Alliance Recognizes Black History Month 2022

Black History Month started as Negro History Week in 1926. Author, journalist, and historian Carter G. Woodson wrote that “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world.”

Much of the history of America has been in trying to strip Black people of connections to their rich heritage. As Maya Angelou put it "The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are."

To that end, Alliance is proud to celebrate Black history not just in February, but year-round. Alliance has asked staff, Peers, and program participants to honor some of their Black heroes, and share why they inspire them. Read about some of these Black role models @thealliance_nyc.

Kisha Dodson—a respiratory therapist at a VA hospital in Florida, mother of Alliance’s own Ashley.

Dr. Shirley Jackson—the first African American woman to receive a doctorate from M.I.T., and the first African American to become a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Ella Fitzgerald—The “Queen of Jazz,” the most popular female jazz singer in the U.S. for decades, winner of 14 Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Bessie Coleman—”The Only Race Aviatrix in the World,” the first Black woman, and the first Native American woman to hold a pilot’s license. She opened an aviation school to teach Black women to fly, and break down barriers as she did.

Brenda Starks-Ross, Waverly Fair, and Jean Pierre-Louis—Alliance’s very own Ardith Cornelius wanted to recognize the roles that Alliance’s COO Ms. Brenda, and Waverly and Jean of the Peer program, played in helping her make change in her own life, and helping others. Thank you Ardith, Ms. Brenda, Waverly and Jean!

Black history matters year-round, and our pages will continue to spotlight Black leaders year-round. If you would like to recognize someone, please email communications@alliance.nyc

Role Model Stories: Annias M.

I am a 57 year old black gay male living with HIV. When I was 25 years old my mother passed away. When that happened it put me into a deep dark depression.

I was also infected unknowingly with HIV after my partner told me I should be tested after he was told by a prior partner that he was positive. At the end of the day I think he already knew that he was positive and never cared to share with me after we had intercourse.

At first my test came back inclusive. So I tested again 3 months later and the results were Positive, and that ended the relationship.

I have always dabbled with cocaine but wasn’t introduced to crack cocaine until I met someone new. This relationship was toxic for me mentally and physically but I never fought back because I would have wound up in jail for murder. The last straw in the relationship happened when he burned my face with a hot iron.

I wanted help so I went to Bronx Lebanon Hospital and was transferred into this program in Alabama called Self Discovery. The 30 days I was there it felt like paradise. Being treated with kindness and passion. 

After a couple of weeks in the program we were even allowed to go out and attend other NA meetings. I didn’t want to leave but I knew I my life was back home in New York. 

It wasn’t too long before I got back home and I repeated the same behavior. I spiraled out of control. I called my cousins to come rescue me. I couldn’t bear to live like this anymore. I relapsed once more but this time I was sick of being sick and tired.

During my relapses I realized I never fought my real demon. Something I have never told anyone. I was molested at the age of 16. Once I was able to admit it and say it out loud that demon was defeated and the next one was my addiction. I was able to beat that as well and finally able to live a happy healthy life.

I graduated from the Arrive Program and in 2010 one of my friends introduced me to ASCNYC which is now Alliance for Positive Change. I enrolled in the HOPE Program and soon after that I became a Peer and then within 2 years at Alliance I was offered an opportunity to become a senior peer liaison.

Women from TWIST and My Sister's Room Enjoy Wicked

Last month, the Women’s Health Initiative Program led a trip to see Wicked on Broadway. The trip was specifically for participants in Alliance’s TWIST program (Transgender Women Involved in Strategies for Transformation, a CDC-modeled peer-led program), and My Sister's Room​, our weekly support group for transgender women.

Lexii Foxx, an Alliance Peer, invited a group of trans women to attend. For many, it would be their first Broadway show, and this wasn’t just any show, but one of Broadway’s most popular shows ever! It also was the first production of Wicked to feature a trans actress, Alexandra Billings as Madame Morrible.

