Thank you!
On behalf of The Alliance & The Yay! Foundation, thank you for making World Aids Day 2023 impactful, celebratory, and educational. Please take a moment to browse this year's webpage to understand our goals for this day of honor.
Celebrate & Honor World AIDS Day
with The Alliance & The Yay! Foundation.
The Alliance, in partnership with the YAY! Foundation have joined together for a comedy extravaganza & workshop helping to combat the stigma surrounding the HIV+ population, participate in honoring those affected by HIV, and assisting the community in healing through laughter. Please read on for more information.
Main Event
December 2
Giggles & Glitter
comedy + drag + silent auction
Tickets are available!
Reserve tickets
through EventBrite:
A bit about Aidan Park.
The Alliance's partnership with Aidan Park, creator of the Yay! Foundation, offers a great educational opportunity to the HIV+ community and community at large in the Four Corners. Aidan is the only HIV+ comic to have a comedy special on a major television network, and continues to break barriers regarding HIV+ stigma, Asian-American storytelling, and queer representation through his work in non-profit and entertainment industries. We are very excited to have such a wonderful representation and ray of light working with us, and for the the Four Corners community. This World AIDS Day we are aiming to educate, laugh, and aid in the emotional healing surrounding HIV. Aidan has worked with NBC, Comedy Central, The Laugh Factory, Hollywood Improv, and many other credited agencies, as well as several organizations in the non-profit sector to make his fusion of story-telling and healing a reality!
Meet Aidan on Dec. 2 at Lola's Place!
Aidan will be appearing before Giggles & Glitter at Lola's Place in Durango CO for an important conversation on mental health, overcoming adversity, and individually navigating these subjects. See the poster for more info!
Comedy
Workshop Details:
Nov 28-Dec 1
facilitated by Aidan Park
Small-set performance will be Dec 1 for friends, family, and community members.
Read the Durango Herald Article!
What is World Aid's Day?
Approximately 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the US. Globally, there are an estimated 38 million people who have the virus. Despite the virus only being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS related illnesses globally. HIV is one of the most powerful diseases to exist across history. Today, scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV, and we understand so much more about the condition.
Despite this, in the US over 31,000 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2021, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with the condition.
"World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education."
(source: hiv.gov, worldaidsday.org, cdc.gov)
Sign-Up to Volunteer! (18+)
Free brunch at The Kennebec included.
World AIDS Day Event descriptions:
Nov 26 - Dec 1 • 5-7pm
World Aid's Day
Comedy + Free Thought Workshop
with Aidan Park
Through a process of on-the-ground outreach and research, we are selecting 10 community members living with or affected by HIV to participate in a week-long workshop & comedy class highlighting skills and techniques that help tackle personal, interpersonal, and environmental challenges. The final day of the workshop will be a small, end-of-week performance highlighting the comedy skills learned throughout the course. This show is for friends, family, and community members. This class will be taught by special guest Aidan Park (more about Aidan) Please reach out to us if you are interested or would like more information on this opportunity for the HIV+ community. Only ten slots are available, there is no age limit. Contact regarding participation can be made anonymous at the discretion of the inquirer. Please include this in the general subject line to andrew@thealliance.gay
FLC Student Union • Vallecito Room
1000 Rim Drive Durango CO
All ages, parents use discretion
FREE to participants ($600 value)
December 2 • 7pm
WAD Fundraiser:
Giggles & Glitter!
Aidan Park, Aria Pettyone
& Friends
In honor of World Aid's Day, we would like to present you with a celebration of our community. We are bringing in some of the best in queer performers to Durango for you. Aidan Park is a nationally recognized Comic/Public Speaker/Bestselling Author, and we are so excited to have him headlining this special event. Coupled with Aria Pettyone, one of the most celebrated drag queens in Colorado, this will be an unforgettable night. Other performers include Andy Mathews, Bailey Carlson, and Ben Gross. Bring your betting shoes too - there will also be a silent auction with special prizes.
$20 Presale • $25 Door
18+ Event
FLC Student Union Ballroom
1000 Rim Drive Durango CO
One final note...
While we are taking the time to celebrate, love, and show respect to our fellow community members living with or affected by HIV/AIDS by offering a celebration: this holiday is one of solemnity and seriousness. The Alliance stands by those living with HIV/AIDS, those we have lost, and those who are grieving a loved one taken by this disease. To recognize that this holiday is not a celebration for everyone: please be kind, courteous and respectful in your interactions regarding this day, disease, and those affected by HIV/AIDS; We hope not only during these events, but in your interactions at large. It is our hope that finding laughter through such a traumatic and harrowing journey of the history of HIV/AIDS can help the affected community find healing and love; both internally from themselves and externally from the communities they reside in.
Thank you for taking World Aid's Day as passionately as we do.
Your Friends,
The Alliance
