2019 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

NASHVILLE CARES
building a
community
AMNA OSMAN TAKES THE REINS OF NASHVILLE CARES
by Laura Valentine | photos by TennesseePhotographs.com
“Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable,” is a Kenyan proverb that speaks to
the wisdom of making one stronger by surrounding it with many. When
one looks at the life and career of Amna Osman, the newly hired CEO of
Nashville CARES, you will clearly see this proverb come to life.
Wisely, Osman
recognizes that as she
steps into this new and
exciting leadership role,
she inherits the legacy of
and vision for the future of
Nashville CARES, to “end
the HIV/AIDS epidemic in
our community.” Add to
this the dizzying effects of
being new to the South,
new to Nashville, and
new to Nashville CARES.
To ground herself and
create good work and
personal life balance,
she is actively seeking to
meet, engage, and develop
community with peers
and kindred spirits alike.
Osman already recognizes
the depth of commitment
the LGBTQ community has
demonstrated over the last
34 years to CARES and
wants to get to know us
better.
To that end, she extends
an arms-open-wide
invitation to “…help support
me in my leadership role to
advance Nashville CARES,
by reaching out to me. I
want to know you. I want
to engage with you. I want
to build a relationship with
you because I’m new to the
community. Help me find
spaces and places I need
to be…to get to know folks
to support me and the
organization.”
She may be new to
Nashville CARES, but
in no way is she new to
the important work of
caring and advocating
for those whose lives are
impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Working toward a degree
in psychology, Osman
SUCCESS / SEP+OCT 2019 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 17