 City of San Antonio Proclamation, whereas the San Antonio World AIDS Day Collaborative will observe World AIDS Day by hosting its Gathering of Remembrance and Hope, even at the Woodlawn Theater on December 1st, 2013, to honor the memory of the individuals who lost their lives to HIV and AIDS, and to show support for those who are striving, and whereas over a million Americans are estimated to be living with AIDS and HIV. The epidemic that has no cure and threatens not only our own nation, but the entire world, and whereas the Collaborative is comprised of local community-based and AIDS service organizations, faith-based institutions, and public leaders to address the devastating impact of AIDS and HIV's community, and whereas the education of HIV and AIDS helps reduce the stigma surrounding the disease and decreases its spread, while knowledge promotes responsible behavior and protects our families and society. Now, therefore, I, Julian Castro, Mayor of the City of San Antonio, in recognition thereof do hereby proclaim December 1st, 2003, to be World AIDS Day. In San Antonio, Texas, I encourage citizens to join global effort to prevent the further spread of HIV and AIDS, and the steps necessary to prevent its spread through our communities. In witness, whereof I have here on two-step my hand and cause the seal of the City of San Antonio to be affixed this first day of December, 2013. Mayor Julian, signed by Mayor Julian Castro. And by the authority of the Commissioner's Court of Bear County, Bear Proclamation. Whereas December 1st is World AIDS Day, it is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate people who have died. And whereas getting to zero is a strategy for World AIDS Day, the campaign brings attention to the importance of working together locally to ensure zero new HIV cases, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths in bear and surrounding counties. And whereas on this day, the San Antonio World AIDS Day Collaborative, comprised of local community-based and AIDS service organizations, faith-based organizations, and other community leaders, will build a local wave of solidarity and action to continue the progress being made to stop HIV-AIDS in our community. We'll allow families and friends to honor the passing of their loved ones and we'll show the support for those living with HIV-AIDS as it's 2013 Gathering of Remembrance and Hope set for Sunday, December 1st, at the Woodlawn Theater. Now, therefore, be at resolve that the Commissioner's Court of the County of Bear hereby recognizes and proclaims December 1st, 2003, to be World AIDS Day. Witness our signatures and seal of office this 19th day of November, 2013. Nelson W. Wolfe, County Judge, Sergio Chico Rodriguez, County Commissioner, Precinct One, Kevin A. Wolfe, County Commissioner, Precinct Three, Paula Elizondo, County Commissioner, Precinct Two, and Tommy Atkinson, County Commissioner, Precinct Four. Thank you. I am Reverend Mick Henson and I'm the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Antonio and on behalf of the San Antonio World AIDS Day Collaborative, we welcome each of you to our fifth annual World AIDS Day community-wide observance. We also want to welcome to our Gathering tonight everyone who is joining us via Nowcast Internet Livestream. And if you are able to like for you just to turn around and wave at the cameras to welcome everybody that is in our internet audience, we're so glad that you were with us tonight as well. Please take a moment tonight to look at the acknowledgement portion of your programs and notice all of the efforts of the countless volunteers who have given selfishly of their time, energy, finances and talents for this effort. I especially want to give thanks and just wonderful thoughts for the owners and the staff and the managers of Woodlawn Theater for their generous gift of space, great wisdom and wonderful hospitality. So if you would give them a round of applause tonight. I would also like to lift up a few people that are not listed in your program. And I want to begin with the two readers of the proclamations, Yvonne Arcruzic and Adriana Salazar. We are so thankful that they dumped up with a plate for that. Dana Clark and her ensemble, Kevin Lewis and Margo Teales, we're so thankful for them. In just a few moments, we will have a reading of the names and the people who will be reading are Rick Almaguer, Helen Lloyd, Dan Minharis and Enrique Perez. The actors in this getting to zero skit that is coming forward is a performance portrayed by a variety of human responses to HIV. They may not necessarily provide testimony from their own personal experience but those that are participating in this generous act of giving. Gilbert Cassius, Catherine Quasay, Robert Diaz, Bobby Esquietta, Susan Jones, Tammy Lockhart, Hildi Morga, Rudy Menchaca and Dominic and Della Ciguera. The faith representatives tonight is Reverend Rachel Miller who is the pastor of the San Antonio Midnight Community, Reverend Tom Hager, pastor of Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church and I will be speaking for Reverend Dr. Maureen Killerin who is the accredited interim pastor of the first Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio. She could not be here tonight because she was diagnosed with the flu. So