The Latino Commission on AIDS, in partnership with the Hispanic Health Network, announced that the 2026 Cielo Gala will take place on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The event continues the theme "Designing a World Without AIDS," highlighting the ongoing urgency to address the disproportionate impact of HIV on Latine communities, 40 years after the CDC first documented such disparities among Black and Latino populations.
Guillermo Chacón, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS, emphasized the significance of the event: "Forty years after the CDC first reported the disproportionate impact of HIV on Black and Latino communities, we are reminded that our work is far from finished. The Cielo Gala is not only a celebration of progress—it is a call to action."
The gala will honor three leaders in public health and HIV advocacy. Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, will receive the Esperanza (Hope) Award for her leadership in community-centered healthcare. Gregory Millett, MPH, Vice President and Director of Public Policy at amfAR, will be honored with the Dennis deLeon Voz de Compromiso (Voice of Commitment) Award for his work addressing racial and ethnic HIV disparities. Mario Pérez, Director of the Division of HIV and STD Programs for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, will receive the Compañero (Partner) Award for his decades of contributions to HIV prevention and community partnerships.
Funds raised at the gala support year-round initiatives including HIV testing, prevention, community mobilization, and National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. Event details are available at www.cielolatino.org. The Latino Commission on AIDS has worked since 1990 to address health inequities in Hispanic/Latino communities, as further described at www.latinoaids.org.
