ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, will hold a memorial — in-person and via livestream — to remember the life of the organization’s founding spirit, Larry Kramer, on May 28 at 8 p.m. at the New York City AIDS Memorial at St. Vincent’s Triangle in the West Village.
The event will take place one day after Kramer, an AIDS activist, screenwriter, playwright, and author whose no-nonsense urgency in the 1980s forced the government to move on addressing the epidemic, died of pneumonia at the age of 84.
ACT UP gathering to observe social distancing, with viewing options on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
“We will read an ACT UP statement written by Jay Blotcher and Eric Sawyer, have a large banner saying ‘LARRY KRAMER ? 1935 – 2020 ACT UP! FIGHT BACK! END AIDS,’ and placards with his name,” ACT UP member Jason Rosenberg announced in a Facebook Post. “And we’ll close with short memories and chant three times in his memory (with some anger of course).”
In a tweet, ACT UP asked individuals who will be watching online to post a photo of themselves with the placard below along with a candle and a message saying “#ThankYouLarry.”
ACT UP is urging attendees to practice social distancing and wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus and Rosenberg asked folks to be mindful that there cannot be an “unmanageable amount of people” on hand. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order last week gave New Yorkers the green light to begin gathering in groups of up to 10 people at once.
The event will be streamed on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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