Marking the 25th Anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, Creating Youth Jobs
Marking the 25th Anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt
On Wednesday, I was honored to deliver remarks at a reception in the Castro marking the 25th anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Since the first diagnosis 30 years ago, HIV/AIDS has taken our neighbors and loved ones, siblings and parents; it has struck our communities, and decimated towns and villages worldwide. San Francisco was hit early and hit hard by the devastation of HIV/AIDS, but we came together as a community to be a model for America and eventually the world – a model for leadership, for community-based solutions, and for intervention.
In the early days, the AIDS Memorial Quilt, conceived in San Francisco, brought understanding to a nation that struggled to comprehend the epidemic that San Francisco knew all too well. In 1989, organizers worked to bring the quilt to the National Mall in Washington D.C., only to face delay after delay in the permit process. I joined organizers to fight bureaucratic red tape and bring the quilt to our nation’s front yard. There, hundreds of thousands of people visited it and, overcome with emotion, vowed to always remember those we had lost.
As a Member of Congress, for 25 years I have fought to increase funding for HIV/AIDS care, treatment, prevention, and research initiatives. We must honor the memory of those we have lost and act on our hope, optimism, and determination to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Congresswoman Pelosi joins AIDS Memorial Quilt volunteers to mark the 25th anniversary of the Quilt.
Creating Youth Jobs
To ensure that our youth gain the skills, knowledge, and work ethic that will ensure their lifelong success, President Obama announced a Summer Jobs+ initiative to encourage business leaders and local communities to create 250,000 summer jobs nationwide. Now our city – led by Mayor Ed Lee - is rising to the challenge with San Francisco Summer Jobs Plus+, an initiative that will help more than 2,500 young San Franciscans get jobs or summer internships.
I was pleased to join Mayor Lee in announcing the initiative. Summer jobs are an investment in America’s young people, our economy, and our future. I challenge more non-profits and businesses to commit to bringing young people into their workplaces this summer. The partnerships will strengthen our youth, our city, and indeed our nation. For businesses looking to participate or youth looking for opportunities, the Administration has set up the Summer Jobs+ website.
Under Democratic majorities, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and provided $1.2 billion to states to provide summer employment and training activities targeted to disadvantaged youth. The ARRA also provided tax credits for businesses hiring youth that have been out of work and out of school for 6 months.
My Democratic colleagues and I are committed to creating jobs by reigniting the American dream and building ladders of opportunity for anyone willing to work hard, take responsibility, and play by the rules.
You're Invited!
Congress on Your Corner
Join the Office of Congresswoman Pelosi for a “Congress on Your Corner” at the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL). My staff will be available to offer assistance in resolving issues with federal agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service, and problems securing Social Security, Medicare or other federal benefits.
Thursday, April 19th, 2012
4:00pm to 7:00pm
Stong Room of the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL)
Main Branch
100 Larkin Street
Map It!
Please feel free to forward this information to your family and friends. To learn more about these efforts, to express your views, or to sign up for email updates, please visit my website. I am also on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi.