CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION in support of the Seattle AIDS Legacy Memorial.
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WHEREAS, the first case of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was identified in Seattle in 1982; and
WHEREAS, by 1989, the rapid spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection resulted in 1,433 cases of HIV infection and 704 AIDS deaths; and
WHEREAS, by 1996, when effective treatment for HIV/AIDS first became available, 5,111 King County residents had been diagnosed with AIDS and 3,273 persons had died from HIV; and
WHEREAS, while AIDS affects people of all ages, incomes, genders, and races, AIDS has disproportionately affected people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people; and refugee and immigrant communities; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle (City) recognizes the ways in which homophobia, transphobia, classism, and racism contributed to the AIDS pandemic being historically and culturally ignored; and
WHEREAS, the historical public reactions to the AIDS pandemic was based in fear, discrimination, and condemnation of those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS; and
WHEREAS, in spite of hostility, and indifference toward the suffering of others, courageous people including others members of the LGBTQ community, and more specifically lesbian, bi-sexual, and queer women, stepped forward to help those who were ill; and
WHEREAS, current grassroots community organizations, such as Seattle Gay Clinic, Northwest AIDS Foundation, Chicken Soup Brigade (collectively now Lifelong); People of Color Against AIDS Network (now POCAAN); and Seattle AIDS Support Groups (now SASG) were created by these courageous people to politically advocate and provide a continuum of care including treatment, prevention, counseling, and housing resources; and
WHEREAS, progressive leadership at Seattle-King County Public Health took decisive actions in response to AIDS such as: establishing the second U.S. AIDS Assessment Clinic in 1983; initiating...
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