we promptly appreciated her willingness and told her to stay home. Rhonda Grimm who is representing Temple Beth El and Reverend Naomi Brown who is youth director of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Antonio. The San Antonio World AIDS Day Collaborative is made up of over 13 different faiths and over 25 different agencies. If you would like to be a part of our efforts please contact us through the HIV AIDS organizations listed in your program tonight. Get involved, last but not least as a gathering. We would like to thank all the case managers, nurses, physicians, HIV educators, mental health and drug treatment counselors and others who daily provide compassionate services to those affected with HIV and those at risk. And to you for observing this night with a host of others around the world, remembering those we have lost, standing with those directly infected and affected and joining together to fight for a cure. We will eradicate HIV AIDS from the world by touching one life, one person at a time. Thank you for being here. You were very much appreciated. And now we'd like to give you a few words of instruction. In your bulletins tonight you will find two items. You will find a pen and you will find a red ribbon that has Velcro on the back. There is a purpose for this. We'd like to encourage you to write your hopes for HIV AIDS on this red ribbon. And at the hopes section of the program, when we begin the Hope Walk, as you leave the theater and go out, we will be marching around the block. There will be people who will be guiding you around the block. For those of you who wish to do this, please leave the theater, make a left out of the theater, but on your way out of the theater you will see a table that will have a felt cloth on it. And there will be an outline of a red ribbon. Place your paper red ribbon with the Velcro on it, on that felt sheet. And then continue your walk around the block. As you walk around the block, you will see people who will guide you to help you to be safe in your walk. Come back into the theater. After you walk around the block, you will come back into the theater, come back and sit down and we'll do concluding remarks. Thank you so much for being here. It is good to see you. It is good to be together in fighting this pandemic. It's not over. We have a long way to go, but we have a lot of people that we can join hand in hand, heart to heart, and we can make a difference. God bless you. Harold M. Daniel R. Patrick R. David S. Christina S. Richard S. Andres S. Robert V. Jason V. Graciela H. Edward L. John F. Melvin W. Molly Jerry H. Eduardo A. Mark A. Michael A. Bobby B. Christian C. Bobby E. Tommy F. Linda F. Roy R. Mauro E. Armando S. Rick M. Rosa Ann J. Christina N. Cat R. Perry R. Antonio G. Renee G. Joe H. George H. Norris H. Robert J. Viviano M. Fernando M. Steve M. Leo. Monty. Carlos J. Paletta L. Fifi. Domingo P. Lucia A. Lupe F. Robert P. Kim V. Marim W. Ursula W. Kenneth W. Wilhelmina W. Juaneta W. John O. Sylvia G. David F. Raul C. Fred D. Reynaldo G. Harry H. Dennis J. Neil M. We would like to invite all of you to speak the names of your loved ones who have died from complications of HIV AIDS. The floor is open. Peter Pan. Jeffrey. Let us live in love as we remember all our friends. Living good, living loud, living strong, living proud, living, living longer. Living louder, living stronger, living wild, living. As a writer and a dramatist, I used to think that every story touching on HIV needed to be stark, to misunderstandings, rejections and shame in order to reveal the brutal truth of AIDS. My own journey and gathering the tales of others who would share with me not of how people were dying of a disease, but of how people are living with a desire to conquer their illness. Instead of horror and defeat, somehow the spot often would shine on hope and determination. May that light continue to brighten all our hearts, minds and our outlooks towards a healthy future. Living, living longer, living louder, living stronger, living proud, living. Came to me to tell me she had tested positive for HIV. She was scared. She felt so very alone. In her despair, she said she didn't know how she could go on. She was terrified to tell anybody. She was scared of the stigma. Some might have asked, how did you get this? What happened? But I knew that didn't matter. I simply said, I'm not going anywhere. You have me. And together, we sought out support. We found a caring community with friends, with love and knowledge and courage. People who believed that strength was found in compassion. And together, we felt hope. Living, living, living, living louder, living stronger, living proud. For my brother, I wish you were still here. You should see all the new things we have. There are many new programs, groups and medications. We even have retreats for those infected and affected with HIV AIDS. I am affected because of you. And the fight continues. Living, living, living, living, living louder, living stronger, living. I think about how this disease has affected some of the people in my life. I can't help but think, what could I have done to help them so that they might still be around today? My friend Todd, who is one of the nicest people I ever knew, never got himself tested. It wasn't until he started