Minutes of the
CONSUMERS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Zoom Meeting
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
MINUTES
Committee Members Present: Marcelo Maia Soares (Co-chair), John Schoepp (Co-chair), Raffi Babakhanian (Consumer-at-Large), Gus Angelopoulos, Asia Betancourt, Lisa Best, Randall Bruce, Paul Carr, Maria Diaz, Billy Fields, Lawrence Francis, Newton Francis, Yves Gebhardt, John Goldenbridge, Ralph Henderson, Charmaine Graham, Adanna Joels, David Martin, Natasha Martin, Annette Tomlin, Rob Walker
Staff Present: Michael Navejas, Doienne Saab, Abraham Omeyoma, Laura Moya Adames
Guests Present: Rachel Schwartz, Looman Mojeed, Earnest Simpkins
Agenda Item 1: Welcome/ Moment of Silence/Minutes
John S. opened the meeting while the rules of respectful engagement were displayed throughout the opening of the meeting. Billy led a moment of silence.
The minutes of the July 15, 2025 meeting were approved with no changes.
Agenda Item 2: Presentation: Health Care Access in a Changing Federal Landscape
Rachel Schwartz, Senior Policy Manager at the Office of Health Care Access and Policy, delivered a presentation titled Health Care Access in a Changing Federal Landscape. She provided an overview of the current state of health care access, emphasizing that NYC continues to be a place where individuals can obtain essential and confidential health care services regardless of their immigration status. Her presentation included a summary of recent developments in federal budget reconciliation efforts and their implications for Medicaid. She underscored the city’s commitment to health equity, affirming the belief that all people—regardless of income, insurance coverage, or immigration status—should have access to quality, affordable health care, and that no one’s health should be compromised due to their immigration status.
Consumers Committee members asked multiple questions at the end of the presentation, and Ms. Schwartz took the time to thoughtfully address each one, providing clear and informative responses that enriched the discussion.
Agenda Item 3: Presentation: Soliciting Input on Career Power Source 2026
Lookman Mojeed, Senior Health Equity Specialist, and Earnest Simpkins, Anti-Stigma Initiatives Coordinator, gave a presentation titled Soliciting Input on Career Power Source. They provided an overview of Career Power Source, a one-day in-person event designed to support employment and professional development for individuals impacted by HIV. The presenters sought feedback from the Consumers Committee on two key areas: identifying barriers that prevent individuals from reaching their full employment potential, and exploring ways to keep the event’s programming relevant and responsive to community needs.
Committee members engaged actively, asking thoughtful questions about employment pathways, professional development opportunities, and how the initiative could better support long-term career growth for people living with HIV.
Agenda Item 4: Draft Work Plan for the year
During the meeting, the Consumers Committee explored immigration as a potential thematic focus for the coming year. Members discussed several key issues related to access and equity for immigrant communities, including barriers to HIV services for undocumented or newly arrived individuals, the impact of fear surrounding immigration enforcement—particularly ICE and deportation—on care-seeking behavior, and the legal and policy challenges that affect eligibility for Ryan White services.
In addition to immigration, the Committee discussed advocacy in government as another possible theme. Topics included reviewing recent federal, state, and local budget decisions that may affect Ryan White Part A and other HIV-related programs, identifying which services or populations could be impacted, and developing consumer-led advocacy campaigns. Members also emphasized the importance of building strategic partnerships with other HIV organizations, coalitions, and advocacy groups to amplify shared priorities and coordinate responses to funding threats.
If immigration is selected as the thematic focus, the Committee noted the opportunity to collaborate with the Needs Assessment Committee to further explore and address these issues. The discussion was lively and extended beyond the scheduled meeting time, reflecting strong interest and engagement. It was agreed that the conversation around selecting a theme for the upcoming year would continue at the next meeting.
Agenda Item 5: Public Comment
The next meeting of the Consumers Committee will be a hybrid meeting to be held on November 18th, 1-3pm at Cicatelli, 505 8th Ave.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
