TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with relevant departments on the feasibility of developing a plan and vision for a Long Beach AIDS Memorial dedicated to those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.
DISCUSSION
Since 1981, the AIDS epidemic has claimed the lives of more than 700,000 Americans. Of these lives lost a disproportionate amount of them are Black women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. According to the 2020 STI/HIV Monitoring Report released by the Long Beach Health and Human Services Department, Long Beach has a rate of 21 new HIV infections per 100,000 people. This rate is higher than the City of Los Angeles (16 per 100,000 people) and the statewide HIV rate (10 per 100,000 people).
Long Beach has historically been home to a strong LGBTQ+ community, including several businesses that have served our city for decades. Many of the bars, shops, cafes, and other businesses were among the only gathering spaces for gay, lesbian and trans Long Beach residents for many years, and were crucial in providing spaces for the queer community to socialize safely.
The City’s Health Department has been a leading provider for HIV medical services in our community since 1988, including providing free and confidential HIV/STI testing, mobile HIV clinics, and biomedical HIV prevention services, but over the years, our LGBTQ+ community has still lost many members due to HIV/AIDS.
Our LGBTQ+ community has made significant contributions to the culture of our City. Establishing an AIDS Memorial (Memorial) will honor and recognize all those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS in Long Beach, and provide a permanent space for all the partners, friends, and family members to both remember and celebrate their lost loved ones. Once funding has been identified and approved by the City Council, residents and stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and experiences should be engaged who can inform and provide community input to the City on the manner and scop...
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