New York, NY, October 11, 2018 – National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), is held each year on the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, on October 15. This year’s NLAAD is being successful in mobilizing communities to highlight the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among Hispanic/Latino communities. NLAAD promotes local, regional and national collaborative efforts in promoting HIV awareness, HIV testing, and the importance of linkage to care, PreP and access to care. We are deeply concerned by the increases in HIV, especially among our gay/bi men of all ages, Cis gender Latinas, and Trans Latinas throughout the nation and the U.S. territories.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control shows that at the end of 2014, 215,721 Hispanics/Latinos were living with HIV in the US and dependent areas, including Puerto Rico. In NYC, as of June 30, 2016, 36% of the new diagnoses were among Latinos/Hispanics, while Latinos make up 29% of the population in NYC.
This year’s NLAAD theme, “Ending HIV is Everyone’s Job”, highlights the important role both individuals and communities play in addressing the impact of HIV and working together the end the HIV epidemic.
“Our theme reminds all of us that we all have a role to play to end HIV in our communities. We seek to bring awareness around taking the HIV test, seeking PrEP, connecting ourselves to care, reaching HIV viral suppression and becoming undetectable. We all have the job to defeat HIV/AIDS,” stated Luis Mares, Community Mobilization Director at the Latino Commission on AIDS.
“NLAAD continues to promote strategies to reduce stigma associated with HIV. This is key in addressing social and structural conditions that spur the disproportionate impact of the epidemic on Hispanic/Latinx communities.” stated Guillermo Chacon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS and Founder of the Hispanic Health Network.
“I’d like to thank the Latino Commission on AIDS, and others for raising awareness around HIV, U=U and fighting to end the epidemic of HIV/AIDS.” stated Bruce Richman, Founder of Prevention Access Campaign, U=U.
“The New York City Health Department is committed to addressing the HIV prevention, care, and treatment needs of all New Yorkers, including Latinx communities,” said Jennifer Medina Matsuki, Director of Social Marketing and Community Engagement for the New York City Health Department’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control. “We need to maintain the energy of National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day throughout the year, every year, and remind New Yorkers of Latinx heritages and their providers that their health matters.”
“We all have a job to end HIV, Latin American consulates have a role to play to end HIV” stated Josana Tonda, National Coordinator of Ventanilla de la Salud, Program at Consulate General of Mexico in New York.
“Only by including all communities within our diverse Latino community will we reach our goals of ending HIV in New York. We can’t leave any community behind. Our Trans communities have been highly impacted and we need to continue to work together,” stated Christina Herrera, CEO and Founder of TransLatina Network. “We are honored to be joining our community-based partners to recognize National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day to advance our goals to end HIV by 2020 in NYS” stated Rosita Romero, Director of the Dominican Women’s Development Center.
“Our communities continue to be impacted, as we see decreases in many communities, we still see many increases especially among our gay/bi Latino men. We join efforts in ending HIV on National Latino AIDS Awareness Day”. Stated Raul Marca from Wyckoff Heights Medical Center.
“Our faith-based communities are an important element to ensure that we create awareness and provide education to our communities. It doesn’t matter what faith we belong to we all can participate in ending HIV.” Stated Reverend Gabriel Lamazares, Vicar at All Saints Episcopal Church in Sunnyside.
