Meet Evany Turk

We were lucky to catch up with Evany Turk recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Evany, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

My generosity is something I was born into. I grew up in a community where people looked out for one another instinctively where somebody’s child was everybody’s child, and where support wasn’t a question, it was a way of life. I was raised in a building full of strong, resilient women: my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my great-auntie, and my mother. They were the kind of women who could feed a whole block with one pot, who always had a place on the couch for someone who needed shelter, and who gave advice that held you steady when life was confusing.My mother also had three sisters and six brothers, so I spent my summers visiting family across different states. No matter where I went, I found the same thing people helping people. Aunties taking care of neighbors’ kids. Uncles fixing someone’s car because they needed to get to work. Kitchens that stayed open for whoever walked through the door hungry or hurting. I didn’t just witness generosity; I lived inside of it. It became one of my earliest core values.As I entered adulthood and deepened my walk with God, that foundation expanded. The simple truth God is love settled in my spirit. And to me, love shows up through how we care for each other. I believe everyone is worthy of love and care, whether they are biologically connected to me or connected through community, shared struggle, or shared hope. I try to do unto others the way I would want to be treated, and I try to show up for people the way my family and community consistently showed up for me.I’ve always believed that if the world had a little more generosity, we would all be living in a gentler place. My generosity was born from the women and men who raised me, shaped by community, and strengthened by faith. And over time, it has grown into the way I move through the world leading, loving, and giving with intention.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

At my core, I am a mother and a nurturer. I have two adult sons, and over the years I’ve fostered five children(one deceased) who are all grown now and still very much my bonus children. Motherhood is sacred to me. I believe God entrusted me with these souls, and it’s my responsibility to raise good people who can move through the world with compassion, integrity, and purpose. My mission in parenting has always been simple,raise good souls and help heal broken ones so they can become who they were meant to be.
That philosophy flows directly into what I do professionally.
One of my biggest dreams and a lifelong calling is to create a youth and family center named after my late mother Mz. Pollie’s Place. I want it to be a space where people can come for a meal, a hug, guidance, skills, resources, and community and money is never a barrier. I grew up in a family and a neighborhood that believed in “taking care of our own,” and I’ve carried that forward into everything I build. I truly believe that if we focus on healing trauma in families and young people, we can create a healthier world. And because I lead with love, I know I can create a culture of community care that helps entire communities heal.
My professional journey is deeply intertwined with my personal story especially when it comes to the HIV community. I have been living with HIV for 24 years, and using my lived experience to serve others has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. It allows me to stand with people who are marginalized the same way I once was. It allows me to fight injustice with both love and strategy. And it allows me to mentor and uplift emerging leaders so they can step fully into their own power.
My connection to Chicago House is especially meaningful because I was once homeless due to my HIV status. Chicago House provided housing for me and my boys at a time when we desperately needed safety and stability. That support changed the entire trajectory of my life. Today, I have the honor of serving as the Director of Residential Housing at the very agency that once sheltered me. I love this organization deeply, and I am committed to it because the culture and spirit of Chicago House are rooted in genuine love and support for people living with HIV. This is more than a job for me… it is a full-circle blessing and a responsibility I take to heart.
My connection to Positive Women’s Network–USA (PWN) is just as personal. PWN was the first space where I saw other women living with HIV use their voices powerfully and unapologetically. I discovered PWN at the same time I was discovering who I was as a woman living with HIV, and PWN taught me how to advocate for myself and step into leadership. It is an organization that truly leads with love—love for its members, love for its staff, and love for justice. That is why I can never stay away. Over the years, I have served in many roles at PWN, and I now serve as Co-Executive Director. Now, I know when people read all of this, they often ask, How do you do all of this?The truth is: I was doing all of it long before I ever got paid.
Advocacy is not a job to me, it is my responsibility. In the HIV field, no matter what your role is, housing, prevention, community organizing, you must also be an advocate. The world has a way of kicking people when they’re already down, and I refuse to let my community face that alone. PWN has always been my policy and advocacy home, the place where I sharpen my tools to fight for the rights, dignity, and futures of my people.
And I don’t do it alone. I lead PWN alongside an amazing partner, Marnina Miller, and we share this responsibility with deep trust and alignment. That partnership makes the work joyful, sustainable, and powerful.
What is special about all of this Chicago House, PWN, my motherhood, my dreams is that it all connects back to who I am at my core, a Love Leader, a Bridge Builder, and a Community Healer.
I move through the world trying to make it softer and safer for people who carry heavy loads. I connect people to opportunities and to each other. I lead with love because love transforms people, families, and systems. And every step I take brings me closer to the vision of Mz. Pollie’s Place is a home for healing, growth, and community.
If there is one thing I want readers to know, it’s this
Everything I do is rooted in love, community, and the belief that people deserve to be cared for.
And as long as I’m breathing, I will keep building spaces where people can come as they are and leave a little more whole.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Learning Who You Are in This Moment & Listening to Your Spirit
One of the most impactful skills I developed was learning how to truly listen to myself. Not the loud, hurt voice that trauma creates, but the quiet, healthy voice inside the one that knows what is right for me. That took soul work. I had to sit with a therapist, sit with God, and sit with myself to understand who I was right now, not who I used to be or who others expected me to be.
When you slow down enough to hear your spirit, you start making decisions that have peace attached to them. My advice: do the healing work early. Get support. Journal. Pray. Meditate. Therapy. Whatever helps you separate the wounded voice from the wise one. As you heal, the healthy voice gets louder, and your path gets clearer.
2. Knowing Your Core Morals and Values
When you come from harm or trauma, you often enter the world vulnerable to manipulation. People will dangle opportunities, money, or access especially when they see potential in you to pull you away from your community or your purpose. But knowing your values anchors you.
My values..love, community, generosity, justice prevent me from being swayed by anything that goes against who I am or what my people need.
My advice: write your values down and revisit them often. Use them as your compass. If something requires you to betray yourself or your community, it’s not purpose trust me its a distraction.
3. Enjoying What You Do
I am a firm believer that when you enjoy your work, it doesn’t feel like work. Yes, there will be long days, emotional days, and hard days. But joy is fuel. Joy makes the mission sustainable. Joy keeps you grounded when the work gets heavy.
find the part of the work that lights you up. Lean into the pieces that bring you purpose, connection, or passion. If the work itself doesn’t bring you joy, the people you serve should. Purpose and joy are what carry you through the difficult moments.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

