AIDS Walk Los Angeles attracts 30k participants

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Tens of thousands of people marched through West Hollywood for AIDS Walk Los Angeles on Sunday.

The event has been going strong for 28 years since 1985. Over that time, $72 million have been raised to fund HIV-AIDS prevention, treatment and advocacy programs. Last year's walk alone raised nearly $3 million. This year, it raised more than $2.9 million.

As the Team Captain, Eyewitness New anchor Ellen Leyva led the ABC7 Team through the 6.2-mile walk, which began at 10 a.m. at West Hollywood Park.

"We just want to represent our school and support. Everyone needs to have equal rights, regardless of your sex or gender," said a participant. "We just need to love each other."

AIDS Walk Los Angeles is the largest AIDS fundraising event in California. It is reported that 60,000 people in Los Angeles County alone are living with the disease. Twenty percent of the reported 60,000 aren't aware of their condition. According to organizers, an average of seven Angelenos are infected with HIV every day.

The event is backed by AIDS Project Los Angeles, which helps to provide vital services and education programs to thousands living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles. The money raised from the event helps treat as many as 11,000 AIDS patients locally.

ABC7 is a proud sponsor of the event for the very first time this year.

You can help our efforts to support AIDS Walk Los Angeles at http://goo.gl/6YHfB.

To get more information and to see a map of the route, visit www.aidswalk.net/losangeles.

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west hollywood, road closure, charity, los angeles news, ellen leyva

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