substitute coach for TNYA and worked to deepen the relationship over the years between the work of the Alliance and friends of the agency and the athletes on the team.
Steven: My name is Steven Jones, I am 50 years old, and I work as the Security/Operations Assistant Manager. I came to the Alliance looking for help after moving from California. I had no job, no medical coverage, and no one to turn to.
2. Tell me about your department and what has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
John: I feel blessed to have such a dedicated team. Even though the IT profession can attract technical communicators, our organization is people-based, and it makes me proud to see my colleagues develop their skills and come out of their shells. Both our operations and IT staff have been steadfast throughout the pandemic. It caught us all by surprise and turned everything upside down. We had to transition over 300 employees to remote work and outfit all six of our offices with new safety measures and round-the-clock cleaning and sanitation. My team was always available throughout the pandemic – never taking a break. They are all champions in my mind!
Conrad: My department continued to show up throughout the pandemic even though much of the time I was just by myself. Someone needed to check on the facility, make sure the lights were turned off, that plants were watered, and check the mail and messages. I rode my bicycle to work every day throughout the pandemic from March 2020 to December 2020 when people began to safely return to Midtown Central on World AIDS Day. I have seen the transition back, from limited visitors to almost normal operations now, up close.
Steven: I helped oversee the day-to-day operations that kept Midtown Central running. When COVID-19 hit, our clients were afraid to return, and normal interactions were impossible due to social distancing and PPE. I help make sure that everyone who enters our building is protected and feels safe to return. I am proud to be our first line of defense against COVID-19.
3. Is there an achievement or contribution to your department you are particularly proud of?
John: I am so proud of my team and being able to be part of their professional growth. Everyone who has come through my department has taken opportunities to develop new skills and advance their careers. I love to inspire everyone I work with and it inspires me to be part of their journeys. I try to keep my team motivated to give their best each and every day and keep reaching for the next goal.
Conrad: We had a major building maintenance issue on top of dealing with the trauma of the pandemic. For months I had to supervise a crew and maintain calm. I am proud I kept the necessary chaos to a minimum, so the staff could return in a rational and controlled manner, with little to worry about.
Steven: I am proud that I am able to contribute and keep the agency running during this pandemic which allows people to be safe.
4. If you could do anything in addition to what you are doing now, what would it be?
John: I would be sailing on a yacht, of course! But in all seriousness, I am extremely happy and love my work. Not only do I get to work with new technology, I also get to be involved with construction projects and operations workflows – all of my interests! I love to make things work and to tinker. In my free time, I love to build and program drones. It is so rewarding to watch a drone fly!
Conrad: I wish I could travel more, helping other organizations with their traumatic facility issues. This is because I love to travel generally. Even Upstate New York.
Steven: When I go for lunch I always see people in need and my reaction is to let them know where I work and that there is help. Throughout the week I bring at least two or three of people in need to the agency. I would love to do more to be an ambassador for the agency bringing news for what help is out there.
New York Daily News: Alliance for Positive Change leading the fight against overdose deaths
On Sunday, August 15, 2021, the New York Daily News wrote a feature story about the COVID-19-influenced spike in overdose deaths, and the tireless work of staff like Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center’s Shantae Owens.
Learn more about how Alliance is caring for our community during the coronavirus outbreak here: www.alliance.nyc/coronavirus and support our work by giving to the Coronavirus Support Fund today!
WFUV Cityscape features Alliance’s Floyd Mitchell
Alliance harm reduction coordinator Floyd Mitchell spoke with WFUV’s Cityscape about the surge in opioid use, and how Alliance’s work has become even more vital. While social distance requirements have made it difficult to keep some program participants involved on a path to positive change, Floyd and his colleagues are adapting to ensure we keep promoting positive change.
Alliance’s Floyd Mitchell in Gotham Gazette
“I know what it’s like to be on the front lines of an infectious disease,” Floyd Mitchell, a harm reduction counselor at Alliance for Positive Change writes for the Gotham Gazette. “This time, it’s the twin tragedy of the dramatic rise in overdose deaths amid the pandemic due to the anxiety and isolation of life during lockdown.”
Beginning his career in harm reduction at the height of the HIV epidemic in the 1980’s, Floyd has seen it all, and understands the measures we must all take to support our neighbors battling substance use in these difficult times.
Alliance's “PATH to Jobs” Program Included in Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s Top Ten Requests For Community Project Funding
—Innovative workforce development program puts New Yorkers in need on path to economic mobility; now eligible for $1 million in federal funding—
(New York, N.Y.)—U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (New York’s 12th Congressional District) has selected Alliance for Positive Change’s “PATH to Jobs” peer workforce development program as one of the top ten projects she has submitted for federal Community Project Funding for FY2022. If chosen, the program will receive $1 million to vastly increase Alliance’s career readiness and job placement services, helping significantly more New Yorkers along their journeys toward recovery and economic independence.
“I thank Alliance for Positive Change and Sharen Duke, along with the entire dedicated staff, for hosting me at their facility,” Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said. “Every aspect of the Alliance’s mission is deeply committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. They have created an environment that both helps and heals adults of all ages and backgrounds who are struggling to secure healthcare, jobs services, and nutritional support. It is incumbent upon legislators like myself to support organizations like Alliance for Positive Change and ensure they get the funding they need to continue the great work they are doing to help the people of New York City, especially as we recover from the COVID-19 crisis.”
“I am fiercely proud and often awed by the courage and tenacity of our Peers, making positive changes in their own lives, and then ‘paying it forward’ to help others,” said Sharen I. Duke, Alliance CEO & Executive Director. “Alliance is profoundly grateful for Congresswoman Maloney’s leadership and dedication to New Yorkers, and honored by the Congresswoman’s visit to Alliance, seeing us in action, and meeting the Peers who partner with us to provide training and support through the PATH to Jobs program.”
Founded 30 years ago amid the early years of the AIDS epidemic, Alliance serves low-income New Yorkers with a range of chronic health conditions and substance use challenges, offering them medical care, harm reduction, peer support, and housing assistance in their path towards health and stability. Since 1992, Alliance’s PATH to Jobs has provided career readiness and job placement services, including vocational education, coaching, supervision, training, benefits counseling about the impact of employment on public entitlements, and support in successfully attaining and sustaining employment.
Graduates of this program find job placement opportunities in health and social service agencies across New York, and at Alliance—which has built its own Peer workforce, employing 130+ Peer workers trained by the program each year.
Scaling Alliance’s PATH to Jobs program will facilitate the creation of a centralized career readiness and job placement program across New York City. State certified Peer workers will be placed in part-time and full-time jobs in: managed care companies and Medicaid Health Homes; hospitals and community health centers; HIV service agencies; STD clinics; syringe exchange/opioid overdose prevention programs; substance use treatment clinics; supportive housing programs; and community-based organizations of all kinds.
About The Alliance for Positive Change
The Alliance for Positive Change supports lasting, positive change among low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Focusing on underserved communities of color, our culturally competent, multilingual services remove structural barriers to accessing quality medical care, managing/overcoming substance use, escaping homelessness, and achieving economic mobility. We address the underlying issues that contribute to health inequity through individualized, full-service support based on a harm reduction approach designed to help New Yorkers lead healthier, more self-sufficient lives. Because everyone deserves the chance to feel better, live better, and do better. Learn more at www.alliance.nyc.