Community Meeting to Provide Updates on Monument’s Development
The City of West Hollywood is set to host a pre-construction community meeting to provide updates on STORIES: The AIDS Monument, planned for West Hollywood Park near N. San Vicente Boulevard and the West Hollywood Library.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at the West Hollywood Library Community Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will also be accessible virtually via Zoom.
STORIES: The AIDS Monument is a joint effort between the City of West Hollywood and the Foundation for the AIDS Monument (FAM). The project aims to memorialize the impact of HIV/AIDS, honor the stories of activists, caregivers, and community leaders, and raise awareness about the history and stigma associated with the disease. The monument, designed by artist Daniel Tobin, will feature a plaza, donor wall, vertical bronze “traces” with narrative text, integrated lighting, and a podium facing N. San Vicente Boulevard.
Situated in West Hollywood Park, the monument will serve as a prominent public art experience and memorial site. The project seeks to capture the community’s activism and the personal stories of those affected by HIV/AIDS.
The City of West Hollywood invites all interested parties to remain connected and engaged throughout the project’s development. This monument is not only a structure but also a movement reflecting the collective history and future aspirations in the fight against HIV/AIDS. For project details and updates, visit the Engage WeHo project page for The AIDS Monument at engage.weho.org/aidsmonument.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic had a significant impact on West Hollywood starting in the early 1980s, with a high infection rate among gay men leading to numerous deaths in the city. West Hollywood was one of the first government entities to provide social services grants to local AIDS and HIV organizations and sponsored one of the nation’s first AIDS awareness campaigns in October 1985. The city’s response to the AIDS crisis has been recognized as a model for other cities.
West Hollywood continues to develop programs to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and provide services to those living with the disease. The city aims to become an “HIV Zero” city and is currently implementing its HIV Zero Initiative. Along with the monument project, the city commemorates the lives lost through World AIDS Day programming and the AIDS Memorial Walk.
For more information about the City’s HIV/AIDS resources, visit www.weho.org/services/human-services/hiv-aids-resources.
For further details, contact Michael Barker, the City of West Hollywood’s Project Architect, at (323) 848-6556 or mbarker@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
