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PEP Jul/Aug 2006
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Public Employee Press

AIDS fighters

Despite pressing commitments — including official union responsibilities, community volunteer ­efforts and family and work obligations — Jackie Beckett, Lisa Breslof, Carmen Flores and Valentín Colón showed up early Sunday morning, May 21, to participate in AIDS Walk New York.

Mr. Colón was adorned by the paper crown given to “Star Walkers,” participants who raise $1,000 or more through contributions from friends, family and co-workers. He has participated in the walkathon every year since it started, 20 years ago. “It’s an important cause. I want to keep doing it until they tell us they’ve found a cure,” he said.

Carmen Flores, the vice chair of the Human ­Resources Administration Chapter of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549, organized ­members from HRA and the local’s Communications ­Committee to participate, wearing yellow T-shirts provided by Local 1549. “Our committee pledged $1,000,” she said.

In the crowd that swelled to 50,000 participants, the women representing DC 37 walked side by side with high school and college students and groups from organizations, businesses, city agencies and unions.

“We made a powerful statement about thelabor movement,” said Flores. “It demonstrates that unions are involved in other, larger issues that ­affect the members besides contracts and wages.”

Past and future
Jackie Beckett, former president of American Museum of Natural History Local 1559 andco-chair of DC 37’s Lesbian and Gay Issues Committee, captained the union’s team this year. “We are walking today, not just for a future cure, but in honor of those we have lost in the past to this disease,” she said.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90,000 people have died of AIDS in New York City and almost 100,000 are living with HIV/AIDS, a figure that puts the city at the epicenter of the 25-year-old epidemic in the United States.

The AIDS Walk, a 10-kilometer walkathon, benefits the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, thenation’s oldest and largest AIDS service organization, and over 50 other tri-state AIDS service organizations.

Local 1559 Treasurer Lisa Breslof, an educator at the museum, understands the importance of spreading the word about AIDS prevention. “I’m very proud to be here today,” she said. “Every ­dollar we raise helps to fund research and to promote awareness in order to prevent the disease.” Breslof said she found it very easy to collect donations for the walkathon. “People understand the gravity of the disease and they were willing to throw their support behind this event,” she noted.

— Jane LaTour

 

 

 
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