showing physical signs that he finally went and got himself tested. That's when he was told that he had the AIDS virus and that he was already at the point where he did not have much longer to live. He had been living with HIV for years and didn't even know it. I helped with Todd's care until he passed away a few short months later. It broke my heart watching my friend suffer and fade away the way he did. No one should have to suffer like that. I wish there was more I could have done for him before he left this place. Now I'm just trying to do my part and serve whomever I can that needs my help. If I could use someone else's suffering to avoid such a painful ordeal. That's why I'm here today. To let people know that it doesn't have to be that way. I have been blessed to know so many people living a healthy, inspiring lives despite the HIV infection. There are so many ways to protect yourself and live a prosperous life. And here's a great start. Get tested. Living, living, living, living, oh, living longer, living louder, living stronger, living brighter, living. Passion is to help people. My first career was a paramedic in Corpus Christi, Texas. I love the rush of the 911 call. I remember one patient in particular who had overdosed on cocaine, Narcan, two milligrams, IVP, slowly. The patient came up fighting. That is when I was stuck with a hypodermic needle. That needle stick changed my life completely. I became angry, bitter. I isolated. I quit my job as a paramedic. My life was safe now. No more risk to me. Months went by and I longed for my love with every siren I heard. I returned to paramedicine and have since became a nurse. I am once again helping people and living life very fulfilled. I offer my service in the acts HIV ministry and that gives me great happiness, a sense of belonging and purpose. I have spent the last eight months learning to play guitar for the Lord. Not only can I serve on the medical team, but I can offer my energy to the music ministry as well. I play for the Lord because it heals my anger and my fear. Music is uplifting and powerful and I just wanted to share that with everyone. Living, living, oh, living longer, living louder, living stronger. It affected my ability to imagine a healthy birth. I kept fearing the worst and blaming myself. I would cry and worry continuously. Then I read something about an ex, an expectant mother's emotional state affected their developing child and something in me said, listen, if you can't give your baby the best physical health because of your status, you better make up for it by making sure that the emotional state is 105% awesome. I started playing joyful music for my baby and asking the doctor more effectively and openly what I could do to help my baby be healthy. I learned about a chemical in humans breast milk that helped prevent the transmission of HIV to a newborn. I started taking better care of me, eating right, stressing less, praying more. I made a decision not to raise my child and climb in a fear and doom when the forecast is really not that bad. So now the only negative thing in my baby is that he's HIV negative, no detectable virus. We are still being careful, of course, to stay healthy, but we are growing happily and along each and every day. All I knew was pain, suffering, great to tell people of my hideous secret out of fear of rejection, not realizing my family would be the first of many battles for my self dignity and respect. Through those times, I made many, many poor choices. Only feeding to the self-loathing, those paths led me to AIDS doorstep. Here comes death. Luckily I was handed into loving care of a compassionate and dedicated doctor. Once on the path to recovery, I worked to heal my demons. I even reconciled with my family. So in those 28 years, with the help of counseling, therapy, support groups, and a loving faith community, I've helped to be a lot kinder to myself. The outcome of all this work, I stand here undetectable. I may have AIDS, but AIDS does not have me. Living, living, yes we're living, long, living, living, stronger, living, proud, living. For you says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm to give you a future with hope. Living life is a true blessing. Back in the 80s and early 90s, our friends and loved ones were dying on a daily basis from an unknown illness now known to us as HIV AIDS. There was no hope, no medications that prolonged life, but life is different today. One day we are admitted to the hospital having difficulty breathing. You are in the emergency room and doctors are all around looking at x-rays and speaking to each other. And from afar, you hear them saying, it looks like PCP. You know what that may mean. A doctor comes over and questions, have you had multiple sex partners? You answer yes. They ask permission to draw blood and perform an AIDS test. You are admitted and observed while you wait the long three days for your results. You wait and wait. It seems like forever there is a lot of time to think, to wonder, to pray, to talk to God. Everything imaginable runs through your mind. The day comes and the doctor walks into the room and says, you are positive. Your cell count is at 15. Another week without care and you could have died. But with lifestyle changes and medication, you can live a normal life. You can continue to live your life as you have. Many of my friends did not have that option. They just waited for their day to die. Remember, the life you live today is a blessing. Before the doctor left the room after delivering the news, he asked, you are not crying. You don't seem to be upset with the news as others react. I said, I have faith in God. He will lead me through this. As I am not dying with HIV, I am living with HIV. Living, living, living. Oh yes, we're living longer. Living louder. Living stronger. Living, living. Exodus 316. I am. I am has sent me to you. I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the gate. I am the good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the way. The truth. The life. I am the true vine. I am compassion. I am kindness. I am humility. I am gentleness. I am patient. And over all these virtues, I am love, which binds us all together in perfect unity. I am who I am. Living, living longer. Living louder. Living stronger. We're telling the story Of the progress we've made With faith in the future This is the beginning Of the air working together We're telling the story Of the progress we've made We're getting to zero With faith in the future This is the beginning Of the sickness they are guilty of no wrong They need treatment, not punishment That's been true The shame that keeps it hidden Is the virus spread But take away the stigma Will eliminate the threat We must destroy our sake Leaving it to someone else Just isn't worth the risk Now we're all in danger The entire human race Must join the struggle To confront this problem face to face We're working together We're telling the story Of the progress we've made We're getting to zero With faith in the future This is the beginning Of the air in Chile Not a single infant Will be born with HIV The thousands still are dying With the orphans left behind The responsibility for them Is yours and it's mine There's so much to do Claim success Still there's those who claim They're too afraid to get the test Don't they know with treatment They'll do more than just survive They can keep their dreams And live out long productive lives We're getting to zero Working together We're telling the story Of the progress we've made This is the beginning Take it from this place Don't leave it here Go out into the world And do something about it Live in your hope In your programs We mentioned that you have a ribbon Please write down if you have not already Your hope for the future As you join with me in the procession of hope We'll exit the theater And we'll place our ribbons On the felt material We'll walk around the block And we'll come back into the theater Where we will have closing remarks Please join with me In taking it to the streets Please join with me in living longer Living louder Living stronger Living prouder Living longer Living louder Living strong Living longer Living, living strong Yes, we're living longer Living louder Living stronger A promise of God with us A God who accompanies us In the ordinary and extraordinary Of daily life A God who understands suffering A God who is at work To make all creation whole We wait and watch For this God to break into our lives As though our whole being Depends on it And for this community Gathered here tonight We also wait and watch together Taking up the mantle of hope That aids will one day be eradicated And God's beloved children Will once again be whole worldwide We are on this journey together And God holds our every step Please pray with me God of healing and hope You know us intimately And love us unconditionally You who took on flesh To live among us To struggle with us Come and be with us now As we name the darkness of loss As we claim the strength of community The strength of our stories And as we live already now The hope for a cure Dwell with us as we move toward zero As we live longer and live louder Be our hope and our companion We pray, amen Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop The first openly gay bishop In the Episcopal Church Told this story to a group of us Presbyterians four or five years ago He prefaced it by saying He wasn't at all certain that it happened But he was absolutely certain That it was true It's a story of the matron Of the family and imperial Imperious, haughty, controlling Gracious mother Who loved her precious son Beyond belief And when her son chose a bride Whom she didn't choose Whom she didn't especially like It was icy cold She could control with an eyebrow Or a pause Family gatherings were fewer And far between Everyone knew mom hated the bride And things simply got quietly toxic Until one Sunday afternoon It seemed as though a dawn burst A damn burst And life and love happened And in the next three or four days These two women, the controlling haughty And the humble new bride Became the best of friends They cooked They did each other's hair They went shopping They giggled They told stories It was a whole different world The son, patient, grateful Finally found a quiet moment To say mom You know I love you And you know I love my bride What happened? It seems now as though you At least like her And may even love her as well Mom said On the way to church this morning In fact in the church parking lot God talked to me And said mom You've got