December 1 marks the 35th annual World AIDS Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic and remembering those lost and impacted by HIV/AIDS.
To commemorate the occasion, the New York City AIDS Memorial will host a full day of free, public programming in collaboration with local organizations including Housing Works, Queer Soup Night and Farm to People, among others. The observance will begin at 10am with a reading of names of New Yorkers lost to AIDS, followed by a press conference with local elected officials.
Later that afternoon, the folks from Queer Soup Night will host LGBTQ+ local chefs including Alex Koones, Chala June, Levi Allen, and Lj Almendras, who will ladle up hot food for attendees. And the day will culminate with the annual Out of the Darkness candlelight vigil and march, finishing off with speakers and performers at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 81 Christopher Street.