Fernando Cruz (he, him, his) joined CrescentCare in 2014 as a program coordinator for The Movement. He works to coordinate and implement Mpowerment, a program targeting the health needs of Black and Brown, gay men as it relates to HIV and other STI’s using social events and tailored educational material. Additionally, Fernando conducts HIV counseling and testing. Fernando’s professional and personal interests include social advocacy and community engagement. As a New Orleans native, he is especially interested in working to increase access to safe and comprehensive healthcare for the BIPOC, LGBTQ community in the city. Through his work, Fernando hopes to continue to combat the stigma of HIV and other STI’s by increasing access to HIV testing and offering peer support.