AIDS Memorial Quilt Takes Center Stage at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa to Commemorate World AIDS Day
In a poignant display of remembrance and resilience, dozens of people gathered in Sonoma County on Monday to commemorate World AIDS Day. The event marked an opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS while honoring those who have lost their lives to the disease.
A small section of the iconic AIDS Memorial Quilt was on loan to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Rosa, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of the virus. The quilt, which began as an idea in the 1980s, has since become a powerful symbol of resistance and solidarity against HIV/AIDS.
Nicole Price, a long-term HIV survivor from Santa Rosa, was among those who attended the event. Price, who recently celebrated her 25th year living with the virus, shared her story, emphasizing the importance of awareness and testing. "I like to share my story because I think it's essential for women to get tested, and all populations," she said.
The World AIDS Day ceremony was a stark contrast to the event's absence from federal commemoration in recent years. According to Dr. Jessica August, Chief of Infectious Disease at Kaiser Santa Rosa Medical Center, advancements in HIV prevention have been groundbreaking, with injectable methods being introduced every other month and even more frequent injections on the horizon.
However, despite progress, there is still a level of sorrow attached to World AIDS Day. "We're still seeing new diagnoses, at a time we shouldn't need to," Dr. August noted.
Leonard Robinson, who helped design one of the first panels in the 1980s, attended the ceremony and reflected on his work. He created a panel for a friend of his brother's, who he never met but loved flowers – hence the roses.
The event was also an act of resistance against those who want to deny the importance of World AIDS Day. Merideth Cahn, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Spiritual Adviser, stated that holding this ceremony was a way to push back against those forces. These individuals came together, pausing for one day to remember the past and look toward the future.
As we mark this somber yet hopeful occasion, we honor the lives lost to HIV/AIDS while reaffirming our commitment to a world where everyone has access to healthcare, testing, and support.
In a poignant display of remembrance and resilience, dozens of people gathered in Sonoma County on Monday to commemorate World AIDS Day. The event marked an opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS while honoring those who have lost their lives to the disease.
A small section of the iconic AIDS Memorial Quilt was on loan to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Rosa, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of the virus. The quilt, which began as an idea in the 1980s, has since become a powerful symbol of resistance and solidarity against HIV/AIDS.
Nicole Price, a long-term HIV survivor from Santa Rosa, was among those who attended the event. Price, who recently celebrated her 25th year living with the virus, shared her story, emphasizing the importance of awareness and testing. "I like to share my story because I think it's essential for women to get tested, and all populations," she said.
The World AIDS Day ceremony was a stark contrast to the event's absence from federal commemoration in recent years. According to Dr. Jessica August, Chief of Infectious Disease at Kaiser Santa Rosa Medical Center, advancements in HIV prevention have been groundbreaking, with injectable methods being introduced every other month and even more frequent injections on the horizon.
However, despite progress, there is still a level of sorrow attached to World AIDS Day. "We're still seeing new diagnoses, at a time we shouldn't need to," Dr. August noted.
Leonard Robinson, who helped design one of the first panels in the 1980s, attended the ceremony and reflected on his work. He created a panel for a friend of his brother's, who he never met but loved flowers – hence the roses.
The event was also an act of resistance against those who want to deny the importance of World AIDS Day. Merideth Cahn, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Spiritual Adviser, stated that holding this ceremony was a way to push back against those forces. These individuals came together, pausing for one day to remember the past and look toward the future.
As we mark this somber yet hopeful occasion, we honor the lives lost to HIV/AIDS while reaffirming our commitment to a world where everyone has access to healthcare, testing, and support.
you know what's crazy about days like today? how even with all the progress we're making in understanding and treating hiv/aids, we still have so much work to do 
it's like, we've come a long way but there are still these invisible walls that separate people from getting the care they need 
and it's just, it's heartbreaking thinking about all those lives lost along the way 
what's even more amazing is the resilience of people like nicole price who are still here, still living with hiv, and still sharing their stories to help raise awareness 
and now its all about pushin back against those who wanna deny aids day... sounds like theyre just tryin to cover up the fact that we still got work to do 
. I mean, you can see the progress in HIV prevention methods, but at the same time, there are still new diagnoses happening every day. It's like, we're getting better, but then what? We need to keep pushing forward with awareness, testing, and support for those living with the virus 
I MEAN, WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND SUPPORT?
IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE ACTION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITIES
it's crazy how much progress we've made but still got so far to go 
I think it's amazing that people are still coming together to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS on World AIDS Day 
. It's so important for us to remember those who have been affected by the disease and to keep pushing forward with research and prevention methods 
. I'm glad there are people like Nicole Price sharing their stories to help spread awareness and encourage testing 
. It just goes to show that we can make a difference when we come together to support each other 
.
. But honestly, it feels like sometimes we're doing this ceremony thingy without even a real acknowledgment from the government...it's like they're just showing up when it's convenient, you know? 
. And I'm definitely here for more of Leonard Robinson's designs – roses are so pretty! 
On World AIDS Day, we need to acknowledge both the progress made in HIV prevention and treatment, as well as the continued stigma and ignorance surrounding the disease. 
still so much work to be done... 25 yrs living with hiv, what's 1 more year? 
25 years is way too long for anyone to be living with HIV. We gotta do better than just awareness, we need action 
. And new diagnoses are still happening? That's not progress, that's just keeping pace with the virus 
. We should be ahead of this, not just holding our ground 
We've come so far, and it's time to keep pushing forward! 
I mean, who comes up with this stuff - designing panels for friends of friends' brothers? 
Still, it's a good thing people are coming together to remember and resist... or whatever 
but I saw that thread about 2 days ago and just wanted to chime in... I think it's crazy how the AIDS Memorial Quilt is still relevant after all these years. It's like, we've made so much progress in HIV prevention and treatment, but there's still this stigma around it and not enough awareness about testing and access to care. I'm all for pushing back against those who want to deny World AIDS Day and instead using it as an opportunity to educate people and show support for those affected by the disease