March 1, 2016 – Boston Pride, Black Pride and Latin@ Pride are delighted to announce the roster of panelists who will participate in the Community Forum on Intersectionality:
- Hon. Denise Simmons – Mayor of Cambridge
- Dr. Van Bailey – Director of Harvard’s Office of BGLTQ Student Life
- Hope Freeman – High Risk Young Adult Specialist at Health Imperatives
- Josiane Martinez – Principal at Archipelago Strategies Group
- Marco Torres – Program Supervisor at the BCYF-Blackstone Community Center
- Michelle Tat – Research Psychologist at a local area hospital
Hon. Denise Simmons – Mayor of Cambridge
E. Denise Simmons, a lifelong resident of Cambridge, is currently serving her eighth term on the Cambridge City Council, and her second term as Mayor of Cambridge. Denise has spent the past three decades working to better her community – first as the Executive Director of the Cambridge Civic Unity Committee in the 1980s, then as a member of the Cambridge School Committee in the 1990s, and since 2002, as a member of the Cambridge City Council. In 2008, Denise drew national attention when she became the nation’s first Black, openly lesbian mayor (and the first Black female mayor in Massachusetts). Once again serving as mayor, Denise continues striving to make City Hall more responsive to the community by holding weekly walk-in hours for constituents, by opening up the Mayor’s Parlor for public celebrations and ceremonies, and by holding periodic Town Hall style meetings. These meetings, such as the LGBT Town Hall and the Senior Citizens Town Hall, have allowed different constituency groups to come in to City Hall and speak directly to civic leaders, and to foster a greater understanding of how the City could be of greater service to its citizens.
Dr. Van Bailey – Director of Harvard’s Office of BGLTQ Student Life
Dr. Van Bailey is a social justice educator, renowned speaker, and fashion stylist. He’s the inaugural Director of Harvard’s Office of BGLTQ Student Life and a collective member of bklyn boihood. This past fall, he co-produced the largest queer fashion show for New York Fashion Week. His work has been recognized by the Trans 100 and is listed in the 100 Black LGBTQ Emerging Leaders sponsored by the National Black Justice Coalition. In addition, Dr. Bailey is a published author and has been featured on NPR, the Huffington Post, the Feminist Wire, and Buzzfeed. With his many commitments, he still finds time to serve as a board member of the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Consortium for LGBTQ Resource Professionals in Higher Education. Dr. Bailey believes in fighting for freedom and using fashion as a political tool.
Hope Freeman – High Risk Young Adult Specialist at Health Imperatives
Hope Freeman was born and raised in Boston MA. She is a graduate of Smith College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies and currently completing her Master’s of Science in Non-Profit Management at Simmons College. Hope has worked in the public health field since she was 15 years old and continues that work at Health Imperatives, where she is the High Risk Young Adult Specialist. In this position she identities resources for LGBTQ youth in South Eastern Massachusetts, she also provides technical support and training for community based organizations, health centers, state agencies, and schools on LGBTQ inclusion and support. She is also the adult advisor of an LGBTQ drop in group for youth called BrAGLY. Hope is also a sexual assault and domestic violence advocate. Hope is a certified Family Planner and Crisis/Resource specialist, and an HIV counselor/tester trained in harm reduction practices, the RESPECT model, and other prevention strategies. Hope is passionate about improving the lives of the young people that she works with through education on health issues, education on GLBTQ history and affirming those within LGBTQ communities of color. Hope is an Active Bystander, a Safe Sex Educator, a Youth Worker, Survivor and a Womynist.
Josiane Martinez – Principal at Archipelago Strategies Group
Josiane has more than 15 years of experience working in cross-cultural marketing, public affairs, and public administration. She is the founder of Archipelago Strategies Group, (ASG) and has served as top strategist to several successful statewide businesses, leaders and campaigns. From 2011- 2014, Josiane served as executive director of the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants, the state agency that oversees the resettlement of refugees and asylees in the Commonwealth, and coordination of state policies and programs that serve immigrant communities. Josiane previously served in the State House as Governor Deval Patrick’s director of specialized media. She has also worked as a strategist for the successful campaigns of Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Martin J. Walsh, and City Councilors At-Large Michelle Wu and Ayanna Pressley. Prior to working in the public and political sectors, Josiane Martinez served as the director of marketing and public relations for La Alianza Hispana in Boston, where she was instrumental in establishing and managing key relationships with community leaders, corporate partners and health care providers. Josiane currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Roxbury Community College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication and Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing from the Simmons School of Management. Josiane has been recognized as one of the most influential Latinos in Massachusetts.
Marco Torres – Board member at Boston Pride, Program Supervisor at the BCYF-Blackstone Community Center
Marco A. Torres has been a life long resident of the City of Boston. In 2005, Marco entered Public Service by being appointed by the Mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino as the Neighborhood Coordinator for the South End/Bay Village and then in 2006 he was appointed as the City-Wide Liaison to the Latino Community. During his time within the Menino administration Marco also served as the interim LGBT City-Wide Liaison as well. Currently Marco is the Program Supervisor at the BCYF-Blackstone Community Center in the South End. Marco is of Puerto Rican decent and, in his personal time, enjoys sending time with friends and family, and traveling. He also volunteers and gives of his time for many different causes and organizations throughout the City of Boston.
Michelle Tat – Research Psychologist at a local area hospital
Michelle Tat graduated with a Ph.D. in Speech & Hearing Science from Arizona State University, and moved to Boston in the Fall of 2013. She is currently a research psychologist at a local area hospital. Michelle has a huge passion in science and education. She hopes to use the skills as a researcher and scientist to become an educator to the greater transgender community in the state of Massachusetts, and to also apply these skills to trans-related causes. She hopes to bridge connections with local universities and to help them provide resources for other transgender and gender non-conforming individuals in the greater Boston academic community.
February 13, 2016 – We are proud to announce that Boston Pride, Black Pride, and Latin@ Pride will be hosting a Community Forum on Intersectionality on Tuesday, March 22nd at the BCYF Blackstone Community Center (50 West Brookline Street, Boston). Intersectionality refers to our overlapping social identities and how discrimination against one ultimately represents discrimination against all. The forum will feature a panel discussion moderated by Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons, and we hope to see you there!
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