Latino Commission on AIDS Announces 2026 Cielo Gala to Address Persistent HIV Disparities

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. Continuing the theme "Designing a World Without AIDS," the event underscores the ongoing urgency to confront the persistent and unequal impact of HIV on Latine communities. This comes 40 years after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control first documented the disproportionate toll of HIV on Black and Latino people in the country.

"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," said Guillermo Chacón, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS. "The Cielo Gala is not only a celebration of progress—it is a call to action. As we honor leaders who are shaping a more just and equitable public health landscape, we reaffirm our commitment to designing a world without AIDS."

The Latino Commission on AIDS announced the 2026 Cielo Gala award recipients, each recognized for extraordinary dedication to improving health outcomes and championing underserved communities. Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, will receive the Esperanza Award for her transformational 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 Award for his national leadership in HIV research and policy innovation. Mario Pérez, Director of the Division of HIV and STD Programs for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, will receive the Compañero Award for his decades-long contributions to HIV prevention and community partnerships.

For more than three decades, the Latino Commission on AIDS has worked to address the entrenched inequities that fuel the spread and impact of HIV in Latine communities nationwide. Despite significant progress, Latino communities continue to experience higher rates of new HIV diagnoses, substantial barriers to care, and persistent stigma. The 2026 Cielo Gala reaffirms the Commission's commitment to advancing culturally responsive programs, building leadership pipelines, strengthening community networks, and ensuring that public health systems meet the needs of all communities.

Funds raised during the Gala directly support year-round initiatives including HIV testing and prevention, community mobilization, organizational capacity-building, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, Zero campaigns to address homophobia and transphobia, and national and southern regional health policy efforts. Sponsorships, tables, tickets, journal and silent auction opportunities are available at https://www.cielolatino.org. The organization's broader mission and additional information can be found at https://www.latinoaids.org.