by Dr. Lisa Aponte
On December 1st, in recognition of the 37th anniversary of Vida/SIDA—a project of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC)— the PRCC, Tanoma Consulting, along with the Puerto Rican Agenda, ASI Home Care, commemorated World AIDS Day. The evening began with a candlelight vigil at Paseo Boricua between the two Puerto Rican Flags to honor and remember those who died of HIV and those living with HIV. Afterwards, we hosted a panel discussion with community leaders, healthcare professionals, advocates, and city and state representatives dedicated to fostering health equity and justice.
The panel featured Dulce Quintero (Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services); Jorge Cestou, PhD, MBA (Chicago Department of Public Health); David Ansel, MD (Rush University); and Wilfred Labiosa, PhD (Waves Ahead, Puerto Rico). Lisa Aponte-Soto, PhD, MHA, founding President of Tanoma Consulting, led the panel discussion, “Reclaiming Our Voice: Transformative Solutions for HIV Research, Prevention, and Treatment in the Current Sociopolitical Climate.”
Given that Black and Brown communities, particularly Puerto Ricans, have been disproportionately affected by the relentless HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Puerto Rican community in Chicago and across the diaspora has demonstrated extraordinary resilience. The panelists acknowledged the value of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center’s presence in addressing community needs through programs such as VIDA/SIDA, El Rescate, and TransChicago. This is even more essential today, given the resurgence of anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, and other discriminatory sentiments, mirrored by drastic reductions and terminations in HIV/AIDS funding.
For 37 years, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and its VIDA/SIDA Project have exemplified community-centered public health. This panel reaffirms that the fight for HIV funding is ongoing; that health equity remains an unfinished goal; and that remembrance must be paired with renewed commitment. It is a declaration that every life affected by HIV deserves dignity, justice, and consistent investment—and that we will not stop until these are realized.