it wrong You're not the chairperson Of the selection committee Instead you're the chairperson Of the welcome committee God has done the choosing, the selecting God has called all of God's creation good In the image of God We're the welcome committee The healing committee The including committee The live long together committee Now that's a committee You and I could all serve on I bring you the words Of Reverend Dr. Maureen Kilerman Who due to the flu could not be with us tonight But via the modern technology of the internet I bring you her words It has been a long struggle And our work is far from over So forth may we be empowered By the spirit of hope and healing Whose one name is God And whose other name is love May the blessings of love be upon us And within us May love's truth be upon our vision May love's wisdom dwell within our hearts May love's persistence inspire our lips May love's gentleness give comfort To our bodies May love's gratitude accompany our sleep May love's healing be a balm for our brokenness May love's sincerity give peace to our weary souls May love's confidence energize our minds May love's challenge keep us faithful Faithful in our struggle, faithful in our conviction That love and justice and hope Will ultimately prevail A central tenet to Judaism is takun olam It's a Hebrew phrase that means repairing the world Which suggests humanity's shared responsibility To heal, to repair, and transform the world Essentially, to leave it better than you found it When you came into it Whether it's through social action Community service or acts of kindness We all have a fundamental human responsibility To fix what is wrong with the world And to fix what is wrong Requires our most precious commodity It requires our time Everyone in this room practices takun olam You have given your love, your support, your kindness And you have given your time You are part of the many incredible warriors In the fight for zero Doctors, activists, caregivers And of course the heroic patients Who fight every single day And the thread continues to tangent social changes You have fought for recognition of the way we live The way we love You are stewards of our community And our roles within it You know that everything we do and say matters My friend Diana Rinkevich A brilliant infectious disease doctor Once told me the story about a gift One of her AIDS patients had once given her She said it was a charm A pretty silver little hourglass He had told her, doctor You have given me the most precious gift there is You have given me time To be keenly aware of time To know that how you spend it can repair the world Is essential It's everything from treating patients To raising money To volunteering To being here tonight Your role in our society is critical It is you who make a difference In a thousand different ways Each of you has made a difference In your own unique way Through even the smallest acts Of Takuna Olam we can repair the world Sending forth In 1984 a Presbyterian minister Told a story about a funeral he preached The young man had died of AIDS The guest wore hazmat suits And the coffin was sealed The mother sat in the back So she wouldn't be near his partner Together we'll get to zero stigma And zero discrimination There are 1.1 million people in the United States Who have HIV and AIDS Only one in five know their status Together we'll get to zero new infections There are 9.7 million viral drugs Giving globally Together we'll get to zero viral load I want you to talk to someone next to you And tell them together we'll get to zero I can't hear you Together we'll get to zero Together we will get to zero As you go from this place today And you walk out of here Tell three people Together we'll get to zero Because if we walk out with nothing else today For 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 The CDC has stated that together We will get to zero We have a lot to do Together we can succeed Together we can be more than victorious Because if we have each other's hands We have each other's hearts We have each other's thoughts and hopes I want to thank once again Woodlawn Theater for hosting us in such a wonderful hospital way Thank you so much I want to thank Dana Clark and the ensemble Kevin Burris, Mark Gutierrez I want to thank the Ax HIV Ministry And the wonderful production I want to thank our faith representatives For coming out on this evening And supporting us and leading us in hope I want to thank all of the people who lent a hand A creative thought A nice warm hug Words of encouragement As together all of us put this together Over this entire year We now begin the work of putting together World AIDS Day 2014 If you would like to help us and get involved Please see a community agency And they will lead you to the place where you need to be To be a part of the development of World AIDS Day 2014 And finally, but not last and not least Again, we want to thank all of the doctors All of the nurses All of the families All of the people who are loving Who are caring Who are reaching out Who are not fearful Who be and who are Miracle workers Compassionate caregivers Loving people To all of us who are affected and infected Thank you God bless And good night Good night everyone Thank you for being here This is music to boogie on out to