The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an LGBT advocacy group, announced this year’s 10 young advocates for its HIV 360° Fellowship Program.
Founded by the HRC Foundation, an educational arm of HRC, with support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), the program provides young people with nine months of support and training to address communities heavily impacted by HIV, including Black and Latino gay and bisexual men, transgender women of color and LGBT people living in the South.
According to an HRC press release, the fellows will receive mentorship and coaching in specific areas, such as communications, leadership and fundraising, to help strengthen their community-based organizations and initiatives.
In the end, fellows will attend three skill-building retreats. They will also design, implement and evaluate a grant-funded community service project that will benefit their city, town or region.
All 10 fellows are younger than 35 and already working in HIV advocacy.
According to the press release, the 2017 fellows are:
Ashley Young, project manager, The Passion Project, Little Rock, Arkansas Charlie Ferrusi, contract manager, AIDS Institute, New York City Damon Johnson, NAESM, Inc., Atlanta Daniel Downer, early intervention specialist, Hope and Help Center of Florida, Inc., Orlando Daniel Szymczyk, founder and executive director, The HIV League, New York City (read his POZ Blog here) Erika Usui, health services coordinator, The Ali Forney Center, New York City Francisco Cortes, youth program coordinator, Galaei, Philadelphia Jalenzski Brown, MPowerment programs manager, Resource Center, Dallas Socorro Moreland, APEB, Oakland, California William Campillo Terrazas, cofounder, Latinxs Revolucion LGBTQ, Little Rock, Arkansas
“The Elton John AIDS Foundation is proud to support HRC’s second class of HIV 360° Fellows,” said Scott Campbell, EJAF executive director, in the press release. “This impressive, diverse group of leaders has a vast amount of professional and real world experience and represents viewpoints from across the country. The future of LGBTQ rights and HIV activism is brighter because of their commitment and dedication.”