There’s still time to register for Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center’s largest fundraiser of the year, The Walk for Life.
The event will take place Saturday, June 21, at Kapiʻolani Regional Park Bandstand. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and includes morning warm-ups, Zumba and entertainment. The walk commences at 10 a.m. with more activities planned throughout the day.
Street parking is available on Monsarrat Ave. and Kalākaua Ave. or at the Honolulu Zoo.
“We’re excited be hosting the 34th annual Honolulu AIDS Walk this Saturday,” Andrew Ogata told Aloha State Daily. “We know now that people can live long, healthy lives with HIV, but it’s about supporting life and helping people live authentically.”
Ogata, who is organizing the event along with HHHRC Executive Director Heather Lusk, said, “This will be my 18th Honolulu AIDS Walk.” He was first introduced to it as a more than decade long volunteer and later became the nonprofit’s community relations manager and now director of marketing and development.
“HHHRC serves Hawaiʻi communities by reducing harm and fighting stigma of HIV, hepatitis, homelessness, substance use, mental illness and poverty,” according to the organization.
This year, Life Foundation founder Dr. David McEwan has pledged to match every dollar donated to HHHRC in June. McEwan, a HIV physician and advocate, established the organization in 1983 to help treat and prevent the spread of HIV. In 2018, The Life Foundation and The CHOW Project merged to become HHHRC.
“With donations like this, we’re able to utilize the money where it’s needed most,” Ogata said. HIV prevention and education efforts, as well as assisting those with AIDS are a few ways the money gets spent.
The Walk for Life was started in 1991 by chairperson Brickwood Galuteria. “His brother passed away from HIV, so he did it in memory of his him,” he said. “He brought together local politicians and entertainers. So, the Honolulu AIDS Walk has a long, rich history of supporting underserved populations.
“Today, 40 years later, we still don’t have a cure for HIV, and those living with HIV continue to face stigma.”
This year’s walk has nearly 40 sponsors from local businesses and community organizations, not to mention support from staff and volunteers. Ogata said Wednesday that they are expecting 1,500 people to come.
An online silent auction also kicks off on Saturday and will run through the end of the month at HonoluluAIDSwalk.org.
He noted that a new feature will be a community art piece for participants to leave their fingerprint in paint if their lives have been touched by HIV. “It’s about bringing community together – weʻll have drag performances, The Royal Hawaiian Band, The Rainbow Chorus of Honolulu.”
Ogata said he “loves it all,” when asked what is most rewarding about pulling off an annual community event like this. “Iʻm not gong to lie to you, itʻs very high stress my job. ... When the day comes together and you get to see people showing up in love and aloha, supporting one another, itʻs really cool and very rewarding.”
Events at HHHRC are all year long, he said. Aug. 31 marks International Overdose Awareness Day, Honolulu Pride is in October, Nov. 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance and Dec. 1 is World AIDS day.
“In October, we also hold the only youth pride event in Honolulu for the age 20 and under crowd in partnership with Capitol Modern. Itʻs a safe space for them to enjoy their peers, DJs, drag and more.”
For more information, visit hhhrc.org.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
