Historic AIDS monument in Lincoln Heights to get new dedication ceremony this October

LINCOLN HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Wall Las Memorias is a monument in Lincoln Park that honors lives lost to AIDS. It was erected more than 25 years ago and was the first monument of its kind in the country.

But it's not just a memorial. The wall was designed to change the stigma of AIDS, especially in the Latino community.

"The monument is a place for where we get to walk a journey of recalling the impact that AIDS has had in our community. But more importantly, the aids monument has been a tool for us to empower ourselves to deal with issues that we don't usually feel comfortable dealing with," said Richard Zaldivar, founder and executive director of the Wall Las Memorias Project organization.

It wasn't an easy journey for Zaldivar. He received backlash, but he didn't give up. The initial idea of creating the monument was because of a friend.

"Back in 1993, my best friend shared he was HIV positive. And coming out of the closet at that time, I realized there were no services really being targeted to the community, primarily English-speaking Latino population," said Zaldivar.

The walls are filled with names of people who lost their battle to HIV. But Zaldivar and others want people to know that the Wall Las Memorias is more than just a monument; it is an organization that provides services to the Latino community.

"The Wall Las Memorias is not just about programs and services, it's about building community leadership," said Zaldivar.

The memorial is currently undergoing an $850,000 renovation and there will be a dedication ceremony for the community on October 2.

"[We're] also inviting the public to submit a name of a loved one who passed away," said Zaldivar. "It's really special for all of us, especially this year of 40 years of HIV."

Click here to learn more about the monument.

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