Our November Shero of the Month is Octavia Y Lewis, MPA of Bronx, NY.
Octavia currently sits on the Board of Directors at Positive Women’s Network – USA and is an activist, advocate, mother, and scholar. She is currently a Community Ambassador with AmidaCare.
As a transgender woman of color living with HIV, she understands the intersectionality, nuances, and complexities of her identities and how they correlate with the world around her. While employed at the Hetrick-Martin Institute, she led all transgender programming and services, providing the youth with transferable skills they need to navigate systems, while helping them find their voices to advocate for themselves. She educated allies on what real allyship looks like and exhibits exemplary leadership skills on living one’s authentic life unapologetically.
Octavia’s proudest achievement is living beyond the national life expectancy of 35 years old for women of trans experience. “Surpassing the statistic has fueled my drive and passion to continue to fight not only for equality but equity for my community of trans and gender non-conforming individuals,” she explained.
Octavia credits her life path to her mentor, Avery Wyatt, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia. According to Octavia, “Avery has been a consistent source of empowerment and encouragement. When I was first diagnosed in April of 2006, he was one of the first persons to encourage me to move forward in my life in a positive direction. He was there to encourage me with going back to school to obtain my Associates, Bachelors, and Masters degrees. Without his guidance and support, I honestly don’t know where I would be.”
Advocating for community is challenging, but it is also rewarding. Asked what has been most satisfying about her advocacy work, Octavia stated, “The fact that I have had the honor of walking amongst living legends in the arena of HIV/AIDS activism and advocacy. I have had moments of sadness and joy on this journey; without experiencing either of those emotions, I don’t know if I could remain as sane and stable as I am currently.”
The one thing Octavia would change about HIV-service delivery is “the way funding is dispersed to vulnerable populations and who is considered vulnerable. I find it antiquated; it does not center the lived experiences of Black and brown women and women of transgender experience in the epidemic.”
We are so happy to honor Octavia and say congratulations! You have definitely earned it!