Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition Mourns the Passing of its Co-Founder | Co-Director
Claire Simon
With profound sadness, the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition announces the passing of our co-founder Claire Simon. A woman of courage, self-determination, and a dedicated advocate in the fight against HIV/AIDS for over three decades, Claire believed that young women of color living with and from communities impacted by HIV/AIDS could change the course of their lives through education and advocacy. Claire completed her life-walk on July 28, 2024.
Claire began her career in high school as a peer educator trained with the SUNY Health Science Center Adolescent Education Program. She then worked with the AIDS and Adolescents Network of New York and was instrumental in the development and delivery of the adolescent HIV/AIDS education program at Teen Helping Each Other (THEO) at SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn. Claire further advanced her experience with the Health Education Department of Morgan State University’s IMHOTEP - Beauty and Barbershop HIV/AIDS Education Initiative and the STOP AIDS Project in Baltimore, MD. Claire Simon also served as a Deputy Director for Programs at Love Heals, The Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education.
Claire is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, such as the Executive Professional Woman of the Year Award (2010/2011) and the BET Health Hero Award (2014) and recipient of the community leadership award from the Legal Action Center. Additionally, Claire served as the co-chair for the Adolescent Work Group and Rules and Membership Committee of the NYC HIV Prevention Planning Group and was also the Community Chair of the Planning Group. She served as a Mayoral Program Coordinator in the Bloomberg Administration for the Office of AIDS Policy Coordination and as the Co-founder and Interim Executive Director for the Women’s HIV Collaborative of New York.
In her most recent role, Claire worked for the NYS Department of Health’s AIDS Institute as Health Program Administrator responsible for oversight & management of grants across the State.
Claire's passion, dedication, and leadership have left an indelible mark on the community & the fight against HIV/AIDS. Her work has empowered countless young women of color across the country to become advocates for themselves & others. She has been a shero to many & will be missed immensely.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Claire's family & loved ones during this difficult time. We honor her legacy & continue our commitment to young women and girls of color.
She will always remain in our hearts.
With profound sadness, the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition announces the passing of our co-founder Claire Simon. A woman of courage, self-determination, and a dedicated advocate in the fight against HIV/AIDS for over three decades, Claire believed that young women of color living with and from communities impacted by HIV/AIDS could change the course of their lives through education and advocacy. Claire completed her life-walk on July 28, 2024.
Claire began her career in high school as a peer educator trained with the SUNY Health Science Center Adolescent Education Program. She then worked with the AIDS and Adolescents Network of New York and was instrumental in the development and delivery of the adolescent HIV/AIDS education program at Teen Helping Each Other (THEO) at SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn. Claire further advanced her experience with the Health Education Department of Morgan State University’s IMHOTEP - Beauty and Barbershop HIV/AIDS Education Initiative and the STOP AIDS Project in Baltimore, MD. Claire Simon also served as a Deputy Director for Programs at Love Heals, The Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education.
Claire is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, such as the Executive Professional Woman of the Year Award (2010/2011) and the BET Health Hero Award (2014) and recipient of the community leadership award from the Legal Action Center. Additionally, Claire served as the co-chair for the Adolescent Work Group and Rules and Membership Committee of the NYC HIV Prevention Planning Group and was also the Community Chair of the Planning Group. She served as a Mayoral Program Coordinator in the Bloomberg Administration for the Office of AIDS Policy Coordination and as the Co-founder and Interim Executive Director for the Women’s HIV Collaborative of New York.
In her most recent role, Claire worked for the NYS Department of Health’s AIDS Institute as Health Program Administrator responsible for oversight & management of grants across the State.
Claire's passion, dedication, and leadership have left an indelible mark on the community & the fight against HIV/AIDS. Her work has empowered countless young women of color across the country to become advocates for themselves & others. She has been a shero to many & will be missed immensely.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Claire's family & loved ones during this difficult time. We honor her legacy & continue our commitment to young women and girls of color.
She will always remain in our hearts.
-Let’s not allow moments like this to sever bonds of friendship and love for each but to strengthen and enrich those bonds. -Let’s not wait for deaths to occur to remember that we have support for each other.
-Let’s not wait for death to say wonderful things about each other.
Show each other every day that you love, care, support and that you are genuinely concerned about each other’s well-being.
So many of you have asked me (Kymsha Henry Anderson) how you can help during this very difficult time and the real answer is … tell me how you can bring my friend back. I know that’s not possible.
However, this is the politically correct and ever so Claire answer…
Pay it forward. Give the love that Claire gave to you to someone else. Uplift them. Show them concern and most of all SMILE! Because no matter what was going on in her life Claire smiled through it and that smile always always made me feel like things were going to ok.
So pay it forward and smile.
Thank you all for your support.
