21st Annual Women as the Face of AIDS Summit
Monday, May 4, 2026
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Bethel Gospel Assembly
2-26 East 120th Street (Between 5th and Madison) Time: 9AM - 5PM Breakfast: 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Program Begins: 9:15 AM REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Program Schedule9:15 AM Opening Celebration
9:30 AM Opening Remarks Ingrid Floyd, Executive Director, Iris House 9:35 AM Immersive Learning Experience Bryan-Tyler Orr, ViiV Healthcare 10:35 AM Plenary Panel Bridging Generations in HIV Health Moderator April Browne-Oronsaye, MPA Theresa Allen, LCSW-R, Dr. Tarashon Broomes- Pennicott, DNP, AGNP-C, AAHIVS, Shani Roberts, NP      11:35 AM Recognizing our Honorees Dana Diamond, CASAC-Advanced
Nathaly Rubio-Torio, LMSW   11:45 AM Plenary Wrap-Up Ingrid Floyd, Executive Director, Iris House
11:45 AM Lunch Bountiful Blessings Fellowship Banquet Hall Lower Level Breakout Session 1: (12:45 PM – 1:45 PM) – Presentation, including Q & A
If We Don't Teach It, They'll Google It: Taking Youth-Centered Sex Ed From Awkard to Empowering - This presentation and workshop will be focused on showing a different way to teach sex education. Through Iris House, I was able to create a sex education format that was youth-forward and centered on what made sense for the group. Some topics are always covered, some are highlighted with more intention, and there is almost nothing that is off-limits, as long as it is not derogatory or attempting to hurt someone. I want people to see that sexual and reproductive health education is beneficial at all ages; can be tailored to be appropriate at all ages; and isn't scary or attempting to force sex onto people but rather teaching how to keep your body safe in multiple aspects. It can also be helpful for adults to understand how they too can talk about proper sex education with you in their lives. Brenna Burke Weber, MPH, Birth Doula, Program Manager, Iris House and Jodie Sumpter, Program Coordinator, Iris House, Room 238 Advancing Youth HIV Prevention Through Social Emotional Learning and Evidence-Based Programming - The purpose of this session is to demonstrate how Social Emotional Learning (SEL), integrated with the evidence-based curriculum Too Good for Drugs and Violence, can serve as an effective HIV prevention strategy for adolescents in school-based settings. SAFE in Harlem equips youth with the skills to make informed, healthy decisions by addressing the underlying emotional, social, and behavioral factors that influence risk-taking, including substance use, sexual health, and dating relationships. Dr. Felecia Pullen, PhD, President & CEO, Let's Talk SAFETY, Inc. Crystely Feliz, BA, Prevention Specialist-SAFE in Harlem; Room 239 Who Falls First: What Marginalized Experiences Teach Us About Trust, Engagement and Outcomes. - The purpose of this session is for attendees to gain insights into structural barriers affecting outcomes and learn strategies to foster more equitable, culturally responsive, and trust-centered approaches to HIV care and support. This presentation aims to examine how marginalized women impacted by HIV experience trust, engagement, and care systems. Layla M. Orlando, BSN, Director of Health Equity and Wellness, Garden State Equality, Room 243 Understanding the Needs of Older People with HIV Accessing Ryan White Part-A Funded Services in the New York EMA - Antiretroviral therapy has improved life expectancy for people with HIV, but aging with HIV presents challenges like managing multiple health conditions and accelerated aging. As the population of people aging with HIV continues to grow, so does the urgency to address these challenges. This presentation seeks to explore the needs and ways to improve experiences of people aged 50 years and older utilizing Ryan White Part-A funded services in the five boroughs of New York City and the Tri-County region of Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties (New York Eligible Metropolitan Area). Audience members will leave the presentation with a deeper understanding of the unique needs of people in the NY EMA and programmatic approaches to meeting these needs. Kaylee Lamarche MPH, Strategic Planning Coordinator, Nadine Alexander DrPH, ScM, Manager of Equity and Strategic Planning, Sara Kramer MPH, Tri-County Program Planner, Musarrat Rahman, MPH, Equity Specialist, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Room 252 Understanding the Facilitators of and Barriers to Community Engagement Among Faith-Based Organizations in New York City - Objective 1: Identify barriers to and best practices for promoting community engagement around HIV through faith-based organizations Objective 2: Apply survey findings to improve and empower FBOs and communities to promote effective outreach and plan for sustainability Objective 3: Leverage insights to build effective partnerships with FBOs, local community-based organizations, and government agencies to promote HIV-related advocacy Disleiry Benitez, MPH, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, National Black Leadership Commission on Health [Black Health] - Guiyu Li, MPH, Data Analyst, National Black Leadership Commission on Health [Black Health] Debbie Lucy, Peer Mentor for OEF Program, Black Health and Brown Memorial Baptist Church, and other speakers; Room 257 Words Matter in HIV Care and Prevention: Exploring Key Results from a Community-Based Survey on Women, Language, Stigma, and Healthcare - Stigmatizing language has been widely documented as a barrier to healthcare and can reduce care engagement, increase internalized stigma, and negatively impact mental health. For years The Well Project has been advocating for and creating awareness around the importance of language among healthcare providers, researchers, media, conference organizers, and community members. These efforts have been based on decades of anecdotal evidence reported by women