New York, NY—Last Friday, the New York State Senate Health Committee approved Guillermo Chacón’s nomination to the New York State Minority Health Council. Created in 1992, the Council works to improve and prioritize the health of minorities in New York, advising the New York State Commissioner of Health on these vital issues.
Chacón—who has been the Board Chair of the New York Immigration Coalition since 2013—has served as the President of the Latino Commission on AIDS (the Commission) since 2009. He also founded the Hispanic Health Network and played a crucial role in creating National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). Since the 1990s, he displayed a talent for building networks, coalitions and mobilizing Latinx communities at the policy and program levels. He serves on the boards of several organizations, including on the NYIC’s Board of Directors.
Upon Chacón’s appointment to the New York State Minority Health Council, Steve Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement.
“On behalf of the New York Immigration Coalition's board and staff, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Guillermo Chacón on his appointment to the New York State Minority Health Council. As the Board Chair of the NYIC’s Board of Directors, Guillermo’s deep understanding of the public health challenges facing Latinx and immigrant New Yorkers has been a vital asset in our advocacy efforts. For more than two decades, he has been at the forefront of Latinx New Yorkers’ fight against the AIDS virus. As we face down another global pandemic that deeply impacts New York’s immigrant communities, his expertise, passion, and dedication will be invaluable. Guillermo will be an incredible resource for the New York State Minority Health Council, providing a critical perspective during this historic moment.”