For more than 30 years, I have proudly walked in San Francisco AIDS Walk. For the past 17 years, I've had the privilege of serving as CEO of the National AIDS Memorial, and for more than 25 years, I have been living with HIV.

This year, AIDS Walk San Francisco celebrates its 40th anniversary—a remarkable milestone that reminds us of the extraordinary power of community. For four decades, this walk has brought people together to confront stigma, expand access to care, support those living with HIV, and move us closer to a future with zero new infections.

At the National AIDS Memorial, we often say, "Remembrance is Future Work." We honor those we have lost not simply by remembering them, but by continuing the work they inspired. Every step we take and every dollar we raise helps ensure their stories continue to shape a future built on compassion, dignity, equity, and hope.

This walk is deeply personal to me. It honors the friends, mentors, and loved ones whose lives were cut short. It celebrates the resilience and courage of those living with HIV today. And it reaffirms our shared commitment to ending HIV stigma and creating a world where no one is left behind.

I hope you'll join me by making a gift to my fundraising campaign. Your support is more than a donation—it is a statement that we remember, we care, and we will continue the work until the fight is won.

Together, we can honor the past by building a healthier, more just future.

Thank you for walking beside me.