“They felt inspired to see a lead Trans actress, I most definitely think this was one of the benefits of visibility for the whole experience,” said Lexii, who, despite putting so much time into the planning of the event, was unable to attend after testing positive for COVID-19. “Everyone was really happy, thankful, they love the songs, everyone described the night as magical, beautiful, and elegant.”

“It was awesome to see the impact on the rest of the girls, most of them hadn’t ever been to a Broadway show,” said Alana Martin, a program participant and TV and film actress who had always wanted to see Wicked. “I had a beautiful time, that show was so popular when I was younger so it was nice to see it, especially this historic cast with this group of girls.”

All seats were in the 5th or 6th row. Dr. Erin McKinney-Prupis, Director of Women’s Services, felt that “everyone had an incredible time.”

TWIST was designed to provide a framework for transgender women to share their lived experiences as a means of recognizing and valuing their social and cultural resilience.

Alana spoke about the important subject matter in Wicked. “Female friendship is so important, especially in the trans community, so there were a lot of tears, happy tears.”

It was Gracey Fernandes’ first time on Broadway. “That experience was one of the best I had ever had! It was mind-blowing, it was thrilling, it was ecstatic. It was just what I needed to revive my mental state,” she said. A recent immigrant—she came to the U.S. in late 2020—the play lit a fire in her to pursue seeing more theatrical productions.

“To have the stage light up, and the choreography, and the lighting effects—and the background was spectacular—it was like seeing a movie being filmed. It was just awesome,” she said. Billings, in particular “was a masterpiece. That woman was magnanimous. She was featured often in the play and wasn’t just a cameo role, so that was cool. There wasn’t a flaw, everybody was spot on, the music was serenading. I saw people crying. I wanted to cry, it was so touching. It was the best.”

Fully recovered from COVID-19, Lexii takes pride in organizing what was “a very captivating mechanism for this group and moments that they can remember for the rest of their life.”

Events like this trip to Wicked are only possible because of generous donations to Alliance, and TWIST in particular. You can make a tax-deductible donation to Alliance’s TWIST program today by visiting this link.

Role Model Stories: Michael R.

I am 40 year old gay man living with HIV. When I was 25 I was in a committed relationship. What I remember was that we always liked to frequent the bars and clubs.

One particular night when my boyfriend had gone to the bathroom, a guy came up to me and whispered “please be careful with him because he is HIV+” and walked away. I confronted my boyfriend when he returned. He told me not to pay him any mind and that they had a falling out.

Six months went by and all was well, until he told me he wasn’t feeling well and took a trip to the doctors. It was there that his doctor recommended he get tested for HIV. A week went by and the doctor called him to come in to his office for the results. The results came back positive and he told me that I should get tested as well. I took his advice and the results were negative but the doctor advised me to come back three months later.

I decided to stay with my boyfriend to be supportive and make sure he took care of himself. After all, we were in a loving supportive relationship. After three months, I went to get retested. This time my result came back positive. I was confused and scared, but denial took those both over. At the time, my doctor advised me to not take medications for HIV.

After being there for my boyfriend while he has going through his own diagnosis, I found out during the relationship that I wasn’t the only one who he was intimate with. So it was in our best interest to part ways. It was hard for me because I was still in denial about my diagnosis.

Two years went by and it was time to take medication. It was not an easy road, as I was not good with being adherent to medication. Adherent issues made me resistant to my medication. After that I decided to be serious with my medication because I did not want to be defeated.

My doctor advised me to get case management to help me navigate my diagnosis. My care team gave me adherence tips and accompanied me to the doctor. That helped me a lot, and gave me hope and a new lease on life.

My case worker suggested that I check out Alliance for Positive Change to go for social support. It was there I met other HIV+ individuals and finally felt like myself again. While I was there I was told about their Peer program and an upcoming training called PREP (Peer Recovery Education Program).

PREP was an intensive 8 week training that allowed me to prepare myself to become a Peer educator and advocate for my community. I interviewed to be in cycle 50 and graduated in 2018.

