Welcome and Intro:
Rosy Mota, MPA - Program Director, Latino Commission on AIDS
Keynote Speaker and Moderator:
Guillermo Chacon - President, Latino Commission on AIDS
Reunion Latina is a two-day training institute that aims to improve the health of Latinos and minorities,
and bring together Latino and Latino-serving organizations on drafting solutions to health challenges.
The Latino Commission on AIDS has hosted Reunion Latina since 1996 and has provided a space for providers and stakeholders to discuss ways to improve services, share strategies on how to overcome health challenges, unify our efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, address viral Hepatitis and STIs and craft a common vision to eliminate health disparities in Latino communities.
The two-day training institute will focus on responding to HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, stigma and other health issues in Hispanic/Latinx communities. The overall goal is to advance our public health response, improve the sustainability of organizations and strengthen programs that serve our communities as we also recognize and address the current challenges.
Sponsoring Reunion Latina builds visibility for your brand or organization, connects you with diverse organizations and decision-makers and gives you a forum to share your organization’s message and expertise to the 300+ registrants that are expected to attend. Your sponsorship allows Latino Commission on AIDS to create impactful programming, sponsor informational and educational opportunities and fund scholarships for people living by HIV/AIDS to attend.If you have any questions about Reunion Latina sponsorship opportunities please contact Natasha Quirch at nquirch@latinoaids.org
Limited scholarships are available for people living with HIV who are residents of New York State and are actively involved in the HIV/AIDS field. Scholarships include hotel rooms for both dates and transportation by bus to Albany. Application deadline is DECEMBER 31, 2023. Recipient's answers will be given by February 14, 2024. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee scholarship acceptance. Any questions please contact Michael Montero at mmontero@latinoaids.org
[APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP]
Existen becas para gente viviendo con VIH que son residentes del estado de New York y estan activamente envueltos en el campo del VIH/SIDA. La beca incluye habitación de hotel para ambas fechas y transportación por bus a Albany. La fecha límite para enviar su solicitud es 31 de DICIEMBRE, 2023. La lista de becarios se dará el 15 de Febrero, 2024. Es importante comunicar que la solicitud de beca no necesariamente garantiza la entrega de ella. Cualquier pregunta por favor contactarse con Michael Montero al mmontero@latinoaids.org
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Explore the conference program. Download it.
Welcome and Intro:
Rosy Mota, MPA - Program Director, Latino Commission on AIDS
Keynote Speaker and Moderator:
Guillermo Chacon - President, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speakers:
Dr. Elizabeth Vásquez - Director of the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities and Associate Professor at SUNY Albany School of Public Health
Joseph Kerwin - Director, AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health
Allan Clear – Director, Office of Drug User Health, AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health
Jesús Aguais – Executive Director, AID for AIDS
Description: Cisgender Latinas in NYS have been unequally affected by HIV/AIDS and many other health challenges. Panelists will discuss best strategies to engage Cisgender Latinas and address barriers to care.
Moderator:
Aracelis Quinones – Program Coordinator, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speakers:
Ofelia Barrios, MA – Senior Director of Community Health Initiatives, Iris House
Elizabeth Javier – Program Director, Dominican Women's Development Center
Cristina Herrera – CEO & Founder, TransLatinx
Description: The transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming communities have different needs that are too often unaddressed. Our panels will discuss what these needs are, barriers to care, and strategies to increase access to care.
Moderator:
Haze Hernandez – OASIS Community Pride Center
Speakers:
Jasmine Lopez-Phelan – TGNCNB Health Project Coordinator, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Victoria Orellana – Peer health advisor, TransLatinx Network
Description: Panelists will discuss the success and barriers to increase access to care and resources among communities of faith. Furthermore, we will discuss engaging communities of faith on the issues of HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
Moderator:
Andrea Serna – Community Health Educator, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speakers:
Karina Escamilla – Deputy Director of the Latino Religious Leadership Program, Latino Commission on AIDS
Carol Tyrell – Coordinator, Faith Communities Project, New York State Department of Health
Description: Different initiatives focused on Latino Gay, Bi and Trans Men have become more of a focus over the past years in New York State. The panelists will discuss their experience with various Latino Gay, Bi and Trans Men’s initiatives, challenges, successes, and strategies.
