Pride Parade, Sunday, May 19th, 2019
LOS ANGELES (May 16, 2019) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, is proud to join the LGBTQ community in celebrating the 2019 Pride season through its participation in 24 Pride events across the country, including Long Beach, which takes place this weekend (May 18 & 19).
“Long Beach has a unique importance right now,” said Whitney Engeran Cordova, AHF’s Senior Director of Public Health and a longtime resident of Long Beach, adding that this month, the city released a report revealing new HIV infections are increasing at two times the rate of the California state average.
“We want to help. Responding to a community in need is woven in to our fabric at AHF. Our testers will be onsite all-day Sunday, providing (free) HIV tests to parade-goers. Results take 60 seconds. If an individual is reactive, additional team members will be on site to help get them into care right away.”
WHAT: AHF’s ‘Our Champions’ bus and contingent in the LONG BEACH PRIDE PARADE; also, free testing on AHF’s ‘Knockout HIV’ vans during Pride
WHEN: HIV TESTING: SAT., May 18th & Sun., May 19th 11:00 am –10:00 pm
PRIDE PARADE: SUNDAY MAY 19th(parade kickoff: 10:30 am)
WHERE: HIV TESTING: Corporate Sponsor Row on Shoreline Drive, west of Linden Avenue
PRIDE PARADE: Ocean Blvd & Lindero Ave, Long Beach CA 90803. Parade Step off begins at 10:30am (AHF contingent to arrive @ 9:30am)
NEWS DESKS: In light of a new report on increasing HIV rates in Long Beach (released by the Long Beach Department of Health), consider getting a B-roll shots of AHF’s ‘Knockout HIV’ testing vans.
AHF will also pass out free condoms to parade goers. Our “Knock Out HIV” mobile testing vans can be found near the Nissan (Main Stage) at Long Beach Pride from 11am-10pm Sunday.
Look Out for AHF’s ‘Our Champions’ Pride Bus!
In addition to HIV testing, this year’s ‘Our Champions’ Pride theme honors eight key individuals who have been influential advocates and activists in the nearly four-decade fight against HIV and AIDS and/or in AHF’s own history. The heartfelt artistic Pride tribute comes on the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, perhaps the largest milestone and catalyst for the LGBTQ rights movement in modern history.
In prior Pride seasons, AHF’s bus—which has become a staple at Pride parades nationwide—focused on the LGBTQ concept of ‘One Community.’ Last year, its colorful ‘Lifesaver’ condom image promoted safer sex and condom use to prevent HIV, STDs and unwanted pregnancies.
AHF’s ‘Our Champions’ bus will travel to multiple Pride parades throughout the country, stopping first in Miami, then Long Beach, New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C, and Chicago— catching the eyes of parade-goers and reminding them of the brave human beings who helped change our world.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to over one million individuals in 43 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @AIDSHealthcare
