Remembering the ARC/AIDS Vigil: Day of Action on HIV and Homelessness

On October 27th in 1985, two HIV+ gay men chained themselves to the doors of the old federal building at UN Plaza to protest government inaction on HIV/AIDS. Soon they were joined by others, and maintained presence 24/7 for the next several years.

They slept in tents and staffed an education table, constantly pressuring the government to put funding and resources into services for people living with HIV/AIDS. This was the spark for an AIDS activism that used direct action tactics to accomplish its goals.

Sound familiar? The Occupy movement draws many parallels to those used in the ARC/AIDS Vigil.

Today, people living with HIV/AIDS still face many struggles - one of the most overwhelming of which being homelessness. There are up to 2,500 homeless people with HIV/AIDS in SF. 50% of those became homeless due to real estate speculator eviction – either through the Ellis Act or Owner Move In.

We will be speak out, demanding that the new mayor of San Francisco commit to ENDING homelessness for HIV+ people, queer youth and trans folks within 4 years.

We will also be offering a housing advice clinic, needle exchange, free HIV testing, and organic vegetarian lunch from 11am-2pm



PLEASE:

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Organized by: AIDS Housing Alliance SF, Homonomixxx, and St James Infimary.

RSVP on FB: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=297899620229173