National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) is commemorated yearly on October 15. This year’s theme: United We Can Stop HIV and Prevent AIDS. Unidos Podemos Detener el VIH y Prevenir el SIDA.

To raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in the Latino community, Miss Dominican Republic 2009 Mariela Lucas took a rapid HIV test at an event on October 7 hosted by the New York City NLAAD Planning Committee.