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Health Dec 01, 2023
The LAX pylons will glow red for World AIDS Day. | Photo courtesy of LAX / Facebook
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In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2023, various landmarks across the county will light up red Friday to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and to honor and support impacted communities.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and its several partners will light up the Southland in bright red — from Dignity Health Sports Park to L.A. Live; from L.A. City Hall to LAX Gateway Pylons; from Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and Paramount Pictures’ Studio Water Tower; and for the first time, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the Hollywood Sign Trust have signed on with their support.
These landmarks join Public Health to “honor those impacted by HIV/AIDS, renew a commitment to end the epidemic and light the way to a brighter future,” according to a statement from the county department.
World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, is a day to pay tribute to the more than 39 million people around the world living with HIV. In Los Angeles County, nearly 28,000 residents have lost their lives to HIV.
About 59,3000 people living with HIV reside in the county, and an estimated 1,400 new HIV infections are reported each year, Public Health reports.
A disproportionate number of cases is seen among gay men, African American, Latinos and transgender individuals. Various factors drive this disproportion and require ongoing partnership to combat the issue.
“World AIDS Day is not just about remembering; it is also about multisector partners committing or reaffirming their commitment to fight against HIV and create a future where every person affected by HIV receives the support they need,” Barbara Ferrer, director of the Public Health, said in a statement.
The department encourages county residents to educate themselves on the disease, know their status and get tested. Public Health is also launching a new initiative for this year’s commemoration that will increase access to services.
“We are debuting an enhanced www.GetProtectedLA.com website that includes `I’m + LA: Where People with HIV Find Support [ImPositiveLA.com],” Mario J. Pérez, director of Public Health’s Division of HIV and STD Programs. “This platform has been revamped to provide individuals with easy access to vital HIV services, ensuring they can quickly and efficiently access the support they need.”
As part of World AIDS Day, county Supervisor Kathryn Barger hosted a breakfast event at The Arboretum to honor individuals who died from and continue to live with the autoimmune disease.
“We all play a part in ending HIV, not just on World AIDS Day, but every day,” Barger said in a statement. “Knowing your HIV status, getting tested and talking about HIV are important steps we can all take to reduce HIV- related stigma.
She added, “I am hosting this special event so that we have a community forum to keep the dialogue going. I hope the public will partake in this event. It’s a great way to show support for people living with HIV and a valuable reminder of what steps need to be taken to prevent new transmissions.”
Paul Edmonds, one of only five people in the world to achieve full remission of AIDS, joined Barger to share his story.
Edmonds was diagnosed in 1988 with AIDS, and lived for more than 30 years with the disease, taking different therapies to control the virus, according to a report from the City of Hope, where he had been receiving treatment.
In July 2022, the City of Hope announced Edmonds had gone into remission for acute myeloid leukemia and AIDS as a result of a transplant using stem cells from a donor with a rare genetic condition. This condition gives a “resistance” to AIDS.
“A big reason I want to tell my story is to bring some hope for people with HIV,” Edmonds, 67, of Desert Hot Springs told the City of Hope as part of their “success” story published in April. “And I want to remember all those we lost.”
Friday evening, the city of West Hollywood and APLA Health will host a reception and candlelight walk for World AIDS Day. The event will kick off at 5:30 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.
The Wall Las Memorias will also commemorate World AIDS Day with its 29th annual Noche de Las Memorias at the The Wall Las Memorias AIDS Monument, located in Lincoln Park at 3600 N. Mission Road.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation recognizing World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. He encouraged “all units of government, and the American people” to join the HIV community in activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and to provide support, dignity and compassion to people with HIV.
“We are within striking distance of eliminating HIV-transmission. We have the science. We have the treatments. Most of all, we have each other,” the proclamation reads. “Let us recommit to finishing this fight — together.”
During his first year in office, Biden reestablished the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and launched a new National HIV/AIDS Strategy — a roadmap for using community-driven solutions to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. by 2030.
He has also requested $850 million from Congress for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative to reduce new HIV cases, fight the stigma that stops many people from getting care, and increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis — also known as PrEP, a drug that can help prevent the spread of HIV.
