National AIDS Memorial to host World AIDS Day events in San Francisco

On the eve of World AIDS Day, hundreds of people gathered Thursday at the Grove in Golden Gate Park to remember those affected by the disease.

SAN FRANCISCO - On the eve of World AIDS Day, hundreds of people gathered Thursday at the Grove in Golden Gate Park to remember those affected by the disease. The event also raised money to support causes and programs sponsored by the National AIDS Memorial.

Organizers say they’ll never forget the devastation and loss of life in San Francisco at the height of the AIDS epidemic. They say Thursday's event is a testament to how far the fight against AIDS and HIV has come and the work that still needs to be done.

As people entered the Grove at Golden Gate Park, they were given a candle in honor of the lives lost to AIDS in San Francisco and around the world. The event’s theme: Light in the Grove, highlighting the hope, determination and will to fight the spread of AIDS and HIV.

"We had a government and society that, because of stigma, discrimination, ‘othering’ and racism, chose not to respond to this. In a community like ours, in the Bay Area, that I believe has compassion and does believe in equity. The gay community specifically rose up and demanded change," said John Cunningham, National AIDS Memorial CEO.

Cunningham says during the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, one in five people were infected in San Francisco. Dec. 1 is the 35th Anniversary of World AIDS Day and local health officials say they’re striving to have no new cases of AIDS diagnosed in the next few years.

"We know that there are a lot of stigmas still with regard to HIV and that’s one of the key pillars of the getting to zero strategy," said Dr. Grant Colfax, County of San Francisco, director of public health.

Colfax says AIDS treatment has advanced greatly over the last 30 years. Still, Blacks and Latinos continue to have higher infection rates than other groups.

Tennessee-based AIDS advocate Lashanda Salinas, who was infected with HIV at 16 years old, received the inaugural Hope and Inspiration Award at the event. Salinas was charged with exposing someone to HIV, unjustly imprisoned and forced to register as a sex offender.

"Actually, this year is the first time I could be around my family with children, because on May 18, Gov. Bill Lee in Nashville, Tenn. signed a law and an amendment that if you are convicted of criminal exposure to HIV, you can come off of the registry. That opened up so many doors for me," Salinas said.

On Friday at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park, there will be a public forum held with guest speakers including Lashanda Salinas and Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis. It’s free and if you’d like more information about the event, click here.