Dear Friends and Supporters,

With the year-end upon us, we pause to reflect on 2022 and celebrate our successes, all of which were made possible by the dedicated work of our staff, the resilience of our communities and the support of donors like you. As we look ahead to the work that remains to build a better future for all of us, we would like to share just a few accomplishments you have all helped us to achieve throughout 2022. 

Here are just a few accomplishments of 2022:

• After a short hiatus, with the incredible support of allies and the New York City Council we successfully re-launched our Latino Religious Leadership Program which has been working with faith-based communities since 1996 to bring health education, HIV prevention, awareness and access to vital health services to our communities in NYC.

• We worked closely with NYC DOHMH, NYC Health and Hospitals, and others to ensure equitable access to Monkeypox vaccination, and were instrumental in facilitating 510 doses of the vaccine on-site at OASIS Community Center, and linking another 1,500 individuals throughout NYC to Monkeypox vaccines.  

• Our Latinos in the South Program celebrated its 15-year anniversary during Southern LGBTQ Latinx Health Encuentro (Gathering) in Durham NC, which convened over 100 LGBTQ Latinx leaders from across the regional Southeast for co-learning, coalition building and professional development.

• Our Oasis Community Center was one of a handful programs invited to participate live at NYC Pride, marching under the theme “The Love Continua”, with our Oasis Madrina/Godmother, Ednita Nazario, longtime LGBTQ ally.

• Our Latino Community COVID-19 Response Initiative has engaged over 30,000 community members, providing over half with navigation referrals to services such as vaccine appointments, housing, food insecurity, legal services, employment, COVID testing, and primary care. They partnered with local agencies to provide 31 days of action to provide resources to the community.

• The Cielo Latino Gala honored included Secretary Xavier Becerra, who is the first Latino to serve as U.S Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), with the Esperanza Award.

• Latino Commission on AIDS had 8 employees featured in this year’s POZ 100 advocates list, which highlights Latino HIV/AIDS advocates nationally.

• Our national Zero Homophobia and Zero Transphobia campaigns theme this year was “I Choose Loving” a direct response to the waves of anti-LGBTQ legislation targeting queer communities across the country. We welcomed our first full-time campaign Director, Edric Figueroa based in Atlanta, GA. We hosted a podcast interview with LGBTQ, non-binary actor Vico Ortiz, and returned to in-person events for the Zero Transphobia, including a rally in NYC City Hall.

• Our Hands United southern regional capacity building assistance program deliver customize capacity building services in the southern region of the US and launched their podcast “The Talk” where the team talk about critical issues impacting the public health work force.

Please consider the Latino Commission on AIDS for your end of year contributions. Your commitment and support will allow us to continue to provide vital services, develop unique partnerships and transformational community driven initiatives, as well as advocate for increased access to culturally relevant healthcare for our diverse communities. In the new year, we renew our unbreakable commitment to continue this important work and put our communities first in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 

Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year.

Together we can!

Guillermo Chacon

President