Photo by Sergey Mikheev on Unsplash

Special to The Dallas Examiner

On Thursday, Dec. 1, Abounding Prosperity Inc. is hosting its second annual “Legacy of Lives Lost” exhibit. This interactive exhibit will include 100 life-size statues, a scavenger hunt and other activities to commemorate the lives lost to AIDS related complications over the past 34 years. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2400 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. There will be a reception featuring live music and light refreshments from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This exhibit is free and open to the public, though attendees are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy to be distributed to children in need during the holiday.

Photo courtesy of Abounding Prosperity

On Friday, Dec. 2, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., Abounding Prosperity Inc. and the Human Rights Campaign Center for Black Equity and HPTN096 are partnering to host a free community event. The Red Rooftop Renaissance is a showcase of local arts, culture and entertainment. The event takes place at the Sky Blu Rooftop Bar at Tru by Hilton Dallas Market Center, 1949 North Stemmons Freeway in honor of World AIDS Day 2022. Attendees will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and performances by spoken word artists, neo soul songsters, rappers, live instrumentalists and drag performers. Shows include anecdotes and situations that speak of stigma, resilience and revitalization. These wordsmiths will remind the audience why World AIDS Day is celebrated while acknowledging those we’ve lost and encouraging survivors to innovatively End the Epidemic. Attendees are encouraged to wear red.

Abounding Prosperity, Inc. is working hard in the community through these events and others to increase knowledge around HIV and its prevention, reduce the stigma around sexuality and sexual health and increase access to prevention and treatment resources. On World AIDS Day and every day, Abounding Prosperity Inc. lives out its mission to provide services that address the health, social and economic disparities among Black Americans with a particular emphasis on gay and bisexual men, cisgender women, transgender women and their families. These events were curated to increase influential awareness around World AIDS Day, vaccine inequity and the surplus of health disparities that disproportionately impact Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities.

Screenshot of A Legacy of Lives Lost art installation

“Recently, the general public has been primarily focused on COVID and monkeypox, but it’s
important to remember that HIV/AIDS is still of paramount concern for Black and Brown
communities, regardless of sexuality or gender,” said Kirk Myers-Hill, founder and chief
executive officer of Abounding Prosperity Inc. “Our goal is to educate individuals and provide
essential resources, especially to our communities at highest risk. We must all remain diligent in
the fight to eradicate this disease!”

The goal of Abounding Prosperity Inc. and its event partners is to create strategic opportunities
that support their commitment to addressing whole people, while increasing access to the
essential resources available for economic and wellness self-sufficiency for themselves and
their families.

In addition to the Red Rooftop Renaissance event, Abounding Prosperity Inc. is encouraging the
community to get their Monkeypox vaccine through their clinical partner, H.O.P.E. Health and
Wellness Center at 1619 Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd. The center is accepting walk-ins for vaccines during business hours on Mondays and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To help encourage increased vaccine rates. Abounding Prosperity Inc. will also conduct two
$500 raffles for individuals who complete their 1st dose of the vaccine by Dec. 15. The
drawing will take place at Dallas Southern Pride’s Christmas Fundraising Gala featuring a
performance by Patti LaBelle on Saturday, Dec. 17  from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at
the Fairmont Dallas on 1717 Akard St.

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