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EXTENDED BIOGRAPHY
Cleo Manago, Founder:
BACKGROUND: As founder and CEO of the African, American Advocacy, Support-Services & Survival Institute (AmASSI), a national
non-profit organization, Cleo Manago has provided leadership regarding African American health concerns nationally for two
decades. Mr. Manago was one of the first innovators in the AIDS movement to reveal that psychosocial concerns were a major
determinant to assure treatment adherence and preventative behavior modification. He founded the AmASSI National Centers
for Wellness and Health in order to provide HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services utilizing a psychosocial, mental health
model that was culturally specific to African American identity. Opening the first Wellness Center in Oakland, California,
the AmASSI Centers now provide services in South Central Los Angeles, Atlanta, Georgia and Harlem, New York. Established in
1989, the AmASSI Community Health & Cultural Centers are committed to the wellness, affirmation, education and preservation
of African American health and culture.
BEST PRACTICES: AmASSI models and program strategies have been identified as Best Practices by the United States Conference
of Mayors Best Practices Center, the American Journal of Public Health, POZ Magazine, AIDS Action, and the California Wellness
Foundation.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: AmASSI was the first organization in the nation to approach HIV/AIDS prevention and care with a Black
culturally affirming paradigm. Mr. Manago has been working with HIV/AIDS issues and served as an influential force on the
matter since the late 1980s. From the very beginning, his approach to HIV prevention and care was innovative and inclusive
of diverse populations within the African American community, including same gender-loving (SGL) and bisexual youth/adults
males, females at sexual risk, and sexually abused and incarcerated populations. Not only did he serve as an avant-garde
resource for cultural competency models utilizing community-accessible approaches to HIV/AIDS services, he also began developing
and testing prevention models to collect data very early into the epidemic.
AMASSI, INCORPORATED: AmASSI, Inc. is a non-profit, community-based health, wellness and cultural affirmation center.
AmASSI is an acronym for the African American Advocacy, Support-Services & Survival Institute. It provides preventive
health for HIV/AIDS, STDs, cancer, diabetes, etc., psychological and therapeutic assistance, math and literacy tutoring, skills
building opportunities, and personal empowerment training. At the AmASSI Centers, community members are culturally respected
and affirmed, and all services are free and low cost. AmASSI is an award winning organization that, since 1993, has provided
healing to over 10,000 primarily African American and Latino men, women, and children. Although AmASSI's programs have a
cultural emphasis on African Americans, and a substantial number of Spanish speaking staff, people of other ancestries (e.g.,
Asian, Native-American and European) often seek AmASSI's services and are warmly embraced.
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| Manago with 4-star Admiral David Satcher, U.S. 16th Surgeon General |
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| Cleo Manago (left) shakes hands with Rev. Al Sharpton (right). |
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CRITICAL THINKING CULTURAL AFFIRMATION: Through his work at the AmASSI centers, Cleo Manago developed the successful Critical
Thinking Cultural Affirmation (CTCA) risk behavior intervention. The CTCA model combines individual psychological counseling
with education on Black history, critical thinking methods, concepts of self-love and respect, and a Black Health Literacy
course. The CTCA intervention was community generated and maintained, and approaches preventive health strategies and sexual
responsibility by emphasizing the cultural affirmation, regardless of income or sexual identity.
CURRENT RESEARCH: The CTCA has brought Mr. Manago national acclaim for his innovation. The American Journal of Public
Health featured the strategy; and, behavioral scientists acknowledged it as one of few promising practices for African Americans
at risk for HIV. CTCA is a novel, and culturally congruent intervention designed to reduce risk behaviors and improve psychosocial
outcomes. San Francisco Universitywide AIDS Research Program selected the Maales Project (a model based on CTCA), and collaborated
with the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services Epidemiology Program, Los Angeles County Jail, and the University
of California, Los Angeles Neuropsychiatric Institute for further research. Since its development, the CTCA model has been
replicated nationally for African American men, women and youth in health. To date, CTCA is the only HIV/AIDS intervention
of its kind in the nation.
BLACK MEN'S XCHANGE: Recognized nationally as an innovative voice among today's African American, Same Gender Loving men,
Mr. Manago also founded the National Body of the Black Men's Xchange (BMX) in 1989. The Black Men's Xchange is a national
organization providing educational, empowerment and wellness opportunities - with particular emphasis on Same Gender Loving
(SGL) and bisexual Black males. The mission is to powerfully and respectfully engage issues that impact the lives of diverse
Black males toward building self-esteem, respect, good health and community, in a positive, affirming, nurturing and transformational
environment. Since 1989, the program serves ages 18 and over. Reducing HIV/AIDS risks and internalized oppression and conflict
with self-concepts, BMX has served and transformed the lives of over 300,000 Black males (In the bay area, Los Angeles, New
York City, Baltimore and Miami).
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| Manago on C-SPAN Television - Cost & Casualties of Black HIV/AIDS |
MEDIA: In advancing public awareness, Cleo Manago is a self-described social architect, a popular speaker, and the author
of several influential essays. He has appeared on numerous national television programs and his work has been profiled in
many publications including the Black Scholar-Journal of Black Studies and Research, American Journal of Public Health, Ebony,
Ebony Man, Clikque, and Black Diaspora magazines. He has been featured in many of the national newspapers, including African
Times, the Los Angeles Times, Black Star News, Amsterdam News, Atlanta Journal Constitution, and several scholarly journals
and books.
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| Manago speaks at Millions More Movement |
Manago has made multiple appearances on television including BET, NBC, and ABC News, and featured on numerous national radio
talk shows. Mr. Manago has also received several awards and commendations, including - Most Influential African Americans
- by the Los Angeles Times. His published works have appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Essence Magazine, The
Black Scholar: Journal of Black Studies and Research, the American Journal of Public Health, and several other noted publications.
Recognized as one of the "Leading Men in 2008", see link to Instinct Magazine below:
Click: Instinct Magazine
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_______________________________________________________________
AmASSI Group Technical Assistance Services, Research & Education
595 Piedmont Avenue N.E., Ste 320-271
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone:404-380-1146
info@AmASSIGroup.com
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