Saturday, October 15th marks National Latino AIDS Awareness Day 2022. Goals of NLAAD include stopping HIV stigma, addressing the disproportionate impact of HIV on Latino communities, and promoting testing, prevention and education. The day also falls on the last day of Latino Heritage Month (also known as Hispanic Heritage Month).  

Social and structural issues—such as racism, HIV stigma, homophobia, poverty, and limited access to high-quality health care—influence health outcomes and continue to drive the marginalization of Latino communities.  

Latino people account for over a quarter of new HIV diagnoses every year in the U.S., yet 1 in 6 are not aware of their status. According to the CDC, the estimated HIV incidence rate for 2018 among Hispanic/Latino persons in the United States was four times that of non-Hispanic White persons. Improving health outcomes for Latino community members can include strategies such as raising awareness, promoting HIV testing, and making healthcare resources more accessible. 

If you or someone you know is a member of the Latino community who is interested in celebrating NLAAD or accessing HIV testing, please check out these resources:  

• Join us at the M&M Marketplace on Saturday, October 15th from 12-5pm for a special NLAAD event! Our community partners, Familias en Acción, the CAP Prevention Team, and other local organizations will be there. Those who receive an HIV test will receive a $20 gift card, while supplies last. 

• Learn about HIV testing at CAP, in Spanish and English. 

• Follow the CAP Prevention Team on Instagram to stay in the loop about upcoming testing events. 

• Order a free HIV self-test kit online. Get results within 20 minutes—on your own time, in your own space.  

• Check out the CDC’s fact sheet on HIV/AIDS and Latino People. 

About Cascade AIDS Project

CAP is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1985 as a grassroots response to the AIDS crisis. As the oldest and largest community-based HIV services provider in Oregon and southwest Washington, we seek to support and empower all people with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide the LGBTQ+ community with compassionate healthcare. We do so by helping to ensure the health and well-being of our program participants each year through health, housing, and other social services. When the need for affordable, accessible, and culturally affirming primary care services was identified as a community need, we responded by opening Prism Health in 2017.  More information can be found at www.capnw.org.