After a long hiatus, we are pleased to be sending you this Fall

2011 edition the Alianza Latina newsletter. If you havent been by

to see us in a while, you may hardly recognize us. Weve added
quite a few new faces, and lots of new energy, in the past few
months. I include myself amongst these new facesmy name is
Joshua McClain and its an honor to be serving as the new Senior
Director of Alianza Latina since February of this year. Ive worked
at AIDS Community Services, our sister agency, since 2009 as a
bilingual case manager. Prior to that, I lived for three years in
rural Honduras (thats in Central America, in case youre wonder-
ing) overseeing a community training center, which included eve-
rything from teaching computer skills to managing nine tilapia
ponds. I now live on the West Side with my family. When Im not
at work you will find me exploring Buffalo on bike or trying out as
many hole-in-the-wall ethnic restaurants as I can find. On the
following pages you can meet the rest of our agencys amazing
staff.

In spite of the many changes at the agency, what hasnt changed is our commitment to addressing the health issues that are
faced by Buffalo residents and to promoting awareness and healthy lifestyle choices. Our current programs focus on the epi-
demic of HIV/AIDS, in particular. Statistics show that African Americans and Hispanics make up disproportionately high per-
centages of new and existing HIV and AIDS cases. Alianza Latinas programs seek to address these disparities directly by
providing health education and risk reduction options targeted toward communities of color in our city. In the next few pages
youll find a brief description of Alianzas current programs. If you or someone you know might be interested, please dont hesi-
tate to contact us using the information below. Josh McClain, Senior Director
New Faces, Same Purpose
Nuevas Caras con el Mismo Propsito

Despus de un largo parntesis, estamos contentos de enviarles esta nueva edicin
Otoo 2011 de boletn de noticias de la Alianza Latina. Si no has venido por nuestras
oficinas recientemente, casi no nos vas a reconocer. Hemos aadido unas cuantas
caras nuevas y mucha nueva energa en las ltimos meses. Me incluyo yo entre este
grupo de caras nuevas Mi nombre es Joshua McClain y es un honor de servirles como
el nuevo director de Alianza Latina desde el mes de febrero de este ano. Yo he
trabajado con AIDS Community Services, nuestra agencia hermana, desde el ao 2009
en el puesto de Administrador de Casos Bilinge. Antes de eso, yo viv por tres anos en
Honduras (el cual queda en Centro Amrica, si te preguntabas) supervisando un centro
de capacitacin comunitaria en cual abarcaba todo desde la enseanza de habilidades
de computacin hasta la gestin de nueve estanques de tilapia. Ahora yo vivo en el
West Side de Buffalo con mi familia. Cuando no estoy trabajando, me vas a ver
explorando la cuidad en mi bicicleta o tratando muchos diferentes restaurantes tnicos.
En las siguientes pginas se puede conocer el resto del personal increble de nuestra
agencia. ...Continua en p. 4
Alianza Latina Staff
Inside this Issue/Adentro:

Page 1: New Faces, Same Purpose
Nuevas Caras con el
Mismo Propsito
Page 2: Meet Our Veteran Staff
What Do We Do? / Qu
Hacemos?

Page 3: Meet the Rookies
What do We Do? Cont.

Page 4: Nuevas Caras...Cont.
What do We Do? Cont.

Page 5: Summer Events
Hispanic Heritage Quiz

Page 6: Upcoming Events


T HE NE WS L E T T E R OF AL I ANZA L AT I NA, I NC.

S E P T / OC T 2 0 1 1 V OL . V N O. I
Healthy & Strong Healthy & Strong Healthy & Strong Healthy & Strong
Healthy & Strong Healthy & Strong Healthy & Strong Healthy & Strong

Saludable y Fuerte Saludable y Fuerte Saludable y Fuerte Saludable y Fuerte
Saludable y Fuerte Saludable y Fuerte Saludable y Fuerte Saludable y Fuerte

200 S. Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14210 Phone# (716)-852-5969 Fax# (716)-362-3173
Email: info@alwny.org Website: www.alwny.org or Follow us at facebook.com/alianza.latina.buffalo
Above: Alianza Latina Staff (L to R) Tayrin Tapia-Torres, Felicia
Cruz, Jesica Lehsten, Lisa Schult, Joshua McClain
Hi, my name is Felicia and as the Program Coordinator for Alianza Latina I do Compre-
hensive Risk Counseling, I coordinate the enhanced outreach teams and I recruit, coordi-
nate and oversee the RAPP peer educators. I have participated in various community
events such as the Puerto Rican Day parade. I am on the committee for the Pucho
Olivencia Center during the annual Grease Pole festival and Three Kings Celebration. I
am currently pursuing my Bachelors degree in Social Work at Buffalo State College.
Prior to Alianza Latina I served in the US Marine Corps as a Sergeant in a communica-
tion platoon.

