Housing Works: Housing Prevents AIDS. Housing Improves Health.

Before you take off for Thanksgiving, make sure to mark on your calendar to come to City Hall Park for Housing Works’ 14th annual 24-hour World AIDS Day “Reading of the Names Vigil” this Monday, December 1. The event is a memorial to those who have died of AIDS and a reminder to New York City and State officials that they need a strategy to stem the rising tide of HIV infections.

Unfortunately, despite some progress, New York City continues to be the center of the AIDS epidemic. Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control released data showing that the rate of new HIV infections among New York City residents is three times the national average. Approximately 10 percent of the more than 1 million people in the U.S. living with HIV/AIDS live in New York City.

Housing Works and other AIDS groups are calling on President-elect Barack Obama to replace this country’s inadequate response to the domestic AIDS epidemic with a comprehensive National AIDS Strategy within 100 days of taking office, as well as calling on New York State and City officials to create their own blueprint for fighting AIDS in the Empire State.

“It is unconscionable that even before the current national fiscal crisis hit, our elected officials slashed funds for HIV prevention and testing. We hope that the echoes of the names of those who have died from AIDS ringing through City Hall Park on World AIDS Day will remind our leaders of their responsibility to fight AIDS,” said Housing Works President and CEO Charles King.

A mix of VIPS will be on hand at City Hall Park, including New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson and burgeoning AIDS activist and reigning Miss New York Leigh-Taylor Smith.

Anyone can participate in the vigil. Just stop by City Hall any time between December 1, from 12:01 a.m. to midnight. If it seems like the weather is bad, and you wonder if we’ll be there, we will. Rain, sleet or snow, and even when Mayor Giuliani attempted to deny Housing Works permits, World AIDS Day goes on.

The event takes place at the southern tip of City Hall Park at Broadway and Park Place. Take the N or R train to City Hall or the 4, 5, or 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall.

For more information about the vigil, contact Dennis Weakley at Dennis.Weakley@gmail.com.