Thousands marched today down the streets of Downtown Washington D.C. with varying messages, but with one common goal: We Can End AIDS.

People from all over the country came to D.C. to participate in this march to demonstrate their passion about and commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic.

Five key demands from organizers and march participants were:

• Demand an end to pharmaceutical greed.
• Demand a tax on Wall Street to end AIDS.
• Stop the war on women’s health.
• Demand sound public policies and full funding of a community based fight against AIDS.
• Protect human rights: end criminalization of HIV and support harm reduction.

The march started at five different points of Downtown D.C. culminating with a rally, which took place in Lafayette Park, where speakers delivered a powerful collective message to the White House and the international community participating in the XIX International AIDS Conference.

I was inspired to see how many people are still willing to take to the streets to shed light on this issue, which is still a crisis globally, particularly within the global south, and particularly amongst women of color globally.

The energy of the crowd today reinvigorated me, and confirmed my belief that together, we truly can END AIDS.

Written by Ana Orozco