The AIDS Memorial Garden will honor the lives lost from the HIV epidemic to ensure that we never lose sight of the foundation on which East Bay Getting to Zero’s collaborative work is built.
The purpose of the AIDS Memorial Garden is to memorialize those lost to HIV/AIDS and serve as a community healing space for people in the East Bay who have been significantly impacted by HIV, including surviving family members and friends.
The vision for our garden is to become a space for all generations to learn the history of the HIV epidemic and honor the hard-fought successes of their forebears.
The East Bay AIDS Memorial Garden will be located within The Gardens at Lake Merritt:
666 Bellevue Ave, Oakland, CA 94610
Support our program
The East Bay boasts a rich history and diverse culture; however, there’s no monument that memorializes, honors nor recognizes HIV’s impact on the community. To address this, the POZ+ group at East Bay Getting to Zero is leading the creation of the East Bay’s first AIDS Memorial Garden.
This garden will be built as a space for individuals affected by HIV, including families and friends, to heal and connect. It honors those living with HIV, remembers those lost, and fosters intergenerational conversations about the HIV and LGBTQ+ legacies.
Download the official sponsorship packet here
Other ways to contribute:
To Donate by Check: Please make check payable to: Community Initiatives and include East Bay Getting to Zero – Memorial Garden in the memo line of the check. Please mail check to:
Community Initiatives/EBGTZ
1000 Broadway, Suite 480
Oakland, CA. 94607
To Donate by Donor Advised Fund: Please provide your fund administrator with EIN# 94-3255070 and our address:
Community Initiatives/ EBGTZ
1000 Broadway, Suite 480
Oakland, CA. 94607
To discuss other options for sending in contributions, including non-monetary or in-kind donations: Contact Yamini Oseguera-Bhatnagar at yamini@ebgtz.org.
Background
The East Bay AIDS memorial garden project is a collaboration between East Bay Getting to Zero (EBGTZ) and the Gardens at Lake Merritt.
EBGTZ’s people living with HIV subcommittee (known as the Poz Plus working group) initiated the idea of establishing an AIDS memorial space in the East Bay in 2021. They identified a need for space that honors the East Bay HIV affected community, memorializes people lost to HIV/AIDS and inspires an environment for healing and reflection.
In 2022, with the support of the EBGTZ core team, EBGTZ steering committee, and the Oakland Mayor’s office, the Poz Plus group identified partners, stakeholders, and a space for the future garden. The East Bay AIDS memorial garden will be located within The Gardens at Lake Merritt at 666 Bellevue Ave in Oakland. Within the Gardens, it will be nestled between the Mediterranean and Bonsai Gardens, next to a waterfall, a creek and a bridge.
The collective vision for the East Bay AIDS memorial garden is that it will be an ode to people living with HIV, in memoriam of those lost to the epidemic, and a space for intergenerational connection and dialogue about the legacy of the HIV and LGBTQ+ movements.
Garden planning
Preliminary architectural design for the East Bay memorial garden was initially developed by Sera Design, an Oakland based employee-owned architectural design firm.
The garden will contain vegetation with an emphasis on native plants and pollinator species to support growth and sustainability. Additionally, the area will include educational elements discussing the history of HIV in the East Bay and an environment to invoke reflection and peace.
We are always looking for committed community members to join our efforts.
Please email us to learn how to get involved.