World AIDS Day 2025

What is the world aids day national observance?

Each year on December 1st, our community gathers to remember those lost, educate others, and rally to eliminate the devastating stigma and loss associated with the ongoing AIDS crisis.

As our country’s only federally designated memorial for AIDS, the National AIDS Memorial hosts a pivotal observance each year to recognize this internationally dedicated day. Join us in the Grove on Monday, December 1st as we gather to heal, hope, and remember.

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HOW ARE WE RECOGNIZING WORLD AIDS DAY IN 2025?

By sparking powerful conversations, the National AIDS Memorial will highlight the pressing issues impacting the AIDS crisis today. By sharing the story of the struggle against HIV/AIDS, we fight against stigma, denial, and hate for a just future.

The Legacy of Artistic Activism

The National AIDS Memorial will host a special panel exploring the power of artistic response during the AIDS crisis and its continuing role in movements for social justice today. Featuring cultural leader in the ballroom community and longtime activist Jahnell Butler, musician and educator Thomas Kurtz, and community film director Matt Nadel, the conversation will examine how art has carried memory, galvanized activism, and created space for collective healing across generations. Guided by moderator Dan Ashley, the panel will reflect on the legacy of artistic activism and consider how creative practice continues to build empathy, fight stigma, and elevate community resilience.

Jahnell Butler
Jahnell Chanel Butler (she/her) is a respected leader, advocate, and cultural curator dedicated to the empowerment, health, and visibility of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) communities. She serves as the Associate Director of Trans Services at San Francisco Community Health Center, where she oversees innovative programs centered on wellness, safety, and community engagement for TGNC individuals.

With over 10 years of experience in HIV prevention and advocacy, Jahnell has led impactful initiatives to improve access to testing, prevention education, and culturally competent care for TGNC communities. Her early work as a medical health educator at the University of Rochester shaped her passion for designing prevention strategies that address stigma, trauma, and inequities in healthcare. She is an HIV tester, educator, and strategist, known for blending traditional approaches with community-driven, culturally rooted methods.

Jahnell is also recognized for her leadership in ballroom culture as the Overall Mother of the International House of Chanel. She uses ballroom as a platform for health advocacy, identity affirmation, and community building, shifting the narrative of leadership through compassion, mentorship, and radical visibility.

Her work centers on uplifting TGNC voices, fostering belonging, and advancing health equity with a focus on mind, body, and spirit. Rooted in advocacy, storytelling, and cultural pride, Jahnell continues to shape a future where TGNC communities lead, thrive, and are celebrated.

Matt Nadel
‍‍Matt Nadel (he/him) is a GLAAD Award-nominated documentary filmmaker focused on gender and sexuality, justice, and history. His work has been distributed by outlets like the New York Times, The New Yorker, and PBS.

Before Cashing Out, Matt directed CANS Can’t Stand (The New Yorker 2023), which follows a group of Black trans women fighting to repeal Louisiana’s controversial Crime Against Nature by Solicitation (CANS) law, which has been used to criminalize LGBTQ+ Louisianians for 40 years. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, CANS Can’t Stand won awards at film festivals across the country, was featured on HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and inspired the Louisiana Senate to create a task force to study the discriminatory impact of the CANS law.

Matt is now the New York Public Library's Duberman Visiting Fellow in LGBT Studies. Before directing his own films, he was an associate producer at NBC News Studios.

Thomas Kurtz
‍Dr. Thomas Kurtz (he/him) enjoys a multi-hyphenate career as an educator, scholar, performing artist, and cultural arts leader, whose work sits at the intersection of music, social justice, and community engagement. Through collaborations with the local, national, and global organizations, Thomas has created socially engaged arts experiences that honor history, foster dialogue, and build community. As a saxophonist, Thomas frequently collaborates with composers, performs new music across the Bay Area, and recently appeared as a soloist at Carnegie Hall.

Thomas is committed to mentoring the next generation of artists to see their creative practice as both a professional pursuit and a tool for social transformation. He currently teaches within the Performing Arts & Social Justice Department at the University of San Francisco and within the Professional Development Department at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Spotlight

A Voice of Hope. A Legacy of Action.
‍‍We’re honored that ABC7 San Francisco anchor Dan Ashley (he/him) will emcee this year’s World AIDS Day National Observance. For thirty years, Dan has spotlighted stories of health and social justice in the Bay Area and beyond.

Ashley has interviewed national political icons, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Colin Powell, and more, but has never lost touch with the Bay Area community and the issues at its heart.

When few people were interested in supporting those impacted by HIV and AIDS, Ashley used his platform to speak up for those silenced.

Honoring an Unsung Hero in Our Community
‍‍For nearly two decades, Troy Brunet (he/him) has brought his heart, hands, and unwavering spirit to the National AIDS Memorial.

We are proud to recognize Troy with the Thom Weyand Unsung Hero Award at this year’s World AIDS Day. A project lead volunteer with the Memorial, Troy supports exhibitions, ships panels across the country, and creates healing spaces for remembrance—with a depth of care that reflects his lifelong commitment to service.

Troy’s impact ripples through countless roles: peer counselor, health equity advocate, community ambassador, faith leader, and longtime Star Walker with AIDS Walk San Francisco. He shows up not for recognition, but to make a difference—embodying what it truly means to serve with humility, compassion, and joy.

Celebrating a Legacy of National Leadership
‍‍The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were among the first grassroots groups to respond to the AIDS crisis. While government and mainstream organizations were slow to act, the Sisters stepped in to educate, comfort, and support at-risk communities.

They served as caretakers, fundraisers, and grief counselors for those dying around them, and provided visibility and dignity at a time when so many were putting forth hatred and stigma. Their legacy is a testament to the idea that laughter, love, and solidarity can be forms of both healing and revolution.

We are proud to present the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with this year’s National Leadership Recognition Award.

WHY iS WORLD AIDS DAY IMPORTANT IN 2025?

The AIDS crisis is not over.

According to the World Health Organization, more than one million people acquired HIV in 2024 alone. By sharing the tragic story of AIDS, we make strides toward ensuring that future communities will not be harmed by fear, silence, discrimination, or stigma.

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