I pride myself in being a single mother. I get my drive, motivation and strong family
values from my late grandmother Sylvia Rodriquez, who dedicated her life to serving the
Hispanic Community both personally and professionally.
Hi! My name is Jessica and I was hired as Alianzas Peer Services Coordinator in Au-
gust of 2010. I head up an intervention called Safety Counts, which is a harm-reduction
group for people who are actively using drugs. I also help with the Real AIDS Prevention
Project (RAPP) which entails taking our risk-reduction and HIV prevention messages to
communities on the West Side and East Side each week. We stay pretty busy around
here! I was born and raised in WNY. I graduated in 2010 from Houghton College with a
degree in Intercultural Studies and International Development. During college, I had
opportunities to participate in HIV/AIDS work in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as in South
America. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, reading, Frisbee, and occasionally
baking.
Felicia Cruz, Program Coordinator
Jessica Lehsten, Peer Services Coordinator
Page 2
Healthy & Strong

Meet our Veteran Staff
What do we do? Qu Hacemos?

Alianza Latina provides HIV prevention education and risk reduction services to Buffalo residents in a variety of
ways. Check out the summary of our programs to see if one might be right for you or someone you know...

Alianza Latina ofrece servicios de prevencin y educacin sobre reduccin de riesgo a los residents de Buffalo por una
variedad de maneras. Revise el resumen de nuestros programas para ver si uno puede ser adecuado para usted o al-
guien que usted conoce

VOICESVideo Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex: A
video-based program designed to encourage condom use and improve condom
negotiation skills among heterosexual mena and women at high risk for HIV and
other STDS.

VOCES: Un programa de video diseada para fomentar el uso del condn y mejorar las habilidades de negociacin
del condon entre los hombres y mujeres heterosexuales. ...Continued on p. 3/Contina en p. 3
Do you like Alianza Latina & what we do?


Meet the Rookies
Alianza Latina
Tayrin Tapia-Torres,
Administrative Assistant
Hi, my name is Tayrin and I am the new Administrative Assistant here at Alianza
Latina. I help the ship run smoothly by assisting with all the programs we have to offer.
I manage this handy dandy newsletter and I have a heart to serve our community. I
joined the Alianza Latina crew in March of this year. I plan to pursue my Bachelors
degree in Business Administration at Buffalo State College. Prior to working for
Alianza I worked in the Customer Service industry for over 10 years and in the adminis-
trative field for over 4 years for faith-based, political and philanthropic agencies.

I was born in the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico and I have lived in the city of Buffalo
for more than 10 years now. On my off time, I multi-task between being a single mom
of two boys and being a Youth Leader at my church, which is truly a humbling experi-
Lisa Schult, Community Educator
My name is Lisa and Im the new Community Educator here at Alianza Latina. I do out-
reach and lead groups in prevention education. I received my diploma in Sociology
from the State University of NY at Cortland in 2006. Previously, I participated in various
AmeriCorps programs; with NCCC, I did community service projects with a focus on re-
building the Gulf Coast, and with City Year, I worked in the Washington D.C. public
schools, leading a program that encouraged community involvement among middle
school aged youth. I then served as a volunteer for the Peace Corps as a Community
Health Promoter in Nicaragua where I was involved in various projects with a focus on
maternal/child health, HIV/AIDS & youth development.

Outside of work, I love the outdoors.from hiking to grilling food. I enjoy cooking AND
eating (just like any true Buffalonian)! Im an avid Buffalo sports fan: Bills and Sabres! I
love concerts and most Buffalo eventsGus Macker and Buffalo Brewfest are some
favorites.
What do we do? Continued
Que Hacemos? Cont
RAPP: Real AIDS Prevention Programa community-based program that relies
on community outreach, small group activities and cooperation with local organi-
zations and businesses to help women and their male partners reduce their risk
for HIV by using condoms consistently. Interactive Safe Sex Gatherings are
hosted in the community to provide safe sex education in a fun and informal set-
ting.

RAPP: Un programa basado en la comunidad que depende de la extensin inter pares, actividades en grupos
pequeos y la cooperacin con organizaciones locales y empresas para ayudar a las mujeres y sus parejas
masculinas reducir su riesgo de contraer VIH mediante el uso de condones. Encuentros interactivos de Sexo Seguro
estn organizados en la comunidad para proporcionar educacin de sexo en un ambiente divertido e informal.
...Continued on p. 4/Continua en p. 4
Like us on Facebook & Invite your Friendswww.facebook.com/alianza.latina.buffalo
Page 3
Healthy & Strong

Nuevas Caras...continuado desde pagina 1.

