POCC

250 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718.230.0770

Open Mon-Fri 10AM-6PM

Dashaun Williams - dashaun@pocc.org

Dashaun Williams has been working with POCC Inc for the past two years. He facilitates the young adult group Things of that nature and is a certified HIV Tester/Counselor. He began his work in the HIV prevention field in 1999 as a peer educator for the House ball community and has not given up the drive as he works hard providing as much HIV/STI and safer sex information to his community.

Mya L. Vazquez - mya@pocc.org

Mya L. Vazquez is a transgender youth who spent ten years of her life in the New York city foster care system. Mya transitioned at the age of sixteen and started to work as a health educator on HIV/AIDS Prevention at the William F. Ryan Center in 2002. Mya currently works at POCC as the Transgender Service Coordinator where she continues to work on HIV/AIDS prevention and runs a support group for Transgender individuals. Mya is also currently working at the Sylvia Rivera Law Project as the Youth Policy Intern were she is helping to change policies for transgender and gender on-conforming youth living in ACS and OCFS care. Mya help with the Organizing New York’s third annual Trans day of action with Tran’s justice an organizing work group and the Trans community. Mya has worked with the Hetrick-Martin Institute on the youth advisory board arguing for trans service and a hat rule that is no longer in standing. Mya continues to advocate for transgender and gender non-conforming youth in hopes that one day service is available and assessable to and for the community.

Derrick L. Briggs - derrick@pocc.org

Television, music, performance art, advertising and online arketing... the pop cultural soup that appeal to the masses - take all of those "market-moving" ingredients and embody them into one man. Recognized for his Oprah inspired Book Club and now, Monthly Topic Discussions for Men of Color has joined forces with POCC in the summer of 2007 as a Community Health Specialist to expand the vision of bringing communication and creativity back into the community. Mr. Briggs has featured celebrated known Authors such as Keith Boykin, Dr. Ian Smith and Jonathan Plummer. Mr. Briggs plans on making a difference one discussion at a time through reading and the sharing of stories.

Katie Acosta - katie@pocc.org

Affectionately known as “Mrs. Katie”, was born in Darlington, South Carolina and grew up in New York City. She attended Medgar Evers College for 3 years in the Nursing Program. She started at POCC in April 1998 as a volunteer and became full time in January 2000 as a Program Associate. Ms. Katie has currently been with the agency for nine years and her motto is “Do the best you can and never give up”

Basil Lucas - basil@pocc.org

Basil P. Lucas, MSW is currently the Social worker at POCC. Mr. Lucas received his Bachelor's of Arts Degrees from Rutgers the State University of New Jersey in 1990.

He began his Social work career as a direct care staffer at the ARC of Morris County, NJ. This organization worked primarily with individuals who were developmentally disabled or dually diagnosed /MICA and lived in group homes in the county. After becoming group home supervisor, Mr. Lucas relocated to New York City in 1992.

He continued with other community based organizations (Creative Lifestyles BX and Sinergia Incorporated MTHN) until 1999 when his focus turned primarily to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities.

Mr. Lucas worked as the NYC Hate Crime Coordinator for the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects NCAVP where he dealt with media, victim advocacy, counseling and linkage to legal/law enforcement services.
In 2006 he completed his Master of Social work degree with a concentration in case work from Hunter College School of Social work. He joined the staff of POCC in the spring of 2006 where he focused the fight against HIV and research projects for black gay men and MSM. He oversees the evaluation component for Many Men, Many Voices (3MV), an evaluation funded by the Centers for Disease control (CDC).

David T. Curry - david@pocc.org

David T. Curry joined POCC in November of 2002. Since then he has held the position of Individual Level Intervention Counselor, Community Health Specialist Supervisor, and Young Men of Color Coalition Manager and currently serves as Program Manager. Mr. Curry is responsible for overseeing all testing initiatives for the agency including testing at POCC's annual Pride in the City. David has also been co-facilitating Many Men, Many Voices for the past three years. Mr. Curry founded and co-facilitates the only support group for black gay men who are in relationships called Sanctuary: A Gatherfor Black Gay Men.

Robert A. Turner - robert@pocc.org

Mr. Turner has been as active participant for the Ballroom Community and has worked with such companies as AOL and ZARA handling customer services and financial billing. As an inspiring model and previous youth group participant, Mr. Turner joined the POCC family in September 2007 in hopes to contribute his witty talents and animated personality to uplift his LGBTQ peers and members of the community. His motto is “Always look ahead, always believe in yourself and keep smiling”.

Joseph Jefferson - joseph@pocc.org

Joseph Jefferson began his work in HIV prevention & care at the Hetrick-Martin Institute as a peer educator where he over saw the creation of its youth advisory board Mr. Jefferson is also one of the first recipients of the Damien Martin alumni award. Joseph began working at POCC as a member of the Ambassador Leadership Council. A youth development program created by POCC’s young men of color coalition. His work ethic and passion for youth services programming was so impeccable Joseph was invited to come on as a full time staff member of the agency in September 2005. Joseph currently serves as the supervisor for the ALC internship.

Kevin Williams - kevin@pocc.org
Deputy Director

In his role of Deputy Director, Kevin Williams is in charge of daily operations of the agency by overseeing all administrative and programmatic functions of the delivery of POCC's services. Facility management, fiscal oversight, contract negotiations, grant writing and fund development as well as overall decision making authority for the agency in the absence of and in accordance with the Executive Director.

During the past 15 years Mr. Williams has worked in the capacity of community member and advocate for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community with specific focus on the Black and Latino American communities.

His dedication to this community has afforded him the opportunity to work in community based and driven organizations in Seattle, Los Angeles, Atlanta and currently the borough of Brooklyn which includes service to the greater New York area.

While performing a variety of work around cultural competence, de-stigmatization, and overall comprehensive health promotion as a necessary component of health and wellness for the clients, stakeholders and community alike; Kevin has also been contributing artistically by providing programs and events that utilize performing arts, fashion, musicians, writers, motivational speaking and event planning to speak to the hopes, dreams, desires and accomplishments of the LGBT community locally and globally

Michael Roberson - michael@pocc.org

Jamel Gilbert - jamel@pocc.org

Jamel Gilbert has been working in HIV services and prevention for 5 years. He began working fulltime as a Research Assistant and HIV Tester/Counselor under Vince Guilliam (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) in the House Ball Study YMS3 young men survey. Gilbert also worked on a research study under Dr. Darrell Wheeler (City University of New York at Hunter College) named Brothers Y Hermanos researching knowledge of the sexual habitats of Black and Latin men who have sex with men. Now Gilbert is proudly on staff at POCC. He’s a Community Health Specialist and manages the HIV Testing initiative for the agency. Gilbert also created a discussion group called BoyToys an interactive discussion group for all MSMs who are sex workers focusing on prevention including harm and risk reduction.

Marcos Polonia - marcos@pocc.org

Marcos Polonia has his Associates Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing from Katharine Gibbs. Mr. Polonia served in the United States Military as a Dental Assistant and later started his own clothing line called “Marques Francelli” catering to the Urban Community. Marcos worked as a Peer Educator at POCC in May 2007. Also known as “Chino” he modeled for various designers and photographers and participated in the House Ball Community since 2001…Mr. Polonia is now a Community Health Specialist at POCC Inc.