A few dozen Chicagoans commemorated the lives lost to the AIDS pandemic—and recognized the progress made toward ending it—Dec. 2 at the AIDS Garden Chicago at Belmont Harbor. The gathering marked World AIDS Day, an annual day of observance held Dec. 1.
People tied rainbow ribbons on trees or wrote messages on small rocks dedicated to loved ones who died of AIDS, while speakers shared memories of their friends and family lost to the disease.
“Today we gather to honor, to remember and to celebrate the lives of our siblings who have been impacted,” said Joli Robinson, CEO of the Center on Halsted. “Today reminds us of the power and the resilience of our community [and] our continued effort to raise awareness.”
More than 42 million people have died of HIV, which causes AIDS, since the epidemic began in 1981, according to the World Health Organization. An estimated 39.9 million people are currently living with HIV.
For Melisssa Josephs, who spoke at the World AIDS Day ceremony, the commemoration was personal. She lost two of her close friends, Scott and Khan, to AIDS in the ‘90s.
Josephs recalled their good times together, like when Scott taught her the dos and don’ts of hosting a party, or when she learned of Khan’s strong aversion to raisins. But she also recalled taking care of her friends while they were sick.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of them and miss them,” Josephs said. “And even though having memories of them is comforting, when you lose someone that young, it’s just not enough,” Josephs said.
Community members also spoke about the progress that’s been made since the early days of the pandemic.
Illinois has seen a 25%-30% decline in the number of new HIV cases, which has made the state’s goal of Getting to Zero by 2030 an achievable possibility, said John Peller, president and CEO of AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
But HIV is still a racial equity issue, Peller said. HIV cases are not declining as quickly among Black and Latine populations, transgender women of color or Black cisgender women, he noted.
Additionally, the future of federal support for HIV prevention efforts remains uncertain with a second Donald Trump presidency looming, some speakers warned.
“The best thing that we can all do is stay close, hold each other tight [and] love each other,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, who has been a long-time ally in efforts to stop the spread of HIV and take care of those living with the disease.