India’s First Openly Gay Prince Led AHF’s LA Pride Parade March June 10th -12th

In Global, India, News by AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation patients, staff and volunteers marched alongside the LGBTQ community at the Los Angeles Pride parade with its newly updated Pride bus last weekend. The bus was led by Crown Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, the first openly gay member of India’s royal family. 

AHF also offered free HIV testing out of its mobile testing unit as well as its Out of the Closet Thrift Store in West Hollywood throughout Pride weekend. 

LOS ANGELES (June 9, 2016) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, was proud to take part in 2016 LA Pride in West Hollywood the weekend of June 10th. This year, Crown Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, India’s first openly gay prince, led AHF clients, volunteers, staff and members of Impulse Group during the parade. This weekend’s event was the Prince’s first gay pride in the U.S.—he previously opened gay pride in Stockholm in 2008 and in São Paulo in 2009.

A strong advocate for LGBT rights as well as HIV/AIDS education and prevention, Prince Manvendra faced outrage when he came out to a country where “homosexual acts” are punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He now supports LGBT individuals in India through his community-based organization, The Lakshya Trust. Manvendra will continue to work alongside AHF as the AHF Ambassador in India and Impulse Group Ambassador.

“AHF was honored to march alongside Prince Manvendra and the LGBTQ community in its hometown of Los Angeles this weekend,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “AHF continues to stand with LGBTQ individuals around the globe in advocating for equal rights, fighting discrimination and ensuring access to healthcare.”

Manvendra led AHF’s newly updated Pride bus (#73) in the parade. The bus is wrapped with a rainbow of smiling faces, representing the diversity within the LGBTQ community. The “One Comm(unity), One Love” slogan communicates the sense of strength and unity among LGBTQ individuals, especially in the face of the HIV/AIDS virus that disproportionately affects their community. The parade began at 11 a.m. on Sunday and ran westward along Santa Monica Blvd from Crescent Heights Blvd to Robertson Blvd.

Throughout Pride weekend, AHF offered free HIV tests from its mobile testing unit located at northeast corner of Santa Monica Blvd and San Vicente Blvd.  AHF’s Out of the Closet Thrift Store on Santa Monica Blvd. also provided free HIV testing during business hours.

AHF is proud to support the LGBTQ community through its national network of pharmacies, Out of the Closet Thrift Stores that offer free HIV testing, and specialized healthcare centers that offer medical care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information on AHF Healthcare Center locations, AHF Pharmacy, and Out of the Closet Thrift Stores, visit www.hivcare.org, www.AHFpharmacy.org, and www.outofthecloset.org.

View photos from the event below:

AHF Mourns with Orlando Community; Supports The Center's Fund to Assist Victims
AHF Targets Gilead with AIDS Drug Pricing Protest at Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference