New Yorkers joined memorials, marches, and readings at several gatherings around the city in commemoration of World AIDS Day, which is observed annually on Dec. 1 [and] continued on Dec. 2 with a reading of the names of people lost to AIDS.

NY1 spent some time at the New York City AIDS Memorial for our observance of World AIDS Day and reading of names on December 2, 2024.

Dave Harper, executive director of the New York City Aids Memorial, joined anchor Rocco Vertuccio "Weekends on 1" Saturday morning to discuss World AIDS Day events happening Sunday in the five boroughs.

Gay City News writes about activist and Out of the Darkness vigil organizer Brent Nicholson Earle. “Brent is an exemplary activist whose spirit of community and caring just warrants a celebration of his work,” Harper said. “I think it’s important that we gather each World AIDS Day to remember and reflect on what the community has been through.”

Events will be taking place in New York City to mark World AIDS Day, which is commemorated annually on Dec. 1 to bring awareness to HIV/AIDS internationally, acknowledge those living with HIV/AIDS, and pay tribute to the lives lost over the years. The New York City AIDS Memorial is leading a free public observance of World AIDS Day with two days of programming. 

Each year, on December 1, the world gathers to remember those lost to and impacted by HIV/AIDS and champion the ongoing fight against the epidemic. To commemorate World AIDS Day, the New York City AIDS Memorial will host its annual, free, and public observance featuring two days of programming in collaboration with organizations dedicated to bringing communities together in the fight to end HIV/AIDS.

This review of Scott Burton: Shape Shift at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis mentions Oscar Tuazon’s upcoming Scott Burton project to be installed at the New York City AIDS Memorial next autumn.

The Los Angeles-based artist Oscar Tuazon, together with the gallery Kasmin and the New York City AIDS Memorial, is breathing new life into one of Burton’s final public artworks: an array of lights, flag poles, weathervanes and ottomans on the fishing piers in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn…Tuazon plans to transform them into a new work, “Eternal Flame for Scott Burton,” which is expected to be installed at the NYC AIDS Memorial in fall 2025.

In this New York Times preview by Joshua Barone, a look is taken at Philip Glass’s Fourth String Quartet, written after the death of the artist Brian Buczak, which will be performed at the New York City AIDS Memorial on October 27, 2024.

This story about gay rights pioneer Arnie Kantrowitz's posthumously published new book, "Song of Myself: A Novel" interviews his partner Dr. Larry Mass at the New York City AIDS Memorial.

Though he died at the age of 37 due to AIDS complications, David Wojnarowicz left a powerful legacy of avant-garde artmaking, passionate LGBTQ+ and disability activism, and withstanding friendships — all of which will be commemorated at the New York City AIDS Memorial Park. To celebrate what would have been the trailblazing artist’s 70th birthday, the NYC AIDS Memorial has partnered with the David Wojnarowicz Foundation, Visual AIDS, and PPOW Gallery for an interdisciplinary remembrance event on Saturday night, September 14.

“I discovered that making an object, whether it was a drawing or a story, meant making something that spoke even if I was silent,” David Wojnarowicz wrote in his renowned 1991 memoir Close to the Knives. Throughout his life, the artist, writer, and activist used art to express himself amidst societal oppression. Today, Wojnarowicz’s voice remains––powerful and resonant––long after his death.

Events across Manhattan will pay tribute to the late artist through readings, film screenings, music, and a candlelit procession. Saturday evening (14 September) will be a staging of Wojnarowicz’s The Waterfront Journals monologues at the New York City Aids Memorial in Greenwich Village.

In this article on the Miami AIDS Memorials Project (MAMP), author Theodore Kerr writes about AIDS Memorial’s strategies for community enagement. He says, “Leaning into community engagement is foundational to the history of AIDS memorials...More recently, organizations like the New York City AIDS Memorial have offered a robust calendar of programming to ensure people are visiting the memorial, both to remember loved ones who have passed away and to honor the fact that AIDS is not over.”

Holland Cotter writes: “Closer to home there was…a stirring lament of a public sculpture, called “Craig’s Closet” by the American artist Jim Hodges, installed in the park adjacent to the New York City AIDS Memorial. In part thanks to its placement near the memorial, the piece kept personal and political content in subtle sync, in an image that spoke of lives we had and have, lives we lost and are still losing, and lives we need to fight not to forget.”

To kick off Pride Month, the New York City AIDS Memorial and the Whitney Museum hosted the second annual Legends of Drag on June 5.

Community members joined together at the New York City AIDS Memorial on June 13 to remember the life of Kathy Ottersten, an out trans ACT UP veteran who died in January.

The New York City AIDS Memorial’s June 15 program, A Remembrance, as well as our newly inaugurated bench dedication program, were featured on NY1, with commentary by New York City AIDS Memorial Board Member Eric Sawyer and activist Michelle Lopez.

A profile on Egyptt LaBeija, one of the fierce performers featured in Legends of Drag, hosted by the NYC AIDS Memorial and the Whitney Museum on June 5, 2024.

The second annual Legends of Drag revue occurred at the Whitney Museum of American Art. It is an event to honor trailblazing drag queen elders who have been leaders in their communities. The queen elders were kicking out their heels and collecting dollars for their performances at the event organized by the New York City AIDS Memorial.