The Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative recently completed its search for a permanent director, who will take the helm of the organization next week.
Elicia Gonzales, who most recently served as the manager of HIV/AIDS prevention and education agency The Collective, a joint project among GALAEI, Mazzoni Center and AIDS Services in Asian Communities, will start as executive director of GALAEI Dec. 7.
Gonzales, 35, who is openly queer, is a native of Denver, Colo., and moved to the Philadelphia area in 2004 to attain her master’s degree in social work and human-sexuality education from Widener University.
A founding board member of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, Gonzales also became an active member of the local Latina community after her move, working at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, as well as lending her time to the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.
Gonzales said she’s always been drawn to the social-work field and felt especially connected to working with Latino populations.
“I think it’s just kind of in my blood,” she said. “My parents were somewhat of activists in their time, and it just always appealed to me on some sort of innate level. And as I began to gain a sense of who I was as a person and learn more about my Latina identity and my culture, working with that community became even more important to me.”
Gonzales said she first learned of GALAEI during her first OutFest in Philadelphia and was surprised at the diverse communities the organization works with.
“When I first moved to Philadelphia, I went to OutFest and came across GALAEI’s table. They had this really great marketing device, this fold-out pamphlet that catered to youth, about this fascinating program RAVE [Reaching Adolescents Via Education],” she said. “Coming from Colorado, this was really my first exposure to an agency that catered to both Latinos and LGBTs. I always thought those two had to be compartmentalized, and this was the first time that I found an agency that really spoke to me on a personal level and identified with the various parts of who I am.”
Gonzales called GALAEI to inquire about a part-time position, but was told there were none.
“And cut to me five years later, and I’m now working as the ED,” she joked.
She has been working tangentially with GALAEI for the past two years through her position with The Collective, which she said she’ll remain involved with, although now in a different role.
Gonzales noted that her time at The Collective showed her how important organizational partnerships are to social-service agencies.
“It sounds cliché, but it really does take a village,” she said. “[The Collective] definitely was a true collaboration in every sense of the word. Each agency was involved, had an equal say in the process and we went through some good times and some bad times together, but together were able to recognize that this project was all about serving the community.”
Gonzales said she plans to focus on heightening GALAEI’s community connections, as this can help the agency to further assess and meet the needs of the local Latino population, which is disproportionately affected by HIV.
“I want to continue on the path I was taking as The Collective manager, strengthening community relations. I want us to be able to collaborate more with different agencies, like Congreso, Mazzoni, SafeGuards, Prevention Point and other local groups to maintain and strengthen those relationships and work with one another.”
She said she’s also looking to strengthen the internal relationships at GALAEI, which has experienced a bevy of leadership changes in the past year-and-a-half.
Gonzales will take over for GALAEI board member Tiffany Thompson, who’s served as interim executive director since the summer, when former executive director Louis Bonilla stepped down after about 10 months on the job. Bonilla replaced Gloria Casarez, who left GALAEI to take on the role of the city’s director of LGBT affairs.
“I want to get in there and make it as smooth a transition as possible. The agency has seen Gloria leave and then the last ED, so my short-term goal is really to provide some stability to the organization. I want to boost staff morale within that transition and help to cut down on people not knowing what’s going on or not knowing who they should lean or for support or go to for answers.”
Glenn Martin, chair of the agency’s board, said Gonzales will be a welcomed, and well-equipped, addition to the GALAEI team.
“We look forward to serving with Elicia,” he said. “Her community experience, working skills and professionalism will enhance the organization greatly.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].