Leon Maultsby, MHA, Associate Director of Drew CARES, on marginalized communities
BY MARK ARIEL
Drew CARES is a multidisciplinary group dedicated to ensuring excellence in HIV education, research, and service provision for underserved communities.
“The organization is also focused on ensuring we are supplying education, prevention, and testing to our community,” explains Leon Maultsby, MHA, Associate Director of Drew CARES, in an interview with THE FIGHT.
Maultsby, Associate Director since March of 2022, reveals that he was motivated to take on the position to make a difference.
“I wanted to do something for the marginalized communities. Sexual health discussion wasn’t really discussed in my community growing up, it was more so just ‘don’t get a girl pregnant!’ But with being gay so taboo in the black community—sexual health amongst same gender loving couples isn’t much of a discussion. We see now due to a variety of reasons that Black / African Americans people account for a higher proportion of new HIV diagnoses and people living with HIV. So anything I can do to help mitigate that is something I want to be apart of.”
When asked if the health care industry is lacking in the correct approach to the LGBTQ community Maultsby responds: “As a black gay man I do feel as if the health care industry is lacking in the approach to my community. I think there’s a lack of cultural competency and dedication to truly understand that while the medicinal approach to people can be the same the way in which your speak with and deliver your bedside manner has to be catered accordingly.”
“At Drew CARES,” states Maultsby, “we meet our clients where they are. All while offering some supplemental services that address the other social determinants of health. In addition to hiring staff that look like the clients we service as well as speak the language.”
For more info visit: www.cdrewu.edu/research/center/DrewCARES or call (323) 563-5822
