Alliance Alert: Our Alliance is deeply grateful to OMH Commissioner Sullivan and her team for recognizing the lifetime of service and devotion that our dear and recently departed friend and mentor Lenora Reid-Rose provided us for so many years. Her legacy will live on with us forever and, especially, her championing the causes of cultural competence, diversity and humility and the work needed to promote anti-racist organizations. Look for an announcement from the Alliance for the time and date of our virtual memorial ceremony in the coming days.
It is with deep sorrow that we remember and honor the life and legacy of our dear partner and friend Lenora Reid-Rose. A fearless advocate, a compassionate leader, and a champion for equity in behavioral health. While our hearts are heavy with loss, we take comfort in knowing that her impact will live on.
Lenora dedicated her life to breaking down barriers and ensuring that all individuals, especially those too often overlooked, had culturally appropriate access to the care and dignity they deserved. She was not just a voice for change, she was the change. Her work transformed policies, uplifted communities, and inspired countless others to follow in her footsteps.
Beyond her achievements, Lenora was a source of strength and kindness, a mentor, a friend, and a guiding light for so many. To honor her legacy, we have named the Lifetime Achievement Journey Award in her memory, ensuring that her life’s mission continues to inspire future generations.
Though she is no longer with us, Lenora’s spirit remains in every life she touched. We will carry her work forward, keeping her passion, her purpose, and her unwavering commitment to justice alive.
Rest in peace, Lenora. Your light will never fade.
Dr. Ann Sullivan
Commissioner, New York State Office of Mental Health