After I graduated, Alliance hired me to work as a Peer for Health Homes case management. The advice my case worker gave me to come to Alliance was a blessing. I was able to come terms with my diagnosis and now I help others as well.​

Mentoring Month at Alliance: Care Management & Community Engagement

National Mentoring Month is a time to recognize the role that mentors play in the lives of their mentees. Mentors come in many forms, and at Alliance, there is a cyclical nature of mentorship, where mentees become mentors to others. 

Check out our inspiring mentor-mentee pairs from our Care Management, Treatment Adherence, and Community Engagement programs!

LUIS AND MOLLY

Luis Viera told us that his mentor, Molly Kellman, has always been there to provide positive feedback and sound advice during and after his fieldwork. “While working in the office, she always provides the opportunity to assist on important caseloads and also take trainings or certificates.” This has made Luis confident enough to share his story in POZ and for World AIDS Day in AM New York. 

Luis Viera

Molly is “amazed by how well he connects with the clients. Luis is incredibly self-motivated and uses his experiences to work with clients and our staff with compassion and empathy.”

DENISE AND IVAN

Denise Jones says her supervisor Ivan Lopez has many great qualities but “the ones that made the biggest impact are that he is respectful, available, and a great listener. He gives honest and direct feedback and I love his nonjudgmental approach that he shows with me and all our clients.”

Ivan began mentoring in 2016 and has been mentoring Denise for over two years. “What started out with just myself and Denise has now grown across several Ryan Clinics and I could not have done it without her compassion and assistance. She at times mentors me in being more patient with myself and continues to be a shining example of professionalism.”

LUIS, EVELYN, and DAYRIN

Luis Velazquez II has grown under the mentorship of Evelyn English. “Ms. English has helped me focus on my writing since my first day with her in 2018. I’ve become confident in writing my reports because of her patience.” 

And he adds, “Ms. Vargas has shown is our team lead and values everyone’s input. She has a flair for multitasking, even while on the phone, which has made for interesting conversations.” Luis spoke about how her patience and gentle nature are something program participants often comment on. 

And it’s a two-way street. Ms. Vargas feels Luis has grown tremendously since they began working together in October 2019. “Working with Luis is great. He accompanies our clients to the HRA office, provides translation services, assists them with housing needs, and most importantly, they feel COMFORTABLE speaking to Luis. It will be impossible to complete all tasks on time without having Luis as my Peer. I have been blessed.”


SHIRLEY AND ARIANNE

Shirley considers herself fortunate to have Arianne Watson, Director of Outreach and Community Engagement as a mentor. “She motivates and encourages me to acquire new skills in addition to giving sound advice. Thank you, Arianne!”

Arianne (left) with Shirley (right) and Shirley’s grandchildren, who came to multiple Alliance holiday events through the years (pre-pandemic)

Arianne told us that “Shirley is a pleasure to be around. She is gentle, kind, and joyous to everyone she meets. She strives to be a positive role model by continuing her education, attending trainings, and absorbing as much knowledge as possible.”

DONALD AND SAMUEL

Donald Ensley called Samuel Rodriguez “my mentor for the last ten years and like a father figure, friend, confidant, and very supportive. I have learned and have matured in ways I thought couldn’t be possible, thanks to the support and direction of my mentor, Samuel.”

Samuel recalls how Donald has grown over the years. “Donald at first was so quiet and would check in with me before he did anything. I told Donald that I wanted him to come up with the topic for the group. He would come up with a topic and I would ask him questions on how he would start the group and how he would keep the group going. It took some time but Donald now runs our Treatment Chat group every Tuesday, by himself.” 

“Donald now makes decisions and can run the Pharmacy Access Center by himself, without second-guessing himself. As a Mentor, it is a great feeling seeing someone grow and become independent. But as a mentor, you need to be open because Peers have so much information and they definitely help you do your job. They know how things are run, here at Alliance. One has to be able to listen to the Peers - so it has become a win–win!”

Mentoring Month at Alliance: Women’s Health + Prevention Services

National Mentoring Month is a time to recognize the role that mentors play in the lives of their mentees. Mentors come in many forms, and at Alliance, there is a cyclical nature of mentorship, where mentees become mentors to others. 

Check out our inspiring mentor-mentee pairs from Alliance’s Women’s Health and Prevention Services Programs.

NICKY AND ERIN

Naysika (Nicky) Bravo has been an Alliance Peer for years, helping clients get to medical appointments, and secure housing, even over the pandemic. She met Dr. Erin McKinney-Prupis through Alliance’s Peer Program over five years ago. They both are part of a team that mentors and supervises the women’s program Peers and both Nicky and Erin observe to have learned so much from working with each other as they continue to support the mentorship program and each other’s growth.

“Erin is an amazing, smart, caring, humble woman and she always puts her team first, her clients first, and I would be lost without her. She goes above and beyond without question and she has taught me to be a better wife, mother, and Peer. She is always available when I am not too sure of myself and she gives me the push I need to be the best mentor for my client and I am proud to call her my supervisor and mentor.” 

We asked Erin what she enjoys about being a mentor and she told us “the most rewarding part of my job is being a mentor for Nicky Bravo. Together we discuss and strategize how to best care for her clients. Hearing the positive changes she helps her clients make and experiencing firsthand her skillset growth is incredible. She teaches me new things and helps me grow as a leader and support person every day!”

And Nicky’s star shines bright in and outside of her work with Alliance program participants. She recently shared her story of Overcoming Obstacles and Living with HIV as part of a Health Divide series on HIV by Verywell Health. 

 

GUY AND ANTHONY

Guy Williams, Director of Prevention, has been mentoring for over 17 years and has learned as much from his mentees that they have learned from him, “Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person.”

One of the biggest beneficiaries of Guy’s mentorship is Anthony Romano, who works with Guy’s Prevention Services team. “I could never imagine the amount of support that one individual could give to another person. During the lockdown, I couldn't think of having another mentor/supervisor like Guy Williams. He was always a true leader, always listening and making me feel like we are equal. Taking my ideas and putting them to fruition,” said Anthony.

The mutual respect these individuals have for each other is just another reason why mentorship is so important at Alliance. “I like to think we’ve been a home for Anthony and other people in the community, and a way for them to help other people,” said Guy.

Anthony Romano and Guy Williams.

Mentoring Month at Alliance: Peer Services

National Mentoring Month is a time to recognize the role that mentors play in the lives of their mentees. Mentors come in many forms, and at Alliance, there is a cyclical nature of mentorship, where mentees become mentors to others. 

Check out our inspiring mentor-mentee pairs from Alliance’s Peer Program!

STEPHEN, WAVERLY, and ARDITH

Stephen had been at Alliance for years when Waverly transitioned from working in Client Services to the Peer training program. “I met Mr. Williams during the transition period. At the time I was a mentor for roughly 25 Peers and realized that I needed to spend more time on the 4th Floor in the dedicated Peer area. It was important to have the Peers get to know me, place a name with the face. Non-profit work was new to me. Mr. Williams shared his lived experiences with me, validated me and my expertise with the Peers who may have been a bit apprehensive to open up, and work with me at the time since I was the new guy.”

Stephen speaks powerfully about Waverly as an exceptional Alliance mentor. “His mentorship is based on trust, confidentiality, mutual respect, accountability, and sensitivity. He is a great role model. Listening to Waverly talk about the benefits of continued education as he returned to school encouraged me to obtain my GED. Having him as a mentor has changed my life, personally and professionally.”

Stephen Williams

It is apparent that Stephen and Waverly both inhabit the roles of mentor for one another. “He supported me as I tried to introduce new ideas and practices to the existing structure in Peer Services,” Waverly said. “In exchange, I offered him an ear when he needed it, more structured and consistent supervision, and performance evaluations.”

Both Stephen and Waverly have served as mentors to countless Alliance Peers, program participants, and staff, like Ardith Cornelius, who told us, “Mr. Williams has inspired me in many ways and I cannot thank him enough. He is so inspiring, encouraging, and kind. I thank you from the depths of my heart.” 

