Jovana Calvillo (she/they)
Jovana Calvillo (she/they) is a Master of Social Work, clinical student at Boston College who graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in Biology and Public Health. Jovana is working towards becoming a therapist who supports and advocates for queer BIPOC and people living with HIV at an individual and community-level. She is an intern at Youth on Fire, a homeless shelter for youth who come from various backgrounds, such as transgender youth and youth living with HIV. Additionally, she is a hotline volunteer at The Network/La Red, an organization that serves LGBTQ+, SM, and polyamorous survivors of partner abuse.
As a Post-Baccalaureate clinical fellow, Jovana worked at McLean Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, for two years working with youth with severe mental illnesses. She has advocated for and educated others on queer youth of color issues, as a Youth Resource peer educator and NYHAAD ambassador for Advocates for Youth. Jovana has co-led trainings for creating safer spaces for queer youth of color and served on a panel sharing her own experiences at the Gender Spectrum symposium. As a 2019 Youth Initiative scholar, she collaborated with Boston GLASS and contributed to their inaugural event focused on the experiences and celebration of queer youth of color living with HIV. Jovana is committed to decriminalizing HIV and sex work and has lobbied for these issues at local, state, and national levels.
As a Post-Baccalaureate clinical fellow, Jovana worked at McLean Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, for two years working with youth with severe mental illnesses. She has advocated for and educated others on queer youth of color issues, as a Youth Resource peer educator and NYHAAD ambassador for Advocates for Youth. Jovana has co-led trainings for creating safer spaces for queer youth of color and served on a panel sharing her own experiences at the Gender Spectrum symposium. As a 2019 Youth Initiative scholar, she collaborated with Boston GLASS and contributed to their inaugural event focused on the experiences and celebration of queer youth of color living with HIV. Jovana is committed to decriminalizing HIV and sex work and has lobbied for these issues at local, state, and national levels.
Adrian Neil Jr (He/Him)
Adrian Neil Jr. has over a decade of experience working in HIV, Social Justice and Sexual Health and employs a people focused leadership style that comes from a solid history of coordinating local and state programs, designing and implementing leadership trainings, developing strategies to reduce healthcare incidences, and working with healthcare providers and government leaders to engage communities in wholistic healthcare, develop policies that reduces barriers to care, reduce stigma and encourages education. He enjoys working with communities, community-based organizations, healthcare providers, and other healthcare entities to develop and implement realistic visions in an effort to not only reduce HIV incidence but to address the intersectionalities of HIV such as mental health, racism, and homophobia.
Adrian was born in St. Louis, Mo. and has had the opportunity to live in various places including Misawa, Japan. He is a trained dancer who studied contemporary ballet, modern, jazz and choreography among other disciplines. One of the most influential moments in his life was when he got the opportunity to teach HIV education through movement. During his spare time Adrian enjoys teaching dance, trying and cooking new foods, traveling and listening to live music as well as poetry.
Adrian was born in St. Louis, Mo. and has had the opportunity to live in various places including Misawa, Japan. He is a trained dancer who studied contemporary ballet, modern, jazz and choreography among other disciplines. One of the most influential moments in his life was when he got the opportunity to teach HIV education through movement. During his spare time Adrian enjoys teaching dance, trying and cooking new foods, traveling and listening to live music as well as poetry.
Uju Nwizu (They/Them)
Ujuoñu (Uju for short) is a fat, Black non-binary community educator and facilitator based on the west coast. They consider Nigeria, Mississippi, and New York as home and carry all the lessons these places have taught them about community wisdom, self-determination, collective care, and radical self-love. They currently serve as the Co-Director of Oregon Health Equity Alliance, where they focus on racial justice, health equity advocacy and community engagement. Their background is in health equity research, community engagement, training development and coordination, as well as sexual health education and navigation. Uju's work is inspired by their personal and communities' ongoing struggle with defining and protecting their holistic wellness in systems that do the opposite by design.