The HOPE Community Advisory Board is made up of members of the HIV community who are advocates for people living with HIV.
Community Advisory Board
Raif Derrazi
California
On his 27th birthday, Raif Derazzi (he/him)’s greatest fear came to life when he was diagnosed with AIDS. Realizing his ‘victim mindset’ he was determined to change and regain control of his life. Seven years later, Raif is now a pro natural competitive physique bodybuilder. In response to the scarcity of ‘positive’ role models in the HIV community, he now talks about his HIV status on social media in hopes of providing guidance and inspiration to others. As the host of a fitness segment on cable TV show ’Plus Life’ a growing YouTube subscribership and following on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook, he shares his life and his journey living with HIV, embracing a fitness lifestyle, personal-growth and inspiration! Raif cofounded the non for profit Black Queer Town Hall.
Luis Gutierrez-Mock
California
Luis Gutierrez-Mock (he,him), MPH, MA, is a Public Health Specialist Supervisor at the UCSF Pandemic Initiative for Equity and Action. He is the qualitative lead on several COVID research projects, including a rapid qualitative study on vaccine hesitancy among San Francisco residents. He also serves as a training lead and subject matter expert for the California COVID-19 Virtual Training Academy, which has remotely trained over 10,000 contact tracers and case investigators. Prior to COVID, Luis worked in transgender HIV prevention for 20 years through direct service, advocacy, capacity building, and research. Luis holds an MA in Sexuality Studies, a second MA in Ethnic Studies, and an MPH with an emphasis in community health education. He is currently completing his Doctorate in Medical Sociology at UCSF.
Nakeisa Jackson
Georgia
Nakeisa (Nikki) Jackson (she/her), RN, Master in Nursing informatics, NP(c), founder and Executive Director of Aniyah’s Space, a holistic care service organization that provides services to women living with HIV aged 18-30. She is an author, speaker, wife, and mother of a bonus baby that she loves and adores. She grew up in the south of the United States from the beautiful state of Georgia but was raised in the city of Atlanta. Nikki advocates from a Christian faith-centered lens reaching Black women in the south affected by HIV. She published a book entitled, “Life After HIV: Removing the Mask”. In this book she shares many experiences that occurred after her diagnosis and shares how she made it through. She has been featured in blogs, various podcast, radio shows and featured on Atlanta Live. Nikki also uses her Youtube Channel, Podcast and fictional series to educate people around the world about H.I.V. She serves with organizations such as the Georgia Mutual Aid Center to speak on eliminating HIV associated stigma and providing medical services to women in the Atlanta Area. Nikki lives by the motto, “Your future’s not determined by your past, rather your perseverance to keep getting up.”
Kalvin Leveille
New York
Based in New York City, Kalvin Leveille (he/him) has served as a Public Health Professional and HIV/AIDS Advocate for over 14 years. His goal is to help create and advance opportunities towards better health outcomes for LGBTQ+ People of Color and People Living with HIV/AIDS. In 2019, after serving as the Director of Business Development & Community Engagement at Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), he joined the New York State Dept. of Health’s AIDS Institute as a Health Program Coordinator. His role has expanded to focus on the Crystal Meth crisis that continues to burden Black same gender loving (SGL) men. Since earning a Master's in Healthcare Administration from Columbia University in 2018, Kalvin is currently pursuing his second Master's from CUNY’s Hunter College in Mental Health Counseling. As an HIV/AIDS advocate, he has delivered over 100 presentations to over 50,000 individuals throughout NYS. Additionally, he has been featured on many local and national public health media campaigns, such as U=U (Undetectable Equals Untransmittable) and I Am More Than My Status. He has also served in many leadership roles on advisory bodies, such as the NY Governor Cuomo’s Ending the Epidemic (ETE) Task Force.
Janelle Luster
California
Janelle Luster (she,they) is an award-winning community organizer, transgender activist, and native of the San Francisco Bay Area, currently serving as Program Supervisor of Trans Vision, a TLGB+ specialty clinic within Bay Area Community Health (BACH). Janelle has been organizing and advocating for the rights of transgender people, PLWHIV, and sex workers locally and nationally. Janelle currently sits on the Board of Directors for SF Pride as well as Oakland Pridefest, she is passionate about community building and bringing community together. Janelle identifies as a formerly incarcerated black transwoman, who has been impacted by the system due to the intersections of her identities. As such, she is dedicated to empowering those communities through access to services, resources, and social empowerment. Janelle has coordinated Black Trans Lives Matter protests and rallies, as well as virtual social spaces of empowerment during this pandemic Janelle is Director at TRANScend Retreat- a retreat for trans* community to come together to heal, organize, build solidarity and relax. Janelle also is co-founder of Oakland Trans March which takes place Sept. 9th,2022. Follow her on social media to stay connected!
Alecia Tramel-McIntyre
Florida
Alecia Tramel-McIntyre(she/her) is the founder of Positive People Network, Inc, a non- profit organization whose mission is to change the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS and to change the Norms. For the rest of the community, Education, Awareness and Prevention. Alecia is the Florida State Lead for Positive Women’s Network, a member of BTAN, The Southern Aids Coalition CAB member, Florida Community Health Worker Coalition, Florida HIV Justice Coalition, Member of Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, Chair of The Community Coalition of The Partnership, Board member of ICWNA, Blogger for A Girl Like Me: The Well Project, member of The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, Florida HIV/Aids Advocacy Network, Inductee in Leading Women’s Society, a member of The MillionHeiress Club LLC, an Ambassador of Health for Catalyst Miami 2011 – 2019, and a Board Member of Women’s March Miami to name a few. Alecia is motivated to do all that she can to help eradicate stigma and she has helped on the ground floor to help re-citizens have their voting rights restored through Amendment 4 as a Field Organizer for Color of Change during the 2018 elections in Florida. Also as a member of the Florida Organizing for Power team to get the Positive Vote with PWN, USA. And last but not least, A 2021 U=U Ambassador for Prevention Access. Being an ambassador for Prevention Access, Alecia proudly empowers and educating the community on the facts and science of Undetectable=Untransmittable.
