Goodwill in a Time of Prejudice
Carlo Leoni, a long-time friend of the Care Resource family passed away on Tuesday, January 7, 2020. He was 86 years old. Leone stood out as an enlightened and empathetic leader with the ability to love deeply. Throughout his life, Leoni supported Care Resource’s mission and the health center is grateful for his compassion. In defying the prejudice of his time, Leoni was a leader. He enabled Care Resource to further help vulnerable individuals in need.
According to Rick Siclari, Care Resource’s CEO, “In 1998, I drove up and down Biscayne Boulevard, searching for “For Rent” signs that indicated an available office space. I was seeking a home for Care Resource – a new project formed from the merger of the Health Crisis Network (HCN) and the Community Research Initiative (CRI). Due to the stigma of HIV/AIDS within the community at the time, I was met with disdain and prejudice. When seeking to rent office space, I was told, ‘We don’t want your kind of people here—we don’t want to get AIDS. You won’t be able to use the elevator with the rest of us.’ I then met Carlo Leoni. He was the owner of the office on 225 Northeast 34th Street, a block off Biscayne Boulevard. He welcomed me and the mission of supporting the LGBTQ community in the fight against AIDS.
As a result of his goodwill, hundreds of thousands of individuals have been able to receive quality comprehensive health and support services.” Additionally, Carlo made his mark in the fashion world early on as one of the most exciting and trendsetting shoe designers. Besides designing Volare Shoes, he also manufactured, imported, and marketed Volare shoes and designed the now-infamous “Carlo Leoni Collection” by Volare.
The Care Resource family remembers Carlo Leoni fondly. May peace and healing be with his family in the coming months.
For Media Inquiries or additional article information, please contact Jonathan Welsh, Associate Director of Development and Communications at jwelsh@careresource.org
