Tomorrow is . Since 1988, December 1st has been observed around the globe as a day to draw attention to the continuing battle against HIV and AIDS, as well as to those who've lost that battle.
According to , about 200 people contract in Central Texas each year. There are a handful of events around Austin Thursday, giving people a chance to learn about the struggles of living with HIV and also to honor those who have died of AIDS.
One all-day event, , will take place at the at 500 E. St Johns Ave. from 8:30 am until about 9:00 pm.
鈥淭he majority of the day is presentations, starting with a proclamation by the mayor,鈥� says Lara O鈥橳oole, one of the chief organizers of the event.
鈥淩epresentatives from several local AIDS service organizations will be sitting on a panel and talking about the trends they see and the services they provide.鈥�
At 3:30 pm, there will be a showing of the critically acclaimed film, .
On the UT Campus, the fifth-annual World AIDS Day Conference will focus on the global politics and economics of HIV and AIDS. The event will take place in the , just north of Gregory Gym on the East Mall, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in room 1.106. The keynote speaker is Dr. Kane Race, a senior lecturer in the Department of Gender and Cultural Studies at the .
Along with the presentations, there will be free and confidential HIV testing throughout the day in the SAC building ballroom.