Victories — Okma Strategic Consulting

Throughout his career, MJ Okma—the founder and principal of Okma Strategic Consulting—has successfully secured funding, legislative, and campaign wins including:

Organized and led a coalition of older adults living with HIV, HIV providers, LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups, aging services providers, and other stakeholders that resulted in the passage of the New York LGBTQ+ and HIV Long-Term Care Bill of Rights and legislation to designate LGBTQ+ elders and older people living with HIV as populations of greatest social need under New York's interpretation of the Older Americans Act.
Helped secure the first-ever enhancement to the New York City Council's LGBTQIA+ Older Adult Services in Every Borough initiative since its FY15 creation in the FY23 budget.
Presented to the New York State Executive Chamber, directly leading to the creation of a $20 million initiative through the NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal to incentivize the creation of LGBTQIA+-affirming affordable elder housing.
Worked with New York City Council Members and City Council staff to hold and draw community turn-out to oversight hearings on a variety of topics important topics including HIV and aging, the challenges facing LGBTQIA+ elders, and the impacts of underfunding indirect rates on human services contracts.
Provided advocacy support and developed strategic messaging that secured over $120 million in the New York City FY22 budget to restore and baseline more accurate indirect funding for non-profit human services providers on the frontlines of COVID-19.
Helped develop the successful core messaging and initial campaign strategy of the #JustPay campaign, which secured historic cost of living adjustments for government-contacted human services workers in the New York City FY25 budget.
Researched, crafted, and implemented GLAAD's #StopPompeo campaign resulting in three Democratic Senators grilling Mike Pompeo about LGBTQIA+ rights during his 2018 Secretary of State confirmation hearing and national press coverage of his anti-LGBTQIA+ record.
Developed and maintained GLAAD's Trump Accountability Tracker, which monitored and reported every publicly known anti-LGBTQIA+ action from the Trump Administration in real-time.

MJ Okma speaking at a podium during a rally for HIV housing assistance at the New York Capital Building wearing a black and white patterned cardigan and black shirt.

MJ Okma receiving the New York State Department of Health Commissioner's Special Recognition Award in the category of LGBTQ+ Health at New York's 2023 World AIDS Day Ending the Epidemic Summit.

New York State LGBTQIA+ community leaders, including MJ Okma, with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in front of a conference table.

The group of four LGBTQIA+ elders with MJ Okma following their presentation on community needs of LGBTQIA+ elders and older adults living with HIV to the New York State Executive Chamber.