Under the theme #LivingPositively, more than 50 community members, staff, volunteers and friends attended the World AIDS Day commemoration event put together by the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) on December 2nd at the organization’s Cambridge Office (1046 Cambridge Street).

Highlights of the event, which featured fun games and prizes, delicious food, multimedia presentations and a recognition of the organization’s volunteers, were the powerful testimonies of Deidre Alessio, a nurse practitioner at the Cambridge Health Alliance, and Ramon, a community member who has been #LivingPositively with HIV for 20 years now.

Ramon discovered he was HIV positive back in 1996, after being tested at the MAPS Somerville office. He initially met the news with despair, denial, and fear over how his family and friends would react. Ramon kept his condition a secret until 2001, when he faced a serious and potentially fatal health crisis.

“I needed to reach out to my friends and family,” he said. Praising the Massachusetts health care system, which is accessible to everyone, regardless of Immigration status, Ramon told the audience that he had received the counseling, support and several very expensive treatments he needed to stay healthy.

“I’ve been living with HIV for 20 years, and I know people who have been living with the condition for more than 30. It is not a death sentence if you get proper care, lead a healthy life and follow the treatment plans,” he said.

Deidre Alessio reminded the audience of the importance of a strong network of health care providers and community organizations in keeping communities healthy and safe.

“There are many prevention and treatment strategies available, and it is vital that patients are aware of the many resources available to them in Massachusetts,” Alessio said.

Milena Mello, MS, Director of the MAPS HIV/STI Services, reinforced that message.

“There’s always work to be done if we want to reach the World Health Organization’s goal of zero new HIV infections by the year 2030,” she said. “We at MAPS will keep doing our part by continuing to provide as many resources as possible to our communities.”

Paulo Pinto, MPA, MAPS Executive Director, took to the stage to thank his staff and all the people who attended the event, and presented Certificates of Appreciation to MAPS volunteers Leandro Santos, Alain Alfonso and Diego Souza. “We want to thank you for your support and for choosing to help MAPS and our community members in your free time, and we want to encourage anyone who wants to make a difference to come volunteer with us,” said Pinto.

Throughout the year, MAPS hosts free health clinics on a weekly basis out of its offices in Lowell, Dorchester, Somerville, Framingham and Brighton. The MAPS HIV/STI Services program is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), MA Dept. of Public Health, and the Boston Public Health Commission.