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Contacts:
Health GAP: Michael Tikili, 347-217-3030, Michael@healthgap.org Housing Works: Kenyon Farrow, 917-627-0853, k.farrow@housingworks.org; Rebecca Edmondson, 212-966-0466 Ext. 1124, r.edmondson@housingworks.org; VOCAL-NY: Sean Barry, 646-373-3344, sean@vocal-ny.org

AIDS Activists to Stage Zuccotti Park Protest on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1 Make Wall Street Pay to Fight AIDS At Home & Abroad! Activists To Call On Sen. Schumer To Support Financial Transaction Tax & Mayor Bloomberg To Back State Millionaires Tax
WHAT: March and rally on World AIDS Day to demand that Wall St and the wealthy pay to fight HIV/AIDS at home and abroad through an international Financial Transaction Tax and New York State Millionaires Tax. WHEN: World AIDS Day Thursday, December 1st at 11am WHERE: March starts at Zuccotti Park at Liberty and Broadway WHO: People living with HIV/AIDS and their allies from Health GAP, Housing Works, Queerocracy, VOCAL-NY and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Dozens of protestors will dress as Robin Hood, a reference to both the Robin Hood Financial Transaction Tax and the need for New York State millionaires to contribute their fair share to the fight against AIDS in New York, which disproportionately affects the poor and people of color. BACKGROUND: New York City and the federal government have backed away from their commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS in dramatic ways during the past year:

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria just announced it could not make new grants during the next two years due to broken pledges by donor governments. This will deny millions of people living with HIV/AIDS lifesaving treatment at a time when Secretary Clinton recently declared that it was the US governments policy to achieve an AIDS-free generation. Passing a Financial Transaction or Robin Hood tax would generate enough funding to meet our commitment for the Global Fund. Mayor Bloomberg has cut more than $10 million for HIV/AIDS housing and services during the past year, plus an additional $3 million more in his November Financial Plan, while opposing the state 30% rent cap affordable housing legislation that would prevent homelessness for thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS. Extending the New York State Millionaires Tax would provide funding to restore HIV/AIDS cuts. ###