Moderator:
Juan Tejada – Social Media Outreach Specialist, OASIS Community Pride Center
Speakers:
Jaisen Garcia-Castillo – Community Engagement Specialist, EXPONENTS
Julio Roman – Director of Gay & Bi Men’s Initiatives, Latino Commission on AIDS
Description: Mental health and behavioral health have been historically unaddressed in Hispanic/Latinx communities. During the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health and behavioral health disparities increased among our communities. We will address various strategies to improve mental and behavioral health in the Hispanic/Latinx community.
Moderator:
Gustavo Morales – Director, OASIS Community Pride Center
Speakers:
Ivette Chavez Gonzalez – Founder, Giving Back Foundation
Debbie Valentine – Community Mobilization Program, Centro Civico
Description: Presentation establishes a foundational knowledge of HIV drug resistance and how it can impact HIV treatment considerations for patients and their treatment options going forward. Learning objectives: define HIV drug resistance and what can cause it; discuss factors that can affect a patient’s treatment adherence, and the impact of adherence to ART on viral suppression; and understand how HIV treatment may reduce the risk of HIV drug resistance.
Speaker:
George Bouldin Gates, MBA – Executive Community Liaison, Gilead
Description: The Office of Cannabis Management presents an overview of New York State’s Medical Cannabis Program. The presentation aims to destigmatize medical cannabis and increase awareness and utilization of the NYS medical cannabis program amongst New Yorkers and the medically underserved. It begins with a brief overview of the current state of cannabis research and documented scientific evidence regarding its physiological effects and then dives into a comprehensive summary of the medical cannabis regulatory framework here in New York State and the pathways to participation for patients, practitioners, caregivers, and pharmacists.
Moderator:
Daniel Leyva – Program Director, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speaker:
Katherine Diaz – Public Health and Campaigns Coordinator, NYS Office of Cannabis Management.
Description: Status neutral is engaging clients equally regardless of their HIV status. Panelists will discuss the importance of having a status neutral approach and various challenges and successes of this approach.
Moderator:
Gustavo Morales – Director, OASIS Community Pride Center
Speakers:
Ines Garces – NYS PEP Hotline Program Coordinator, Mount Sinai's Institute for Advanced Medicine
Martine Bowman – NYC PEP hotline Program Coordinator, Mount Sinai's Institute for Advanced Medicine
Description: Empowering recently arrived immigrants in New York State by providing essential tools and knowledge to navigate mental health challenges and trauma, fostering resilience and well-being in their new environment.
Moderator:
Rosy Mota, MPA – Program Director, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speakers:
Jean Carlos Osorio, LCSW-R, CDBT, SIFI – Founder and Clinical/Executive Director, Minds Together
Monika Cecil Estrada Guzman, BSW, LMSW-SIFI – Behavioral Health Social Worker, Maternal and Child Integrative Mental Health Program
Basiliso Moreno, LCSW –Author, Triumph Through Pain; Host, The Social Work Rants Podcast
Description: People living and aging with HIV have different needs and are often overlooked by society. Panelists will discuss challenges and strategies in supporting people living and aging with HIV. There will be a focus on reengaging long-term survivors.
Moderator:
Luis Mares, LMSW – Program Director, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speakers:
Aracelis Quinones – Program Coordinator, Latino Commission on AIDS
Dr. Elizabeth Vásquez – Director of the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities and Associate Professor at SUNY Albany School of Public Health
Speaker:
Guillermo Chacon - President, Latino Commission on AIDS
Description: More and more funders are interested in evaluating the services they fund. However, many community-based organizations struggle with evaluating their programs. In this session, we will discuss how to avoid common pitfalls of program evaluation and monitoring and what strategies to maximize their data collection and analysis efforts.
Moderator:
Julio Roman – Director of Latinx Gay & Bi Men’s Initiatives, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speaker:
Daniel Castellanos, PhD – Director of Research & Innovation, Latino Commission on AIDS
Description: This workshop will focus on how organizations can fully utilize social media tool and virtual programming to help bridge the gap between their target audience and their organization resources they need, through social marketing, social media management, campaigning, and content creating. By the end of the session participants will be able to create a social marketing strategy to engage their target audience to their organization resources.
