World AIDS Day 2024

What is the world aids day national observance?

Each year on December 1st, our community gathers to remember those lost, educate others, and rally to eliminate the devastating stigma and loss associated with the ongoing AIDS crisis.

As our country’s only federally designated memorial for AIDS, the National AIDS Memorial hosts a pivotal observance each year to recognize this internationally dedicated day. Join us in the Grove on Sunday, December 1st as we gather to heal, hope, and remember.

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HOW ARE WE RECOGNIZING WORLD AIDS DAY IN 2024?

By sparking powerful conversations, the National AIDS Memorial will highlight the pressing issues impacting the AIDS crisis today. By sharing the story of the struggle against HIV/AIDS, we fight against stigma, denial, and hate for a just future.

Connecting generations through conversation

Headlining these conversations is an intergenerational conversation that will bring forth the stories of HIV+ individuals of different ages. How is stigma still experienced today? What is the ongoing experience of long term survivors? What is the experience of young HIV+ individuals testing positive in the 2020s? These questions and more will be answered during this powerful conversation. Meet this year’s panelists:

Vince Crisostomo
‍‍Vince Crisostomo (he/him) is a queer-identifying native Chamorro based in San Francisco who has lived with HIV/AIDS for over 35 years. He is passionate about community and bringing health care and social justice equity to people of every sexual identity, HIV status, gender, race, and age. He has dedicated over 30 years to HIV/AIDS activism and has served LGBTQ communities at international, regional, national and grassroots levels. Vince is the first Chamorro to publicly come out as Gay and living with AIDS at World AIDS Day, in 1992 in Guam. Crisostomo joined the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) in April 2014 to manage the Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network. He is now the SFAF’s Director of Aging Services. Among numerous other achievements and work with a plethora of health and social justice organizations, Crisostomo has performed, directed, produced and/or contributed to theatrical, film, video and written productions In New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guam and abroad.

Percy Vermut
‍Percy Vermut (he/him) is a freshman at Carleton College in Minnesota, with a prospective major in English. Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Percy grew up immersed in a vibrant queer community. Coming out as trans at 14, he has made it a priority to create safe spaces for young queer and trans individuals. Over the past five years, Percy has worked as a tutor and mentor with BreakthroughSF, the San Francisco chapter of a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting low-income students in pursuing higher education. In high school, Percy served as a co-leader of the Gender Sexuality Awareness club and co-president of a queer affinity group. Through a community service course with Alegria Barclay, Percy interviewed Rebecca Denison, an HIV survivor and founder of WORLD, contributing the interview transcript and video to the GLBT Historical Society archives. He has attended the National LGBTQ+ Task Force Conference twice, connecting with LGBTQ+ individuals across generations and backgrounds. Percy aspires to become a middle school English teacher, continuing his commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

Kimberly M Canady
‍‍Kim Canady (she/her) is a Pleasure Activist, Sexuality Educator, and HIV/AIDS Advocate with over 20 years of experience in human sexuality. As the founder of Conversations with Kim, she has built a platform dedicated to discussing and addressing critical issues related to HIV/AIDS and sexual health. Kim’s work is profoundly personal; born HIV positive and having lost both her parents to complications of AIDS at the age of nine, she is deeply committed to addressing HIV/AIDS, STIs, and health disparities affecting women and youth. Through her roles as a trainer, researcher, consultant, and educator, Kim equips individuals with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed health decisions.

Larkin Callaghan
‍Dr. Larkin Callaghan, the moderator of this panel, is a global health and infectious disease expert specializing in advocacy, communications, policy, and diplomacy, having worked in over 30 countries. She has launched multilateral global partnerships in resource limited settings, executed health communication and engagement strategies for corporate, community, research, and advocacy teams, and partnered with the United Nations, Unitaid, the NIH, CDC, Dept of State, PEPFAR, WHO, and city and state public health agencies. Larkin has taught at Columbia, UCSF, and Stanford. She is currently Head of Global Advocacy and Community Engagement, Virology, at Gilead Sciences.

A 6th generation San Francisco native, Larkin received her master's, doctorate, and post-doctoral training from Columbia and serves on the Boards of Komera, the Ginetta Sagan Fund of Amnesty International, and SisterLove.

Spotlight

Remembering Leaders Lost to AIDS
‍We are honored to posthumously recognize Hydeia Broadbent with the National Leadership Recognition Award.

After testing positive for HIV at the age of three, Hydeia became one of the most notable child activists of her generation. Broadbent continued to fight HIV/AIDS stigma until her death this past February at the young age of 39.

Recognizing Local Heroes
‍Spotlighting a leader in our community, we are honored to recognize Vince Crisostomo with the Thom Weyand Unsung Hero Award in recognition of his decades of advocacy.

Vince has lived with HIV/AIDS for over 35 years, dedicating much of them to HIV and LGBTQ+ activism at international, regional, national, and grassroots levels.

Recognizing a Community Touched by HIV
‍“Dandelions” are individuals who acquired HIV at birth or when they were young children. Too often, Dandelions are overlooked in the context of the AIDS crisis, and face challenges unique to others impacted by HIV.

We are honored to recognize Dandelions and dedicate a boulder to them on World AIDS Day.

WHY iS WORLD AIDS DAY IMPORTANT IN 2024?

The AIDS crisis is not over.

According to the World Health Organization, more than one million people acquired HIV in 2023 alone. By sharing the tragic story of AIDS, we make strides toward ensuring that future communities will not be harmed by fear, silence, discrimination, or stigma.

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VOLUNTEER FOR LIGHT IN THE GROVE AND WORLD AIDS DAY

The success of our World AIDS Day and Light in the Grove events is not possible without the generosity of our volunteers!

There are still shifts available to help us set up, break down, and help execute these events at various times from 11/26-12/3! Sign up to volunteer and help us remember those lost, educate others and rally to eliminate the devastating stigma and loss associated with the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis:

BUS SCHEDULE

In addition to local parking in Golden Gate Park, our friends at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation have graciously arranged a round-trip shuttle service from Castro & Market to the National AIDS Memorial Grove! Here is the the schedule:

Morning Pick-up Shuttle to the Grove:

10:30 AM Depart from Castro & Market (Arrive 10:50 AM)
11:15 AM Depart from Castro & Market (Arrive 11:35 AM)

Afternoon Drop-off Shuttle to Castro & Market:

2:00 PM Depart from the Grove (Arrive 2:20 PM)
3:00 PM Depart from the Grove (Arrive 3:20 PM)

A LOOK BACK AT 2023

In 2023, our World AIDS Day National Observance sparked powerful conversations about our community’s perseverance and the intersections between the AIDS crisis and other pressing human rights issues.

Greg Louganis won two gold medals as an Olympic diver in 1984 and 1988. But he is celebrated for more than just his impressive athletic accomplishments. His resilience and dedication to activism inspire many, and we are honored that he shared his inspiring journey of living with HIV last year.

Bodily autonomy is a fundamental human right that lies at the core of personal freedom, choice, and self-determination. Throughout this session, we delved into the complexities of bodily autonomy, its intersections with various aspects of life, and the pressing issues and challenges surrounding this essential concept.