From the Desk of Katharine Lion…
December 1st is World AIDS Day. “The theme for the 2020 observance is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact”. World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988. Each year, organizations and individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV epidemic, endeavor to increase HIV awareness and knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America.” HIV.gov
When speaking of World AIDS Day, I am reminded of reading, Nothing Gold Can Stay, The Colors of Grief by Mark Belletini. He goes through his own colors of grief using examples from his own life. In it he describes his friends, so many friends, dying of AIDS. The magnitude of those who have died from AIDS is a scope almost beyond comprehension; it very-nearly decimated an entire generation of gay men. It is a grief that we, as a country, as a world, don’t acknowledge very well. Perhaps in the light of our latest pandemic we can have anew(ed) empathy for the panic and grief of that time, especially for LGBTQ community, which was so affected. I hope you will join me in taking a moment to honor World AIDS Day.
For more information:
An Interactive timeline of HIV and AIDS
https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/history/hiv-and-aids-timeline
Ending the HIV epidemic: A Plan for America
https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview
