Around the Bay Area, a variety of events will mark the 21st observance of World AIDS Day, a day to remember people who have died of the disease and consider the work that remains to be done. All events are Tuesday, December 1 unless otherwise noted.

AIDS grove

The 16th annual World AIDS Day remembrance ceremony will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park.

This year's theme is "Renewing Our Commitment."

Stephen F. Morin, director of the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies and the AIDS Policy Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco is this year's recipient of the National Leadership Recognition Award.

Bishop Yvette Flunder, executive director of the Ark of Refuge Inc., is receiving the Local Unsung Hero Award.

The Reverend Douglas Fitch will deliver the opening invocation and spiritual message. The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and the Lesbian Choral Ensemble Group, Voices, will provide music.

The grove is located in the eastern end of Golden Gate Park at the intersection of Bowling Green and Middle Drive East, across from the tennis courts.

For more information, visit www.aidsmemorial.org.

 

San Francisco AIDS Foundation

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation will take a message of optimism to the streets by highlighting the progress already made against HIV/AIDS and the work that remains to fight the disease in the Bay Area and around the world.

Dozens of the foundation's clients, staff, and volunteers will hold signs displaying messages about what is successful in preventing HIV/AIDS.

The campaign will be held from 7 to 9 a.m. at five Bay Area locations. Sites in San Francisco are United Nations Plaza next to the Civic Center BART station, the Castro Street Muni station, and the Embarcadero and 24th Street/Mission Street BART stations. The campaign will also include the MacArthur BART station in Oakland.

For more information, visit www.sfaf.org

 

Gladstone Institutes, UCSF

On Monday, November 30, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the J. David Gladstone Institutes, 1650 Owens Street in San Francisco, there will be a presentation entitled "The Prehistory of HIV-1: Understanding the Primate Roots of Human AIDS," with Dr. Beatrice H. Hahn, professor of medicine and of microbiology and co-director of the Center for AIDS Research at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

On Tuesday, December 1, from 2 to 5 p.m., at Cole Hall, 513 Parnassus Street, there will be a symposium and observance recognizing the UCSF AIDS Health Project's 25th anniversary.

Ilan H. Meyer, of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, will give the keynote address, "Minority Stress Theory, Findings, and Implications for HIV/AIDS Prevention with Racial/Ethnic Minority Gay and Bisexual Men."

There will also be a screening of the short film, Life Before the Lifeboat: San Francisco's Courageous Response to the AIDS Outbreak , which features Dr. Paul Volberding and many of the pioneers in the AIDS epidemic at San Francisco General Hospital. The screenings take place December 1 and 2 every hour on the hour beginning at 2 p.m. with the final screening at 5 p.m. in SFGH's Carr Auditorium. For more information call (415) 206-4478.

For more information on Tuesday's event, including additional presentations, visit www.ari.ucsf.edu.

Metropolitan Community Church-SF

Metropolitan Community Church-San Francisco is having two events for World AIDS Day.  

The first is a Men's Community Gathering. The evening starts with a potluck at 6. There will be food, fellowship, conversation, and ritual as participants share with one another about the impact of HIV/AIDS on their lives. All those who identify as male are welcome, and there is no cost to attend.

The second will be on Sunday, December 6 at both the 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. worship services. John Hassell will be the guest preacher. Hassell is the Washington director for the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). He will be sharing in particular about the work he does in Africa.

At the evening service, the church will also be remembering and honoring the life of Dr. Robert Scott, a leading pioneer in HIV/AIDS treatment in the East Bay and in Zimbabwe who died in October, and raising money in his memory for the Mother of Peace orphanage in Zimbabwe. The orphanage is for children who have lost parents to HIV.

The church is at 150 Eureka St., San Francisco. For more information, go to www.mccsf.org.

Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center

In recognition of World AIDS Day, Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center is hosting a community event to raise awareness about HIV and its impact on the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

The event will be held on Tuesday, December 1 from noon to 2 p.m. at 730 Polk Street, San Francisco.

In response to the continuous rise in new HIV infections, the event will include a panel discussion on emerging at-risk populations, including immigrants and refugees, women, and young men who have sex with men.

The panel discussion, entitled "Right to Access: Emerging Challenges for Emerging Populations," will focus on the cultural and institutional barriers these groups encounter when discussing sexual health in their communities or navigating the health care system, particularly if widely-held beliefs and assumptions assure them they are at low risk for HIV infection. The panel will feature personal testimony from people living with HIV/AIDS as well as opinions and recommendations from experts in the medical field, including Dr. Tri Do, of UCSF's Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, and Anna Rivera, vice president of Bay Area Young Positives.

In a statement, Vinya Sysamouth, associate director of health education at the API Wellness Center, urged all community members to attend, saying, "it's important to remember that HIV has not gone away and challenges such as discrimination, stigmatization, and accessing treatment still persist. API Wellness Center and other agencies work to address these issues year-round, and we hope that World AIDS Day can serve as a reminder that there are still tough battles to be fought ahead."

Lunch and gift bags will be provided, in addition to free, confidential and anonymous rapid HIV and hepatitis B testing (results in 20 minutes). The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.apiwellness.org.

'Cocktails for a Cure'

Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants is giving back to AIDS/HIV service organizations nationwide with its "Cocktails for a Cure."

As part of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants' month-long Red Ribbon campaign, you can attend a special party on World AIDS Day.

In San Francisco, the Cocktails for a Cure event at the Harbor Court Hotel, 165 Steuart Street, from 6 to 8 p.m., will benefit the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation.

Drinks are a $5 donation. There will also be food, a silent auction, and entertainment.

For more information or to RSVP, contact David Paisley at (415) 437-3800 or David@communitymarketinginc.com.

Church service

At 6 p.m., St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 1111 O'Farrell Street (at Gough) will have an ecumenical service. This will be an evening service remembering those who have died of AIDS, and those who are living with HIV/AIDS and their families and friends.

HIV testing in SF

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Out of the Closet thrift stores will offer free HIV testing from noon to 7 p.m. at its San Francisco stores on World AIDS Day. Locations include 100 Church Street, 1295 Folsom Street (at 9th), and 1498 Polk Street. The event is part of the foundation's "Testing Millions" global campaign.

East Bay HIV testing

Pacific School of Religion will mark World AIDS Day by offering free HIV testing and a chapel service on campus. The events are co-sponsored by PSR's Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry and New Spirit Community Church.

HIV testing will be held in Holbrook Hall, 1798 Scenic Avenue in Berkeley, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The chapel service takes place at 11:10 a.m., also on campus.

"We want to send a clear message to people with HIV/AIDS that they have a prominent place of welcome in the member churches of our seminary, including the United Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and Metropolitan Community Churches," said the Reverend Jim Mitulski, who is HIV-positive and the pastor of New Spirit.

Out of the Closet will offer free HIV testing at its stores in Oakland (238 East 18th Street) and Berkeley (1600 University Avenue) from noon to 7 p.m.

South Bay observance

The Silicon Valley AIDS Leadership Center will commemorate World AIDS Day at the San Jose City Hall Rotunda, 200 East Santa Clara Street.

This 6 to 7 p.m. event will feature remarks from several community leaders, reflections of those impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and a local call to action for those in need. There will also be recognition of the top Walk for AIDS participants and teams.