who have been negatively impacted by stigmatizing language in healthcare settings. However, calling attention to the impact of stigmatizing language has often failed to restrain its usage among providers and healthcare staff. To understand the extent and impact of how stigmatizing language has impacted women and nonbinary individuals living with HIV in the US, The Well Project, along with a group of expert advisors, conducted a web-based survey that resulted in a recent report titled Stigmatizing Language in Healthcare Settings: Results from The Well Project's Research Among Women and Nonbinary Adults Living with HIV Kimberly Canady, Founder, Conversations with Kim, LLC, and Community Advisory Board Member; Olivia G. Ford, Editorial Director; and Krista Martel, Executive Director – The Well Project Praise Chapel Breakout Session 2: (1:50 PM – 2:50 PM) – Presentation, including Q & A Findings from the NYC Dept of Health 2024 Black and Latina Women's Sexual Health Survey: Young Women and HIV Prevention - Describing the results of the latest Black and Latina Sexual Health Survey as they relate to HIV prevention, particularly among young women. The audience will gain a better understanding of how young women are thinking about and engaging with HIV prevention. Dr. Devon M. Price, PhD, Senior Research Analyst, HIV Prevention, NYC Dept of Health Mrs. Joke Salako, MPH, Lead Project Manager, HIV Prevention, NYC Dept of Health, Room 238 Building Affirming Care in HIV Programs Through Inclusive, Community-Led Practice - This session will identify key components of affirming care within HIV prevention and treatment settings. Describe strengths and gaps in implementing affirming practices in women-centered programs. Apply practical strategies to improve organizational environments, staff training, and client engagement across generations. Understand how affirming care contributes to reduced stigma and improved linkage to care. Zakiya Scott M.P.H., Health Educator, Iris House Richard Laboy, Program Coordinator, Iris House, Reiné Cielos Castilla, Columbia University B.A., Health Educator, Iris House, Room 239 Art & Digital Platforms in Youth HIV Outreach: Leveraging Third Spaces in the 21st Century -This session will look at the current data on youth’s understanding, awareness, and testing of HIV and STIs, Understand current obstacles, gaps, and benefits of traditional existing interventions for youth. Learn from specific pilot studies, study protocols, and systemic analyses/meta-analyses on the impact of digital platform interventions. Examining impact of arts-based interventions in current literature. Proposal of zine workshops and other arts-based activities to promote accessibility while increasing youth engagement and retention. Attendees of presentations and workshops should walk away with concrete skills and workshop ideas they can bring back to their community spaces, classrooms, and youth-attended workshops. These are low-cost and effective in engaging youth if done with care, intention, and consistency. This should also inform attendees on the data and importance of evidence-based methods on better reaching youth outside of traditional public health initiatives Katherine (Kett) Xie, MSc, Medical Student, Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, Room 243 Choices & Consequences The purpose of this session is to create an interactive learning experience for sexual health decision making. The goals are to 1. have a better understanding of HIV/STI risk factors, 2. practice real-life decision making and encourage testing and prevention behavior. An interactive simulation model (character-based role play) & Gameplay will be used to engage the audience. Tochukwu Patrick – MSPH Candidate – St. Louis University, Room 252 Higher Education and Community Engagement: Building Health Equity The objectives of this workshop: Objective 1: Increase awareness around the relationship between the social determinants of health and prevalent health disparities in the Bronx Objective 2: Highlight the importance of civic engagement and advocacy in promoting health equity in underserved communities Objective 3: Inspire collaboration amongst community organizations and key stakeholders to improve long-term community engagement in Black and Brown communities. Shirley Torho, MPH, CEO, National Black Leadership Commission on Health [Black Health]- Disleiry Benitez, MPH, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, National Black Leadership Commission on Health [Black Health]- Guiyu Li, MPH, Data Analyst, National Black Leadership Commission on Health [Black Health] and other speakers, Room 257 What are the next steps of Integrated Healthcare for Aging individuals living with HIV/AIDS? To identify and explore quality of life concerns pertaining to the increased life span of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Explore Integrated Care from the 90’s to 2026 is there a difference in provider approach? Integrated health services: Coordinated care to address the needs of each individual incorporating physical, mental and social service needs for middle aged/senior citizens living with HIV/AIDS. Explore Myths, Stigmas and Bias associated with sex, HIV and the aging community. Addressing Quality of life concerns, socialization, survivors' guilt, travel and end of life planning. Dr. Izetta Briggs-Bolling, DSW, LCSW, LMHC, MCASACG, SAP, Praise Chapel Wellness Circles:
Session 1 (3:00 PM – 3:30 PM)
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Exhibit Hour Bountiful Blessings Fellowship Banquet Hall Lower Lever |
Title Partners
Corporate Sponsor
Community Champion
Community Advocate
Exhibit Sponsor
PrEP-WISE - Your voice can make a difference! Are you a Black woman, 18-59 yrs old, and interested in HIV prevention? We want to hear from you ($150 gift card for participating). Contact us to see if you qualify, [email protected]
Community
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