As our communities continue to navigate funding cuts, policy shifts, and changing federal priorities, this convening remains a vital space to come together, reflect, and move forward collectively. We will hear from Latino public health experts, community trailblazers, and social services leaders who are responding to these challenges with resilience and innovation.
Join the Thirteen Annual New York City Latino Health Action Day. This gathering is an opportunity to kick off 2026 by strengthening existing partnerships and building new collaborations rooted in equity and action. Be part of the movement to create equitable healthcare for all.
Keynote Speaker + Panelists
Lynn Schulman is the NYC Council Member for District 29 and Health Committee Chair. Lynn grew up in Forest Hills and is a long-time community and LGBTQ activist. With decades of leadership in health care advocacy and progressive causes, Lynn was elected to the City Council because she has a vision for how to bring about the change we need in our Queens communities. An attorney by training, Lynn has devoted her career to public service and held a broad range of executive positions in government, private industry, and the non-profit arena. Schulman currently serves as Chair of the NYC Council Committee on Health
In her community, Lynn served as a Vice-Chair on Community Board 6 for more than 20 years. She is also a former member of the 112th Precinct Community Council and the Board of Directors of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Lynn served as an appointed member of the Community Education Council for District 28, where she focused on combating school bullying, increasing student access to music and art programs, and enhancing education opportunities for the youth in our city’s public school system.
Daniel Suarez is the Clinical Liaison Manager at Network Development at Mount Sinai Health System and President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses NY Chapter. Suarez has been a Nursing professional for more than 45 years of experience in the nursing field. During his career, he has held several positions as a Clinician and Nurse Recruiter in several hospitals around New York City. Currently, he works as a Clinical Liaison Manager at Mount Sinai in NYC.
Along with having a successful professional career, Suarez is very involved in the Hispanic community helping students and young professionals to pursue a career in Nursing. Suarez currently serves as the President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses NY Chapter.
Arlette Cepeda is the Interim Executive Director at La Colmena; Board Chair for Partnerships for Community Wellness; Board Chair of New York Latin American Art Triennial (NYLAAT); and Advisory Board Member for NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice. Cepeda was born in New York and raised in the Dominican Republic (DR), where she went to school and studied art and music. After high school, Cepeda moved back to New York City to pursue a career in the visual arts. Cepeda received a B.A. in Studio Arts from Hunter College and a Master’s degree in Leadership in Higher Education and Learning Organizations from Wagner College. Currently, she is the Interim Executive Director of La Colmena Community Job Center working to improve the lives of immigrant day laborers, domestic workers, and other low wage workers.
As a civic professional, she has worked to develop sustainable partnerships that promote collaboration between students, faculty, staff, and community partners to address pressing social issues on and off campus.
Brandon Arias is an Outreach Specialist at Destination Tomorrow. Arias has deep New York City roots made up of Boricua and Dominican culture. Arias proudly serves as the Outreach Specialist for Destination Tomorrow in the Bronx. Destination Tomorrow is an organization dedicated to promoting health and well-being within our community. In this role, Arias actively engages with individuals in the community to educate them about the importance of sexual health. This includes encouraging routine HIV testing, promoting safe sex practices, distributing safety kits, and ensuring community members have access to essential resources such as educational materials, housing assistance, and food security programs. Arias has obtained a bachelor’s in psychology at Empire University.
Action Day 2025 Recap
The Action Day was held on February 19, 2025 and included the participation of NYC Council members Alexa Aviles and Carlina Rivera, both outstanding champions of our beloved New York City. Aviles and Rivera shared remarks on the importance of addressing health inequities and advancing strategies to reach healthy communities.
The morning session included a panel moderated by Leandro Rodriguez, VP of the Latino Commission on AIDS. Panelist were task to identify action steps to address the health inequities affecting the New York City Latino communities and to share their perspectives and knowledge. The panel included Dr. Adam Aponte, CEO of East Harlem Council for Human Services, Bethsy Morales-Reid, VP for Program Strategy & Impact at the Hispanic Federation, and Anthony Feliciano, VP for Community Mobilization at Housing Works. The event concluded with closing remarks by Guillermo Chacon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network.
The event took place at Serafina Tribeca, a beautiful restaurant near NYC City Hall with fantastic staff and delicious food.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Director of Health Policy, at rmota@latinoaids.org