Fenway Health and the Young Leaders Council (YLC) is excited to announce that Sophia Geffen, HIV Prevention Research Project Manager at The Fenway Institute, has been chosen to receive the Spirit of the YLC Award at this year’s YLC Anniversary Party on February 3, 2018.
For the past two years, Sophia has managed an important HIV and STI prevention research project to improve prevention and screening with adolescent gay and bisexual males and adolescent and young adult transgender youth, a collaboration with CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health and NORC at the University of Chicago. She has successfully convened a Youth Community Advisory Board with mostly 15- to 17-year-old LGBT youth for this project, and has presented at the National Sexual Health Conference, the American Public Health Association conference, GLMA, and other prestigious venues.
Sophia is also being recognized for other important work that she does in the Health Policy Research division of TFI and outside of Fenway Health. This includes coauthoring policy briefs on religious refusal laws and executive branch actions, the impact of the Trump Administration’s first year in office on LGBT health and HIV and the injectable estrogen shortage. This past month, Sophia took initiative to organize a community event on LGBT rights in Africa. Outside of Fenway, Sophia advocates for greater support for health development efforts and HIV prevention and care in the Global South; she also serves as co-chair for both the Sex Ed committee of Connect to Protect and the Health Services committee for the District Wellness Policy Council for Boston Public Schools.
The Young Leaders Council is an initiative of Fenway Health that empowers emerging leaders of greater Boston’s LGBTQ community to shape a healthy, vibrant, and just future. By fostering a culture of philanthropy and advocacy, the YLC advances Fenway’s mission of providing high-quality health care, world-class education, cutting-edge research, and advocacy to enhance the wellbeing of the LGBTQ community and all people in our neighborhoods and beyond.
The Spirit of the YLC Award is given each year to a YLC member or alum who embodies the mission and values of the Young Leaders Council and Fenway Health through their work to improve the lives of LGBTQ people. The ideal nominee has made significant contributions to the LGBTQ community through work in health, social service, education, community organizing, or another facet of advocacy and inclusion that directly aligns with the mission of the YLC.
The awardee is chosen based on the individual’s embodiment of the YLC’s mission – they have fun, they give back, and they lead the way – while exemplifying the YLC’s belief that young people can indeed make a difference through commitment, ingenuity, and engagement with their communities.
Tickets are still available here for this Saturday’s event. The event is selling out quickly, so we recommend you buy soon! If you are interested in learning more about the YLC or the Anniversary Party, please contact Lauren Doty at [email protected].
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