Moderator:
Gustavo Morales – Director, OASIS Community Pride Center
Speakers:
Zeena Hazuri – Director of Communications, Latino Commission on AIDS
Juan Tejada – Social Media Outreach Specialist, OASIS Community Pride Center
Description: A Workshop for Personal and Professional Growth. Join us to explore key principles, strategies, and practical skills essential for effective leadership development.
Moderator:
Rosy Mota, MPA – Program Director, Latino Commission on AIDS
Speaker:
Janelle Viruet, Ed.D. – Director of Training and Development at Fund for City of New York
Description: Learn practical techniques and strategies to navigate conflicts within teams effectively. This workshop provides insights into understanding conflict dynamics, fostering constructive communication, and cultivating a collaborative environment. Equip yourself with the tools to resolve conflicts peacefully, strengthen team cohesion, and propel productivity.
Moderator:
Carolyn Peguero Spencer, Ph.D., LCSW, MA – Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Speakers:
Erica Priscilla Sandoval, LCSW, SIFI – CEO & Founder of Sandoval CoLab; Latinx in Social Work
Budy J. Whitfield, LCSW – Clinical Director/Therapist, Beauteous Mind
Meet some of the healthcare champions
Director, Office of Drug User Health, AIDS Institute, NYS DOH
Community Health Educator, Latino Religious Leadership Program, Latino Commission on AIDS
Coordinator, Latino Commission on AIDS
Author, Triumph Through Pain; Host, The Social Work Rants Podcast
Clinical Director/Therapist, Beauteous Mind
Coordinator, Faith Communities Project, NYS Department of Health
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Director, Research & Innovation, Latino Commission on AIDS
Director, Latino Religious Leadership Program, Latino Commission on AIDS
Director, Health Program, Dominican Women's Development Center
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Albany School of Public Health
CEO & Founder of Sandoval CoLab | Latinx in Social Work
Executive Community Liaison, Gilead
President, Latino Commission on AIDS
Director, Oasis Community Pride Center, Latino Commission on AIDS
Oasis Community Pride Center, Latino Commission on AIDS
NYS PEP Hotline Program Coordinator, Mount Sinai's Institute for Advanced Medicine
Founder, Giving Back Foundation
Community Engagement Specialist, EXPONENTS
Director of Training and Development, Fund for City of New York
TGNCNB Health Project Coordinator, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Founder & Clinical/Executive Director, Minds Together
President/Founder, AID for AIDS
Director, AIDS Institute, NYS Department of Health
Social Media Coordinator, OASIS Community Pride Center
Director, Gay & Bi Men’s Initiatives, Latino Commission on AIDS
Deputy Director, Latino Religious Leadership Program, Latino Commission on AIDS
Public Health and Campaigns Coordinator, NY Office of Canabis Management
Director, National Community Mobilization, Latino Commission on AIDS
NYC PEP Hotline Program Coordinator, Mount Sinai's Institute for Advanced Medicine
Behavioral Health Social Worker, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Senior Director, Community Health Initiatives, Iris House
Director, COVID-19 Response, Latino Commission on AIDS
Peer Health Advisor, TransLatinx Network
Director of Communications, Latino Commission on AIDS
What attendees have to say about Reunion Latina
Hilton Albany ; just one block from the Capitol Building
Rooms have been set aside at the Hotel Hilton Albany.
There is a special hotel discount rate until February 9th, 2024
You can also call in to the 1(800) Hiltons reservation line and provide the code “1RL” to book your reservation.
Hotel Hilton Albany
40 Lodge Street Albany, NY 12207
Phone: 518-462-6611
Web: www.hiltonalbany.com
Shuttle Services: The Hilton Albany offers shuttle services to the Amtrak Station. Note: If you are staying at a hotel other than the Hotel Hilton Albany, please go to your hotel and store your luggage before coming to the Crowne. The Hilton Albany Hotel will not store luggage for non-guests.
Take a look at how Reunion Latina unfolds