A pesar de todos los cambios en nuestra agencia, lo que no ha cambiado es la dedicacin a bregar
por la salud de los residentes de Bfalo y promover el conocimiento y estilo de vida saludable.
Nuestros programas se enfocan en curso sobre la epidemia del VIH/SIDA. Las estadsticas muestran
que los afroamericanos y los hispanos constituyen porcentajes desproporcionadamente alto de
nuevos y existentes casos de VIH y SIDA. Los programas de Alianza Latina tratan de abordar ests
disparidades directamente proporcionando educacin para la salud y las opciones de reduccin de
riesgos dirigidas hacia las comunidades de color en nuestra ciudad. En las paginas 2, 3 y 4 vas a
encontrar descripciones breves de los programas disponibles por Alianza Latina. Si usted o alguien
que usted conoce esta o estara interesado, por favor no dude de llamarnos al numero a bajo de la
primera pgina o pase por nuestra oficina.
Josh McClain, Senior Director
What Do We Do? Continued
Qu Hacemos? Continuado

SISTASisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS: Five group sessions that focus on
ethnic and gender pride, HIV knowledge, and skills training around sexual risk reduction
behaviors and decision-making.

AMIGASCinco sesiones de grupo que se centran en el orgullo tnico y de gnero, conoci-
miento sobre el VIH, y la capacitacin en torno a los comportamientos sexuales de reduccin
de riesgos y toma de decisiones.

One-on-One Risk Reduction Counseling: Alianza Latinas staff are trained and ready to provide you with on-site
HIV or pregnancy testing, individualized education about lowering your risk for HIV or other sexually transmit-
ted diseases, and referrals to services in the community.

Consejera de Reduccin de Riesgos Uno-a-Uno: Nuestro personal est capacitado y listo para ofrecerle aqu en
nuestra oficina las pruebas de VIH y embarazo, educacin individualizada sobre cmo bajar su riesgo de contra-
er VIH u otras enfermedades de transmisin sexual, y referencias a servicios en la comunidad.

SAFETY COUNTS: A mulit-session program for out-of-treatment drug-using in-
dividuals enabling them to reduce their risk of becoming infected with or trans-
mitting HIV by reducing high-risk sex and drug-use behaviors.

SEGURIDAD CUENTA: Un programa de varias sesiones para personas que
consumen drogas quienes no estn en tratamiento que les permita reducir el
riesgo de infectarse con el VIH o transmitir mediante la reduccin de alto riesgo
sexo y conductas de consumo de drogas.


All of our programs can be brought to you!! If you are interested in hosting a HIV/AIDS Prevention pro-
gram at your organization, or even at your home, please contact us!! All programs and services are
completely free of charge.

Todos nuestros programas pueden llegar a Usted! Si usted est interesado en organizar un programa de
prevencin del VIH/SIDA en su organizacin, o incluso en su casa, por favor pngase en contacto con noso-
tros! Todos nuestros programas y servicios son completamente gratis.
Page 4
Alianza Latina




Latino HIV Testing Month
Event


Under the Willow Benefit Concert Under the Willow Benefit Concert Under the Willow Benefit Concert Under the Willow Benefit Concert
Dr. Vasquezs Niagara Street
Health Fair

Celebrate Hispanic
Heritage Month!!
September
15th-
October
15th

Test your
knowledge of
Hispanic Culture and history
with Our Quiz.

1. Why does Hispanic Heritage month begin on September 15
th
?
A. September 15
th
was the birthday of Queen Isabelle of
Spain
B. Sept. 15
th
is the anniversary of 5 Latin American nation
C. Sept. 15
th
was the day on which President Lyndon Banes
Johnson declared the first National Hispanic Heritage
Week.


2. The first Hispanic author to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction
was?
A. Oscar Hijuelos, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
B. Isabel Allende, La Casa De Los Espritus
C. Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street

3. Which famous explorer founded the city of San Juan, Puerto
Rico?
A. Hernan Corts
B. Juan Ponce de Leon
C. Christopher Columbus

4. Who was the first Hispanic American to be inducted into the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
A. Richie Valens, 1952
B. Gloria Estefan, 1994
C. Carlos Santana, 1998
5. The first Hispanic to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
was?
A. Roberto Alomar
B. Adolpho Luque
C. Roberto Clemente


A n s w e r s : 1 ) B 2 ) A 3 ) B 4 ) C 5 ) C
Page 5
Join us on October 14th Join us on October 14th Join us on October 14th Join us on October 14th
To Celebrate Latino Culture and
Commemorate 30 Years in the Struggle Against HIV.

Latin Music, Drumming, Dancing & Theater
Free Food
Prize Giveaways
Health Information Tables
Free & Confidential HIV Testing
This event is totally FREE!! All are Welcome!!
Where: The Belle Center
104 Maryland St, Buffalo NY 14201
When: Friday, October 14th
3-6 pm
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day National Latino AIDS Awareness Day
200 S. Elmwood Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14201

Phone: 716-852-8969
Fax: 716-362-3173
E-mail: info@alwny.org
www.alwny.org
www.facebook.com/
alianza.latina.buffalo

Health Promotion and Prevention Programs for the Community
Programas de Prevencin y Promocin de Salud Para la Comunidad
A L I A N Z A L AT I N A , I N C .