Ardith also called Waverly a compassionate and encouraging role model and “a great source of information and support for some personal situations that I was going through.” As a Peer Worker and a member of the Peer Alumni committee, Waverly feels that “she's a very special individual. I try to make space for all of the Peers that find benefit in my support and seek it out, but with Ardith, it's deeper.”

ERIC AND MS. JOYCE 

Peer Services supports the transition of Peers to paid work across Alliance programs. And many Peers, like Eric Ramos, are hired for their exemplary work in the Peer program. He asked that we recognize Joyce Myricks as a born leader, wonderful mentor, and trustworthy friend.

 “Even with all her duties as the lead facilitator of PREP, she always has time to check in with me both professionally and personally. At the start of the pandemic and the loss of family and friends, she kept me encouraged and helped me through my grief.

 “Ms. Joyce has always provided me wise advice and diplomatic direction, especially my first cycle on the PREP team. She always goes above and beyond when it comes to encouraging many other Peers. I am lucky to have had Ms. Joyce during my time as a student in PREP Cycle 50 and also to have her as a mentor. She proves each and every day that one person truly can make a big difference.”

Eric and Joyce

Ms. Joyce ​​thinks that “the role of the Mentor at Alliance and specifically with PREP, is to be a good listener and help them map out their road to work. We all bring our behaviors from the environments we've been in. New Peers are trying to make changes in their lives and don't necessarily have strong existing support systems, so I like to establish and maintain overt lines of communication.”

A graduate of PREP herself—cycle 31, taught by none other than Stephen Williams—she could tell right away that Eric was smart and empathetic but experienced anxiety due to tremendous responsibilities he was carrying in various parts of his life. “He had a lot of self-doubt, so over the past couple of years, I tried to go through situations with him as a healthy support system, while retaining a professional relationship. Our relationship was built on my willingness to always listen to him, at times when he was emotionally overwrought. I try to prepare him for any potentially triggering situation, and help him understand how to pause, and just consider all his choices, and how he can make ones that will help him. I've tried to identify times and situations where he can take on more responsibilities in a way that I think will help him grow.”

Eric feels she has done a great job there.

Mentoring Month at Alliance: LES Harm Reduction Center

National Mentoring Month is a time to recognize the role that mentors play in the lives of their mentees. Mentors come in many forms, and at Alliance, there is a cyclical nature of mentorship, where mentees become mentors to others. 

Check out our inspiring mentor-mentee pairs from Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center!

Floyd Mitchell, Harm Reduction Assistant Manager at Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center, gained his knowledge by simply accepting the journey. He has been in this field since 1988 at the height of the AIDS epidemic, and his knowledge has helped dozens—probably hundreds—of people along their path.

Celeste Callender started volunteering with the organization in September 2011 when the organization was called the AIDS Service Center. She graduated from PREP (cycle 35). Having a history of substance use, she began volunteering at and frequenting Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center when it merged with Alliance. She would make and distribute kits and even help out in the kitchen. She took dozens of trainings, where she met LESHRC staff including Floyd, Perla Romero, and others.

"Just talking to Mr. Mitchell I learned so much, his knowledge is so worldly,” said Celeste. “When I shared my experiences, he was like 'oh you used to live here, I know exactly where that is'...I felt so safe opening up to him about all things, he gave me so much advice, he's been where I've been, he's a mentor....he won't say it but he is the man!"

Celeste spoke of both Floyd’s intellectual and emotional intelligence, and how that has helped her grow, and Floyd could only say the same about his mentees.

“[My mentees] inspire me because I get to watch them work through painful moments and yet they get up and go about their day, and sometimes it helps me to get up and do the work,” said Floyd. “There is nothing like helping someone help themself and save someone's life. Sometimes it happens so quickly that you don’t understand or notice that someone was on the brink of expiring, and you had a part in helping them.”

Celeste Callender

Perla Romero, Outreach & Linkage to Care Senior Manager is, among many other things, the hepatitis C group Coordinator in Prevention Services. Over the past four years, she has invited and encouraged Celeste to realize her own power as a leader, co-facilitating the hepatitis C group.

“Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center has always had a homey feel, and in-person groups were important to restore that. Celeste has been a leader in the hepatitis C group that I supervise. She has really grown and taken ownership of the group, and it's been our group with the most consistent participation since we resumed in-person meetings, and that's because of Celeste and our other Peer leaders.

“Celeste’s been an important part of that team that we need to rely on during this time,” she added. “She used to be more hesitant to speak up but now she's blossomed into a leader.”

“I felt like I was one of them, I fit in, and after listening to me sharing my experiences, it clicked, and I felt like I have a lot of information and I'm very resourceful,” said Celeste. 

According to Floyd, Celeste is very cognizant of the fact that substance use counseling and harm reduction counseling are not always the same thing. Not everyone is seeking sobriety, some are just trying to live their life safely. “Celeste makes time to discuss with people about harm reduction and she always is patient and eager to have these conversations.”

"Pre-pandemic, Perla and others saw something in me and asked me to speak on the phone with clients and check in on their physical and mental health needs, they entrusted me with a client list all throughout COVID-19 and helped me write reports. I didn't know the administrative work, but they helped me understand it,” said Celeste.

She used to be shy and reluctant to speak, she is now verbal and chooses to share her knowledge and experiences with others.

“It has been amazing watching Celeste work through painful moments and decide to get up and go about her day,” said Floyd. "I have learned from her to persevere and continue to do the work that you want to do." 

Role Model Stories: Kevin H.

I am a 50-year-old gay male living with HIV for 30 years. I want to share my journey of positive change with you.

I was 16 when I started to have wet dreams about other men. That is how I knew I had feelings for men at that time. Even though I had feelings, I was not sure. I was working as a cashier at a grocery store when a handsome young man approached me. He was looking for something and I helped him. He started a conversation and started asking me personal questions. At first, I was nervous but we exchanged numbers so he called me the next day and we talked about everything except sex.

We decided to hang out. The first time we hung out together we went to the movies and all he talked about was his girlfriend but I knew in my mind he wanted to talk about other things. I asked him what it was about me that he liked and why he wanted to be my friend. He said that I was good looking and it seemed like I had a good heart.

After the date, we did not speak for about two weeks. As time went by, he called and asked me to come hang out at his parents’ house, because we would have some privacy.

I arrived and we smoked weed and drank alcohol. Later on, we started to wrestle. We both started to get aroused. He then proceeded to take my pants off and gave me a blowjob. It felt good but I was nervous. I asked him nicely to stop. I realized the time and told him I had to go home.

About a month or two went by and he started to visit me at my High School. He surprised me with pizza at lunchtime and told me to give him a call because he wanted to hang out again. That made me feel happy, and I was impressed that he wanted to continue to see me. I enjoyed the sexual encounter so I decided to meet him again. This time we went all the way but unfortunately, his mother caught us, and she made me leave.

We did not speak for a very long time. Then we hung out a couple of more times and we then parted ways after I found out he was getting married to a girl.

After that relationship, I started to branch out more and head into New York City because I heard it was gay friendly. I met a person there and he showed me the ropes. We frequented the parks, the peep shows and gay clubs. The unprotected sex I was having I enjoyed. It made me feel free. I enjoyed it so much that I could not get enough of it. I felt I was spiraling out of control but it didn’t faze me because I was having the time of my life.

A couple of weeks later my friend called me up and told me I needed to be screened for STDs. It turned out that I did not have any STDs.

Time went by and I started not to feel so well. I decided to get checked at the hospital. That is when I found out I was HIV positive. I was shocked and I was in denial for a very long time. I started to feel worse and decided to start taking medication to help. It took a couple of years for the medicine to work. I felt like I was going on a downward spiral.

I wanted to grow old. I knew I needed to make some changes right away. After I started to feel better, I moved to New York City and found programs to help people with HIV. I enrolled in some programs and was happy to find out I was not alone. I got help from total strangers that made me want to give back and do the same.

I found Alliance for Positive Change. I enrolled as a program participant and took advantage of the services that they had to offer. It was there I became a Peer intern and was finally able to help others who are HIV positive like myself.