Six Cities Will Join AIDS Walks Across America For “AIDS Walk: Live at Home”, A Blockbuster Television and Streaming Event, May 16
We are excited to share that AIDS Walk: Live at Home will be returning on May 16 for it’s annual blockbuster event. As the world’s largest and most visible HIV/AIDS fundraising event raising over $155 million in its 35 years – the 2021 virtual event will continue to fundraise for vital services for people most vulnerable to HIV and COVID-19. This year marks the largest event yet with six cities including New York, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Austin, New Orleans and Seattle all participating.
GMHC of New York, NY, and Vivent Health of Milwaukee, WI, announced that they will be collaborating with Austin, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Seattle in addition to New York and Milwaukee for this year’s star studded event. The televised and streaming of AIDS Walk: Live at Home, will be bigger than last year’s virtual event, with the culmination of the fundraising efforts of six AIDS Walk events which encompass all corners of the nation. Funds raised will principally benefit GMHC, Vivent Health, CrescentCare, AIDS Walk San Francisco Foundation, Lifelong, as well as supporting dozens of other AIDS organizations.
“As we mark the fortieth year of AIDS in America, we are inspired by the coming together of AIDS Walks from all across the United States. The local community partners and I are so very excited to continue to work alongside these outstanding participating organizations. Together, we will continue to fight as one for an end to the AIDS epidemic,” said Craig R. Miller, the founder of the original AIDS Walks in the US, on behalf of the groups benefiting from this year’s event.
AIDS Walk: Live at Home will also feature performances and appearances by a select list of talent, who themselves have a history of association with HIV/AIDS charities, including: Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winning trailblazer, Billy Porter; Tony and Grammy Award winning actress Heather Headley; Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winning legend, Rita Moreno; actor, singer, writer, producer, director and activist Tony Goldwyn; singer and actress Liz Callaway; actor and singer Alex Newell; Golden Globe and Oscar nominated, choreographer and community activist Rosie Perez; actor, designer and host Carson Kressley; actor, author and activist George Takei; and the stars from the Emmy award winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race”.
With live segments planned, including “Viewing Parties” from New York’s iconic Central Park Boathouse and the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, AIDS Walk: Live at Home will be broadcast on ABC7/KGO-TV in the Bay Area and streamed live on CBSN and AIDSWalk.net.
“AIDS Walk: Live at Home will reflect the strength and individual character of all six landmark events and the communities that embrace them year after year,” said Kelsey Louie, CEO of GMHC, Isaac Rodriguez of the AIDS Walk San Francisco Foundation, and Craig R. Miller, Founder of the AIDS Walks in New York and San Francisco among other cities.
“Vivent Health is pleased to join with the nation’s most visible HIV/AIDS fundraising events,” said Michael Gifford, President and CEO at Vivent Health. “Through partnership with AIDS Walk Wisconsin and AIDS Walk Austin – both part of the Vivent Health family – we will connect with other cities in our shared goal to end HIV/AIDS.”
“In Washington State and around the country, we continue to see Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities disproportionately impacted by new HIV cases,” said Claire Neal, Lifelong CEO. “We are excited to work hand-in-hand with like-minded organizations throughout the nation collaborating on AIDS Walk: Live at Home.”
“This is a brilliant opportunity for us to participate in a wide-scale effort that brings attention to the HIV crisis that still looms in this country,” said Noel Twilbeck, CEO of CrescentCare in New Orleans. “Together, our voices will be heard as one. HIV eradication is within our grasp.”
“As our nation’s only federally-designated memorial to AIDS and as stewards of the AIDS Quilt, we are honored to host this virtual Live at Home event in our beloved National AIDS Memorial Grove with the backdrop of Quilt displays to serve as inspiration and hope to all the walkers and their sponsors.” said John Cunningham, the Memorial’s Executive Director.
“The AIDS Walk events in each of the participating cities have their own unique characteristics. But the clients we serve all face very similar challenges. It makes sense for us to come together as one community and to unite some of the nation’s most powerful and effective AIDS fundraisers from all regions of the country.” said Louie.
“In doing this work, we have been brought together by one pandemic even as we continue to fight another. The public’s recent revelations about racism, bias and hate in America are in fact at the heart of what AIDS Walks have been working to expose, confront and change for decades.” said Miller. “We have long stood, walked and marched to oppose the racist, sexist, homophobic and transphobic disparities that persist in America and throughout our healthcare and criminal justice systems. Protecting people who have been singled out, harassed, scapegoated and underserved is what we do. It is our legacy and it remains our commitment.”
