Announcing Our New Board Member – Hector Diaz
Dear Reader,
As a founding board member of SACHR, I can remember back to its origins as an underground syringe access program operating out of the trunk of our founder Joyce Rivera’s car. Nearly 30 years later, I am proud to continue to sit on the board and work alongside Joyce, who is still our CEO. Over that time, we have grown into a large, multiservice agency with more than 50 employees and a state-of-the-art harm reduction facility in the Bronx.
We have been fortunate to have attracted such a passionate and dedicated group of individuals to serve on the SACHR board, and I speak for all of us at the agency when I extend my deepest thank you to those who continue to serve as well as to those who have departed. With this in mind, I am happy to announce that we have found an exciting new member to join with us as we enter our 30th year – Hector L. Diaz.
Mr. Diaz has a long history of advocacy and achievement within our own South Bronx community as well as the larger New York City and State political arenas. We are honored that he has chosen the SACHR board to be his next area of focus, and we can hardly wait to see what impact his arrival will have on our continued efforts to serve the most marginalized and stigmatized members of the Bronx.
We hope you will join us in giving Mr. Diaz a warm welcome, and I would like to personally thank all of you reading this for your continued support. We are entering a new chapter in the history of our organization, and we look forward to taking the next steps together.
Sincerely,
Fr. Luis Barrios, Ph.D., FACFEI
A Message from Hector Diaz:
As someone with longstanding ties to the Bronx community, I have watched as public health issues surrounding substance use, HIV, food insecurity, and other challenges impacted our neighborhoods. I have also observed that St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction has stood on the front lines of these struggles, consistently presenting innovative and cutting edge approaches that continue to serve people who often lack other support structures. In the 30 years since its founding, SACHR has grown into a leader in the field of harm reduction – advocating for policy change while tirelessly serving at-risk members of our community.
I myself have spent decades within the New York City and State governments, working from the inside to bring progress and change to the area I now call home. The work I have done within the Bronx while serving as County Clerk, among other roles, has led me to fall in love with the borough – but it has also educated me about the challenges we are facing. I am eager to bring my knowledge and understanding of Bronx politics to SACHR as we continue to push for better policy and a healthier community.
The SACHR board brings together a level of expertise, compassion, and professionalism that is rarely found. Being invited to join this group is a great honor, and one that I do not take lightly. I can hardly wait to see what the next chapter of our work looks like as we join together to elevate SACHR’s impact and fight for true harm reduction reform.
Thank you very much for this opportunity.
Sincerely,
Hector Diaz