Trained as a journalist, Antoine wrote for several local and national publications. He graduated from Bernard Baruch College of the City University of New York, and in 2008 he earned awards from the New York Association of Black Journalists. In June 2023, he was presented with Mental Health America’s Clifford W. Beers Award and the NYC Gay City News Healthcare Advocate 2023 Impact Award. Antoine produced the documentary “You Are Not Alone” and facilitates discussion fora on depression in Black gay men. He presented a poster exhibition “Examining Depression and HIV in Black gay men” at the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC, and in 2013 founded DBGM, Inc. a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness of the underlying factors contributing to depression and suicidal ideation in Black gay men. Antoine presented workshops on the convergence of HIV and mental health, and as a keynote speaker at several national and international conferences. He provided training in LGBT peoples of color cultural sensitivity, mental health and HIV, for the Washington DC Court System and since 2012 lectured on these subjects to medical students attending Touro College of Osteopathy, Harlem, NYC’s campus. He is a certified National Mental Health First Aid Instructor. In publication, he was featured in several magazines, including “Headcase - an Anthology of LGBTQ Writers and Artists on Mental Health and Wellness”, published by Oxford University Press, Feb 2019, and in the NY Governor’s Suicide Prevention Report “Considerations and Contexts for Treatment – the Whole Person”, April 2019. Together with DBGM, he hosted the first-ever LGBT Peoples of Color Mental Health Summit at Rutgers University, Newark Campus in 2014, and from 2015 to present, In My Mind – a Mental Health Conference for LGBTQ+ Peoples of Color, which in 2019 celebrated its fifth anniversary and was recognized with a Citation from NY State Governor Andrew Cuomo and a Proclamation from NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio, who declared October 10, 2019 “In My Mind Day”. In 2022, Antoine launched the Ancestral Institute, which is intended to reconnect with ancestral/traditional healing practices and meld these with contemporary psychological methods to create a new form of mental health care for Black and peoples of color. He appeared on several radio (online and in studio) shows, television interviews – on ARISE TV, ABC Channel 7 “Here and Now, with Sandra Bookman”, “In Focus with Cheryl Wills” on NY1, BronxNet TV, and BRIC TV in Brooklyn. He was a guest panelist on BBC World News “Have Your Say” radio program, on Mental Health Radio, and Caribbean Power Jam. Antoine served on the New York State Suicide Prevention Task Force, and is the co-chair of the NY State Office of Mental Health’s Multicultural Advisory Council, is a member of the Advisory Board on the 988-Suicide and Crisis Hotline Implementation in NY State, is a chair of the NYC DOHMH Community Service Board LGBT Task Force, is a member of the NY State LGBT Network, is an NYC SGL Equality Coalition steering committee member, a member of the NYCDOHMH Community Advisory Board on the City’s response to COVID-19 for contact, testing, and tracing; and was appointed as a member of NYC Public Health Corps Advisory Council, which in collaboration with Photoville, was featured in a public banner exhibition NYC-wide, “Unsung Heroes of Public Health” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alex Joinville, LMHC, joined DBGM’s Board following his participation in the 2018 In My Mind Conference at the Metropolitan College of New York. He is the founder and President of Joinville Mental Health Counseling Services, P.C., a private practice providing clinical, educational, and consulting services. Prior to starting his practice he supervised a Counseling Program at the State University of New York Downstate STAR Program, where he provided mental health services to individuals diagnosed or at risk of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C infections. Prior to joining the STAR program, he was a mental health specialist with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) Manhattan Mobile Crisis Team, where he provided crisis intervention, assessment and linkage to individuals experiencing psychological distress. He was also part of the VNSNY’s Act Team, Behavioral Health Transition Program, and Intensive Case Management Program. Alex worked at WIN West, where he provided services to individuals living in a single-women’s mental health shelter. His experience includes providing mental health counseling in English and Haitian Creole, and individual, couple, family and group therapies. He has more than 17-years experience in social services, including mental health, substance abuse, and child welfare. Alex received his Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University. As a Board Member, he assumed responsibility for the organization's, "I Am Working on Healing" program, with its two groups, "Sons", a group for gay men of color struggling with mental health issues and HIV, and "HER", a group for mothers and women of color, whose sons took their lives or died from HIV/AIDS.

A born and bred New Yorker, I could not think of a better place to grow up and make my home. My education consists of NYC public schools, the HS of Art & Design, and Bachelor of Business Administration, from Metropolitan College of NY.
I have over 30 years of human resources, benefits administration, payroll and facilities management. I worked in a variety of industries including, Zomba Group (Jive Records), insurance industry, market research and multiple non-profits.

Currently I am the Director of Community Lunch (soup kitchen) at the Food Programs at Advent. When Covid hit we had to redesign how we served our constituents; no longer providing a sit-down meals in the building once a month to grab and go meals twice a month. Last year we provided over 28,650 meals to our neighbors.

Jeffery Gardere, Ph.D. is Co-Executive Producer for the documentary “You Are Not Alone”. Better known as “America’s Psychologist”, Dr. Jeff is one of the most widely sought-after experts in the field of mental health. He is a regular guest on The NBC Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, HLN, The Maury Povich Show, The CBS Early Morning Show, Fox Business News, FOX News, Nancy Grace, Tru-TV Reality Specials, and court shows. Dr. Jeff has authored several books, including his controversial book, “Love Prescription.” He is also the co-author of “Practical Parenting” with Montel Williams. Dr. Jeff’s first book, “Smart Parenting for African-Americans: Helping Your Kids Thrive in a Difficult World.” With a private practice, Dr. Jeff is on the faculty of the Harlem, NY-based Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.