Michelle Roldan works with two intense populations: HIV positive homeless men in transitional housing and homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender youth. From her experience with the first, she knows how crucial it is to really help the latter.

“With the older generation, many ailments come along as a result of not seeking treatment and not taking care of themselves. They’ve been down and out for so long there is such a poor self-image.”

So Michelle believes her most important job, with both populations, is to nurture a positive sense of self.

“As corny as it sounds, self-love is much needed and in great deficit. If you don’t love yourself, you are not going to take care of yourself. You are not going to take your meds, you’re going to continue to abuse substances, and you’re going to practice unsafe sex.”

Most of the men in the transitional housing have significant medical problems, and most have spend significant amounts of time incarcerated. They no longer know how to live independently. So she takes pride in the small wins, like going to a doctor’s appointment or a day that’s substance-free.

And sometimes, she hits the jackpot with a client, and witnesses great progress. She met one client when he was homeless, HIV-positive, using cocaine and heroin and getting himself into significant trouble. Michelle helped him examine his patterns of behavior and a few months later, he had checked himself into rehab, was clean and sober, had housing and was coming to her for help with his resume. They shopped together for household goods, and she had helped him reconnect with his adult daughter.

“We caught the window of opportunity for change,” she said. “Hopefully, he’ll continue the great work.”