By: Latino Commission on AIDS
For generations of Latino LGBTQIA+ people, the history of HIV and AIDS is also a history of community: of loss and resilience, activism born from urgency, and people insisting that their lives—and their health—could not be ignored.
That history is at the heart of the Latino Commission on AIDS (the Commission), which will deepen its connection with Los Angeles this fall. On September 16, 2026, as Hispanic Heritage Month begins, the Commission will hold its first-ever Los Angeles reception at The Abbey, bringing its national work into conversation with the city’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ and Latino communities and partners.
Founded in 1990 by a coalition of Latino leaders responding to the urgent need for HIV prevention and care, the Commission emerged during the devastating years of the AIDS epidemic, when social stigma, misinformation, language barriers and unequal access to healthcare compounded the crisis for Latino communities.
From the beginning, the Commission understood that fighting HIV required more than medical treatment. It required advocacy, culturally and linguistically appropriate education, a united front through community organizing and support for organizations serving people too often overlooked or left at the margins.
One of its most enduring national contributions is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), observed every October 15. Created in 2003 by the Commission and Hispanic Federation, NLAAD transformed awareness into a national mobilization around HIV testing, prevention, treatment and the fight against stigma.
The Commission’s evolution also took it beyond traditional centers of Latino political and cultural power. In 2007, recognizing unmet needs in the South, it launched Latinos in the South. The initiative later expanded to Texas and Florida, focusing on organizational capacity, Latino leadership and barriers to access HIV prevention and care—including stigma, language access and immigration challenges.
That Southern expansion carries particular significance for LGBTQIA+ communities. Latino gay and bisexual men in the South have experienced increases in HIV diagnoses, while grassroots Latino LGBTQIA+ organizations have often had limited resources. The Commission has responded by supporting community-led organizations, convening regional gatherings and creating spaces where health, identity and health policy intersect.
The Commission has worked with Los Angeles community-based partners since its early years. Now, with the support of Tristan Schukraft and MISTR, the Commission and Los Angelenos have an opportunity to deepen that connection and partnership.
The Wednesday, September 16 reception at The Abbey is more than a fundraiser. It is an invitation to remember the people and movements that carried Latino communities through the worst years of the epidemic—and to invest in the next generation of leaders, advocates and survivors.
As Hispanic Heritage Month begins, and National Latino AIDS Awareness Day approaches, the message remains urgent: our communities deserve culturally competent care, freedom from stigma and the resources to thrive. Join Adelante and the Commission, donate what you can at https://LAcomm.givesmart.com, and support this goal.
For Los Angeles’ Latino LGBTQIA+ community, this is a chance to celebrate a legacy—and be part of shaping what comes next.