Saeeda Dunston has served as Elmcor’s chief executive officer since August 2014. Recognized for her leadership in developing culturally competent programs for marginalized communities in New York State, her work focuses on empowering individuals and families to be active change agents in their communities.

Before joining Elmcor, Saeeda held several senior management positions throughout her career, addressing poverty, anti-racism, and healthcare needs in various New York City boroughs and citywide advocacy and policy-focused coalitions. She has played a vital role in enhancing Elmcor’s capacity through partnerships with public and private entities, addressing socio-economic and health disparities in Queens communities.

Saeeda has significantly contributed to developing and improving programs focused on behavioral health, health equity, social and economic justice, anti-stigma initiatives, and community education. Notably, she spearheaded Elmcor’s first supportive and affordable housing project, providing essential housing solutions to the chronically unhoused, individuals recovering from substance use disorders, and older adults. Additionally, her vocal, impassioned grassroots advocacy forged the groundwork that ultimately

prompted the inclusion of a funeral assistance fund operationalized in the Biden-Harris administration to support families who lost loved ones during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Black New Yorkers had the highest rate of overdose death in 2022, and the largest increase in rate from 2021 to 2022.

Approximately one in 1,000 Black New Yorkers between the ages of 55 and 84 died of a fatal overdose in 2022, a statistic more than twice the citywide rate.

Black men are 5x more likely to die of an opioid overdose in NYC compared to their white counterparts.

When it comes to confronting this epidemic in Black communities, we must acknowledge how the racial disparities in treatment of substance use disorder demand urgent attention. An anti-racist and effective approach that explicitly acknowledges the inherent healthcare inequality fueling the public health crisis devastating our communities is necessary in the fight to save lives

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