The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will join in marking the 36th annual World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. To commemorate this year’s theme “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress,” Public Health is partnering with iconic landmarks across the County that will light up red on World AIDS Day.

These landmarks join Public Health to honor those impacted by HIV/AIDS, renew a collective commitment to ending the epidemic, and light the way to a brighter future. Public Health encourages people to learn more about HIV, know their HIV status, and, if necessary, access free and low-cost life-saving HIV medications and services. The illumination of landmarks is a powerful demonstration of unity and a visual reminder of the county’s collective action in combatting this disease.

Approximately 52,000 people with HIV live in Los Angeles County and an estimated 1,400 new HIV infections are reported each year. A disproportionate number of cases is seen among gay men, African Americans, Latinx and transgender individuals. Latinx people with HIV and young people with HIV are disproportionately unaware of their HIV-positive status. Among women with HIV in Los Angeles County, a highly disproportionate number of cases are found among Black and transgender women. Various factors drive these disproportionalities and require ongoing partnership and shared commitment to combat the disease.

“This year’s theme of collective action is central to the spirit of World AIDS Day, and to our goals,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “We are committed to working with multisector partners to end transmission of HIV and create a future where every person affected by HIV receives the support they need.”

Participating landmarks that will light up in red include:

Paramount Pictures’ Studio Water Tower

Petersen Automotive Museum

Rose Bowl Stadium

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s John Ferraro Building

The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles

Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center

Los Angeles Union Station

The Queen Mary, and The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach

Public Health collaborates with diverse community partners to implement community-driven outreach and education, community-based HIV/STD testing, linkage to care, intensive street-based case management and clinic-based services.

“Public Health urges people with HIV to visit I’m Positive LA for HIV-related information and services, and persons at risk for HIV or STD infection to visit our Get Protected LA website,” said Mario J. Pérez, Director of Public Health’s Division of HIV and STD Programs. “The sites have been updated to provide easy access to vital services, ensuring that visitors can easily access the support they need. Start treatment, stick to it, and get better!”

As part of the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative in Los Angeles County, Public Health implements over 35 innovative programs, focusing on diagnosing people as early as possible, preventing HIV through proven biomedical preventions, treating people rapidly to improve health outcomes, and responding to HIV outbreaks to ensure people are linked to testing and services as needed. Community engagement and outreach are integral to EHE, including enhanced engagement to the transgender community through the @TransinLA Instagram account and HIV prevention media campaigns for Black and Latinx communities.

World AIDS Day raises awareness about HIV/AIDS, celebrates progress against the disease, and honors and supports impacted communities. Globally, an estimated 88.4 million people have acquired HIV since the start of the epidemic. Almost 40 million people around the world are currently living with HIV, and over 42 million people have died from AIDS-related illness since the start of the epidemic. In 2023, globally, approximately 630,000 people died from HIV and an estimated 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV.

To learn more about HIV and STDs and locate testing, services, and resources, visit getprotectedla.com, impositivela.com and the Division of HIV and STD Programs website.