In both of my leadership roles as a Director at Chicago House and as a Co-Executive Director at Positive Women’s Network–USA I am always looking to collaborate with people and organizations who care about community, justice, and building a world where people living with HIV can thrive.
At Chicago House, we are in an exciting phase of growth and innovation.
We are launching a new Aging in Place Model designed specifically for people aging with HIV who need more support than independent living but are not ready for nursing home care. Our community cannot afford traditional assisted living, and they shouldn’t have to give up their independence or dignity. We are building a model—and a building—that centers community, autonomy, and care. Our hope is that it becomes a national blueprint for supporting older adults living with HIV.
Chicago House also has a very special program that is close to my heart the Bridges Youth Program.
This afterschool program serves the children and teenagers of the parents in our housing programs most of whom are navigating the challenges of HIV, sometimes newly diagnosed, often overwhelmed, and doing the best they can. These young people don’t always get the attention or resources they need, so Bridges steps in to provide:
A safe and nurturing afterschool environment

Academic support and homework help

Social-emotional growth

Exposure to opportunities and positive activities

Guidance for parents on how to better engage with their children

It’s a small program about 20–25 youth ages 6–18 but it is mighty. Our students move to the next grade level, graduate high school, go to college with full scholarships, enter trades, and stay engaged in positive, productive activities. That is violence prevention. That is community transformation. And it deserves to thrive.
At PWN, we are fighting through one of the hardest political climates we’ve seen in years. Our current government is not prioritizing people living with HIV; in many ways, it is actively undoing decades of progress. Funding has been cut or redirected, and organizations like ours which center people living with HIV, especially women, trans folks, Black and Brown communities are feeling the impact.
That’s why collaboration is essential right now.
Visibility leads to connection, and connection leads to partnership and partnerships can lead to the funding we need to sustain this work and protect our communities.
I am open to collaborating with:
Philanthropists and funders

Community organizations

Universities and researchers

Health systems

Faith-based leaders

Advocates, storytellers, artists, and strategists

Anyone committed to justice, care, and community healing

If you are reading this and want to connect, collaborate, or learn more about Chicago House, PWN, or my work, I would love to hear from you. We are stronger together, and I believe collaboration is one of the most powerful tools we have for changing lives. www.chicagohouse.org, www.pwn-usa.org my contact info is on both of those websites.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pwn-usa.org & www. chicagohouse.org
• Instagram: Evany Turl
• Facebook: Evany Turk
• Linkedin: Evany Turk
• Other: If you can find a way you can share Chiago House & Social Service Agency on all socials and Positive Women’s Networks-USA on FB and pwn-usa on IG and all social. Its not necessary because I know its a lot but just FYI