the Center for Health and Social Justice
Arising out of the human tragedies and triumphs of the AIDS crisis, the Center for Health and Social Justice will use the richness of place, story, object, and human gathering to support, strengthen, and lead an enduring movement toward a healthy society freed from stigma, discrimination, and othering.
A Landmark Center
for a landmark change
AS We Remember, we act for change
“The National AIDS Memorial, as the steward of the 10-acre National AIDS Memorial Grove and the 50,000 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, has the solemn responsibility to ensure that the story of HIV/AIDS and the ongoing struggle for health and social justice are forever told. We will never forget the 700,000 lives lost here in the United States to AIDS, the survivors who fought in their honor against all forms of stigma and injustice, and the heroic activists and advocates who spark change, medical advancements, greater access to care, and one day, an eventual cure.
“It is my privilege to support the leadership of the National AIDS Memorial and its bold vision to establish a permanent home for the Quilt in San Francisco. This world-renowned institution dedicated to the story of HIV/AIDS will serve as a teaching space and bring people together for reflection, advocacy, and hope. The National AIDS Memorial is uniquely positioned to share the lessons learned from the AIDS pandemic in order to help future generations tackle the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.”
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi
our vision for the future
“The National AIDS Memorial, as the steward of the 10-acre National AIDS Memorial Grove and the 50,000 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, has the solemn responsibility to ensure that the story of HIV/AIDS and the ongoing struggle for health and social justice are forever told. We will never forget the 700,000 lives lost here in the United States to AIDS, the survivors who fought in their honor against all forms of stigma and injustice, and the heroic activists and advocates who spark change, medical advancements, greater access to care, and one day, an eventual cure.
Remember the past
The Center will serve as a permanent home for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a library of historical national archives, and a sacred space for remembrance and reflection. It will provide a nexus to continue the National AIDS Memorial's mission to share the stories of those lost in the epidemic and offer healing and hope to survivors.
Engage the present
As a place where culture, history, art, science, and technology converge, the Center will engage the public with interactive exhibitions and year-round programs that inspire visitors, start meaningful conversations, and provoke connections between the story of HIV/AIDS and other contemporary instances of inequity and injustice throughout the world.
Shape the future
The Center will expand our mission impact to inspire new generations to fight for justice in their communities. The Center will provide programs that convene thought leaders, encourage hard conversations on complex topics, and spark real change and action.
What will the center do?
  • The Center for Health and Social Justice will deepen and broaden the federally designated National AIDS Memorial's organizational mission to remember, offer healing and hope, and inspire new generations of activists to fight for a just future.
  • The Center will provide a dynamic nexus for present and future activists andthought leaders to effect change on critical health and social justice issues oftheir time, exchanging ideas and collaborating towards a more just society.
  • In 85,000 square feet of evocative architectural space, the Center will engagediverse communities in vibrant exhibitions, conferences, publicconversations, classes, and workshops, and provide quiet spaces for reflectionand remembrance of those lost.
  • The Center will bring the public together with wide-ranging expertise and information to cultivate informed perspectives on critical matters of public health and social justice, from AIDS to COVID-19 to other emerging pandemics and crises.
  • This globally-recognized institution will preserve and curate the iconic AIDS Memorial Quilt, along with historical artifacts of the AIDS epidemic and important national archival materials on health and social justice.
A living place that embraces and uplifts
We must act now
Homophobia, racism, misogyny, transphobia, and myriad other social stigmas surrounded, worsened, and prolonged the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and they continue to degrade the collective health and flourishing of our society today.

Our nation requires a trusted institution and space of public engagement to turn to in times that threaten our health, wellbeing, and community resilience.

The HIV/AIDS experience can forever help build diverse and powerful health and social justice movements. Now is the time to leverage this collective experience, and to nurture and accelerate highly effective activism.
A Bold undertaking.
A Sustainable Plan.
To construct a world-class space,
we seek to raise $300 million over five years alongside planning and permitting work, to break ground in San Francisco in 2027.
To ensure our work is sustainable,
we additionally seek to build a $100 million endowment for our building, staffing and programs so the Center remains a vibrant nexus of hope and change for generations to come.