FAM partnered with the Minority AIDS Project (MAP) for “LOVE, LIGHT & LEGACY,” the second annual STORIES Circle story-telling event to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, 2022.

The event was held at Soulmate Restaurant in West Hollywood.  The event was moved from its original location of the future site of STORIES: The AIDS Monument in West Hollywood Park due to inclement weather.

Like in past STORIES Circle events, we gathered in small circles to share personal stories about how HIV & AIDS has impacted our lives.  Our featured speaker, the Rt. Beatitude Bishop Zachary Jones, told his deeply personal story of redemption and public service. MAP CEO Russell Thornhill gracefully delivered closing remarks about remembering the angels we’ve lost and sharing our stories in our communities where they can help another person on his/her/their journey.

All participants were invited to stay for dinner so that the storytelling and community-building could continue over a delicious meal. Funding for our World AIDS Day event was provided by a generous grant from Gilead Sciences. We invite you to watch videos of the event:

– Highlights (7 minutes)

– Longer video with speeches (26.5 minutes)

The City of West Hollywood co-sponsored the event.  Participating organizations included Unity Fellowship Church, Being Alive, The AMAAD Institute, and Antioch University.  The evening is supported by Gilead who provided funding. Gilead had no input into the content of the materials used at this event.

The mission of the STORIES Circle event series is to build community and foster storytelling among those affected by HIV & AIDS and expand awareness of STORIES: The AIDS Monument.  To be notified of FAM’s future STORIES Circle events, please sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter and to receive event notifications.