From the Desk of Chuck Peterson
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, which is truly a time to celebrate all the incredible individuals and groups who make an impact at Southwest Center. Especially during times of crisis and uncertainty, which we are all facing due to the spread of COVID-19 across the country and in our community, volunteers are now more important than ever and even more deserving of recognition. While we can’t recognize our volunteers in a traditional way, we are doing our best to send our love and support virtually as we patiently wait for the day that we can all be together again.
There are many individuals who have continued to find ways to volunteer during the pandemic, including members of The TEA Phoenix. The TEA would not be where it is today without the amazing Core Members who volunteer their time and energy to fighting HIV and its stigma. These are young queer people from all different backgrounds who come together in community to make a difference in their lives and their communities they want to change. You can read more about The TEA later in this month’s blog post.
It is with bittersweet feelings that we say goodbye to one of our most dedicated volunteers, Eli. He has been with The TEA Phoenix for more than a year, has made a great impact on our community and helped with campaigns that have made national news. We are excited for Eli to begin a new adventure in Chicago but will miss his support, enthusiasm, and commitment to helping end HIV.
I also want to extend a very special thank you to our all-volunteer Board of Directors! I am deeply grateful for their passionate commitment to our mission and the clients we serve. Our Board of Directors make it possible for Southwest Center to continue to fulfill its mission each day, even during this unprecedented pandemic.
Thank you to our Board and thank you to all our volunteers for all you have done and will do in the future. Your support is truly changing lives.
Staff Spotlight
Jericho Galindo
Trans Health Navigator
Meet Jericho Galindo (he/him) Southwest Center’s Trans Health Navigator.
Jericho joined the Southwest Center as an Outreach Specialist in November 2019. As part of the outreach team and former head of IGNITE Your Pride, he has been an advocate in and outside of the center. Driven by compassion, Jericho is committed to providing client-centered care to gender expansive folks. He is passionate about LGBTQ+ fundraising, education, and awareness. On his off time, you can find him performing and supporting the art of Drag!
Program Spotlight
The Southwest Center presents a wide array of programs to help raise awareness about HIV and safer sex in our community, providing empowering one-on-one and group experiences that can lead to improved health outcomes. Two of these programs include:
The TEA Phoenix
Three years ago, the Southwest Center’s MPowerment Coordinator Andrew Rascon launched The TEA (short for Teaching, Empowering, and Action) to form a safe space for young queer people of color to talk about HIV, sex, and life. This is especially important because the highest rates of HIV contraction in our nation are young MSM (men who have sex with men) of color. The TEA fights against these contraction rates through community, activism, and education.
The TEA has a beautiful space downstairs in The Parsons Center for Health and Wellness that served as our central meeting location pre-COVID, and will once again soon. It is where we hold events, meetings, and meals, and where members can do homework or relax.
The TEA has had great success in its first three years. Achievements include Testing After Dark, testing at Glendale Community College, passing out condom kits at Melrose Street Fair, and much more. In recognition of its impact, The TEA received The Kirk Baxter Spirit Award from Phoenix Pride in 2020 and has been featured at the U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS.
For more information, or if you are interested in joining The TEA, complete our interest form or contact Andrew at arascon@swcenter.org.
CLEARly TWISTED
CLEARly TWISTED is an empowerment program dedicated to strengthening individuals and their lives through goal setting techniques, effective communication methods, emotional wellness and more!
CLEARly TWISTED mixes elements of two historically powerful programs, CLEAR (Choosing Life: Empowerment! Action! Results!), with the inclusivity of TWIST (Transgender Women Involved in Strategies for Transformation) to provide individualized care and support to help participants develop habits to become the person they want to be and overcome life’s hardships.
CLEARly TWISTED is open to all! Participants will receive $60 in gift cards for completing their CLEARly TWISTED sessions. E-mail jquintero@swcenter.org to enroll.
National Pet Month
April is National Pet Month, and the Southwest Center celebrates the many ways pets play an important part of our lives. According to the CDC, owning a pet can provide many health benefits. Their companionship helps us manage depression, and they give us reasons to be outside, exercise, and socialize. Pets can help decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels.
Our staff paws-itively love their fur-ever friends! Here are a few staff and their pawsome pets:
Cookie King
Supportive Case Manager
Meet Cookie and her pug Popeye, her chihuahua Buddy and some of her 18 rescue dogs. Cookie’s story starts with her first dog, Popeye, who taught her how to love herself after she got clean in 2000. Popeye needed a buddy so she rescued Buddy next. Both dogs lived until they were 20 years old. Cookie says, “My dogs are the joy of my life! You could even say that I am a very rich woman, because what they bring into my life, no amount of money could replace the love, joy and peace in my life. No matter what I struggle with I can always turn to them for unconditional love because that’s what they taught me.”
Fiorella Marquez
Fiorella Marquez
Meet Fiorella and her five-year-old dog, Prince, who she rescued two years ago. “From the moment he walked into the play area [at the Miami Humane Society], he stole my heart and I knew he was meant to be mine. I was told he was physically abused…he would not let me hug him or give him kisses, and he was diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD. I never gave up on him. Fast forward to now – he gives hugs and kisses to me and everyone, and does not have anxiety attacks! I truly consider him such a warrior. This is why he is so special to me. He is now registered as my Emotional Support Animal. The shelter thanked me for rescuing him but quite honestly, he rescued me.”
Robert Carter
Registered Dietitian
Meet Robert and his cat with tortietude, Patches. Robert says, “Patches is special to me because we share the same loss. I adopted her as a tiny rescued kitten along with my other cat Buttflap. He left this world two years ago after eight years together and every time I look at Patches I get to celebrate the life of the truest friend I’ve ever had.”