On Saturday, April 30th Hill’s Pride Tribe joined 1,500 caring Kansas Citians at Theis Park in Kansas City, MO for the 34th Annual AIDS WALK. While some walked to support the brave men, women, and children living with HIV/ AIDS in our community, others walked to celebrate the lives of those we lost too soon to AIDS. Regardless of the reason, we all share the same vision of AIDS no longer being a threat to those we love.
That’s why I’m proud to work for a company like Hill’s Pet Nutrition, joining hundreds of other KC companies and organizations committed to taking life changing steps towards helping those local living with HIV/ AIDS.Hill’s was one of the featured sponsors this year, most notably for the water stops posted along the route to make sure our walker pups also stay hydrated.
As the city’s largest HIV/ AIDS fundraiser, compassionate walkers raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to benefit organizations that offer outreach & support, and provide emergency services, medical care, and long term nursing and shelter to hundreds of people in the greater KC area every day. This year, they’ve already raised over $265,00, and you can still get involved and donate at https://www.aidswalkkansascity.org/ to help them reach their goal of $300,000!
All of this is made possible by the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City, who for the past 30 years hasn’t stopped remaining passionate about educating the public about this disease, a crucial component to stopping the spread & stigma of HIV/ AIDS. As the ASFGKC website boldly states: HIV/ AIDS IS NOT OVER, and HIV-related stigma is one of the most challenging obstacles for those living with the disease. Stigma is one thing our community unfortunately recognizes all too well, especially with nearly every passing day, it seems like there is a new story about anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans bills and laws going on around the country. News like this can often be difficult to read and unsettling to hear, preeminently when thinking about the dangerous stigma it can cause for our LGBTQ+ youth. That’s why we cannot give up. While there have been many great advancements in LGBTQ+ acceptance & drug therapies for HIV/ AIDS patients, these bills are still somehow getting passed, and people are still contracting HIV/ AIDS, especially our youth and young adults.
AIDS Walk gives us a reminder during ambiguous times of why we started advocating in the first place. While we may not know what the future holds, what we can do as members, advocates, and allies of the LGBTQ+ community is make sure we are doing everything in our power advancing the lives of those less fortunate today to ensure better tomorrows. It takes all of us playing an active role and using our voice to speak out against discriminatory legislation & harmful stigma in order for real change to happen and to prevent unnecesary deaths.
Keep fighting & (walking!) to remember all those we’ve lost and remember the fight still ahead.
Watch the AIDS Service Foundation recap video here with Hill’s WALK team featured: https://fb.watch/cOdUQ9jjvA/
Hill’s Pride Tribe Walk Team
Hill’s team at the Finish Line with the City of Fountains Sisters, KC’s House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
