Today, our team received an important email, a reminder about a cause that impacts us all.

The email was from Glennda Testone (Executive Director) from the Center and we wanted to share that complete message.

Enjoy your day, spread the joy and may you and those you cherish enjoy great health!

Lapacazo Sandoval, co-creator of myNewYorkeye 

The Note

Today is World AIDS Day, an opportunity for people around the world to speak out in support of our brothers and sisters living with HIV and AIDS, remember those we have lost, and to reaffirm our commitment to the fight against the disease. I hope you will join The Center and me in reflecting on the importance of this day.

Organizations that serve the LGBT community, like The Center, are vigilant about keeping HIV prevention and education at the forefront of our work. These efforts are vitally important, but today reminds us that there’s so much more work to be done. Over a million people are living with HIV in the United States, and infection rates continue to rise among people of color, gay and bisexual men and transgender women. As long as this is the reality, we aren’t doing enough.

We’re proud of the work we do at The Center, including providing HIV and AIDS support, referrals to competent healthcare providers and resources, free HIV testing, and youth prevention and education. And I am personally honored to sit on Governor Cuomo’s Ending the Epidemic Task Force, an initiative in New York State to significantly decrease new HIV infections by 2020. But we can do more.

Until we break down the walls of stigma around living with the disease, our work is not done. On this World AIDS Day I ask you to join the fight, and if you are already in it, to strengthen your resolve to support our community members living with HIV and AIDS. All of your efforts matter, whether it’s volunteering in your community, signing up for The Center’s Cycle for the Cause HIV/AIDS ride or simply reaching out to a friend living with HIV to offer your support.

Together we can win this fight. Thank you for standing with us on World AIDS Day, and every day throughout the year.

Yours in Service,

Glennda Testone

Executive Director