Alex Aldana is a 31-year-old undocumented queer activist, movement organizer from Guadalajara, Mexico raised in the fields of the Coachella Valley, CA. Alex fights against the criminalization and human rights violations of trans/queer immigrant communities in the United States. Aldana works with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with more than 12 years of experience in the HIV-prevention field under the Healthy Young Men’s Study, a 5 year study that seeks to improve the health and wellness of Black, Latinx and mixed YMSM regardless of the HIV status.

Mx. Aldana’s commitment to the community has been reflected through the years with protests and actions, from joining a national walk with Campaign for an American DREAM & the OFA Office’s occupations in Denver, which pushed president Obama for the DACA Executive Order to stop the deportations of young immigrants in 2012.

Most recently, Aldana joined the “Bring them Home” campaign in 2014 with the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, which fought to reunite 150 immigrant families organizing inside CCA Detention facility at the times of the border humanitarian crisis. As an openly HIV-Positive asylum seeker under deportation proceedings, Alex is fighting the current administration to stay alive with family and loved ones in this country.

Alex is enthralled to be part of the HIV League Scholars since one of his short-term dreams is to provide more funding opportunities for asylum seekers & previously incarcerated immigrants that seek a better education and quality of life.

Aside from resisting the system, Mx. Aldana loves plants, Tequila Mules, Sci-fi books, J-Balvin, and his husband. He is also one of the three subjects for the films Gay Latino LA, Coming of Age, and American Dreamers.

Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles City College - Two-Year Full-Time 2018 HIV League Scholar ($7,000)