, ▁isol ating ▁them ▁from ▁other ▁Af ro - Lat ino ▁and ▁Af ro - American ▁service ▁networks . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁when ▁she ▁completed ▁her ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁human ▁services , ▁Col ón ▁took ▁employ ment ▁as ▁a ▁social ▁worker ▁at ▁Lincoln ▁Hospital . ▁While ▁simultaneously ▁raising ▁two ▁children ▁and ▁working ▁full - time , ▁Col ón ▁purs ued ▁gradu ate ▁studies ▁at ▁Ford ham ▁University , ▁comple ting ▁her ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁social ▁work ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Col ón ▁expanded ▁H ond ur ans ▁Again st ▁A ID S , ▁after ▁receiving ▁a ▁Ford ▁Foundation ▁grant ▁for ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁organization ▁created ▁a ▁ ▁headquarters , ▁Casa ▁Y ur ume in , ▁h ired ▁an ▁executive ▁director , ▁and ▁began ▁training ▁network ▁of ▁health ▁profession als ▁to ▁address ▁H IV / A ID S ▁among ▁the ▁African ▁di as por a ▁living ▁in ▁Bel ize , ▁The ▁Bron x , ▁Gu atem ala , ▁H ond uras , ▁and ▁Nic ar agua . ▁Col ón , ▁who ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁director , ▁and ▁her ▁volunte ers , ▁assist ▁with ▁educational ▁activities , ▁monitoring ▁patients ▁to ▁ensure ▁they ▁are ▁ad her ing ▁to ▁treatment ▁reg im ens , ▁and ▁ident ifying ▁risk ▁factors ▁while ▁respect ing ▁cultural ▁trad itions . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Col ón ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁New