CBS NEW YORK: World AIDS Day memorial held in West Village

Thursday is World AIDS Day, and for the first time since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the names of New Yorkers we've lost were read at a memorial in the West Village.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reports, while today is a day to remember, it's also a day to raise awareness about the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS.

The names of more than 100,000 New Yorkers lost to the AIDS epidemic were read at the memorial on Greenwich Avenue. There are so many, it takes hours with multiple people simultaneously speaking.

"That number goes up every year. And while it's certainly slowed and there have been incredible advances in medical technology and community activism that have allowed people to live longer, healthier lives, AIDS is certainly not over," said Dave Harper, executive director of the New York City AIDS Memorial.