GMHC’s 2026 edition of AIDS Walk New York, held on May 17, brought around 10,000 people to Central Park to help raise $1,714,522 — primarily benefitting GMHC’s work.
“The epidemic is not over,” Michael Hester, co-CEO and chief financial officer at GMHC, said in a written statement. “More than 132,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV, and new infections rose 17% last year. But this community is unstoppable — it has survived everything thrown at it. Every dollar raised today connects someone to compassionate care that might literally save their life. GMHC was built for this moment — and today, this community proved it.”
This year, which marked the 41st annual AIDS Walk New York, featured actress, choreographer, and dancer Rosie Perez as grand marshal, along with celebrities such as Jenifer Lewis and Megan Hilty, as well as emcee Jessi Mitchell.
Several New York City-based government officials were also on hand, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin; Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal; New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin; Queens Councilmember Lynn Schulman; Taylor Brown, the director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs; and Yanery Cruz, the executive director of the NYC Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus Yanery Cruz.
See some photos below:
