This morning, on December 1, 2025, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Racial & Health and Equity Coordinator Shenell Ford, Richard Johnson from the New North Citizens Council, and Jon Marx from the Planned Parenthood League of MA joined to hold the city’s annual flag raising ceremony to acknowledge World AIDS Day.
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS observes December 1st of each year as World AIDS Day, a day to expand and strengthen the worldwide effort to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. The City of Springfield, especially through the work of the Department of Health and Human Services has been on the frontlines of confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic for more than forty years. Thanks to the tremendous work of public health advocates over the last 4 decades, amazing strides have been made in addressing HIV and AIDS. This disease is preventable, but education is a crucial component.
Mayor Sarno states, “Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and I are proud of our unyielding support and commitment for HIV/AIDs prevention initiatives. A few years back, we held a special signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement Declaration 4.0, declaring Springfield as a ‘Fast Track City’ to help raise awareness and end the stigmatism of AIDS. I want to applaud Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and her dedicated team, Richard Johnson – Mr. Kangol Cap, New North Citizens Council, Tapestry Health, Jon Marx from Planned Parenthood of MA, and all of our community partners and stakeholders who continue to be on the frontlines, saving lives and supporting our community. My administration fully supports any endeavors that aim to increase awareness with a goal focused on ending the HIV epidemic and the stigmatism that follows. Our medical communities have done wonders with their research and sciences in finding new treatments and medicine. We will continue to partner and collaborate together on this worthwhile goal of awareness, education, and support.”
As NNCC representative and on-the-ground advocate Richard Johnson explained, “A lot of progress has been made from a biomedical standpoint. But we have regressed when it comes to stigma.” He shared that these conversations are important, life-saving even, and we must have them, openly and honestly and make sure our next generation has the knowledge and tools to move forward in a positive and healthy way.
Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris stated, “I am proud of our Springfield community’s long-standing and ongoing commitment to this important cause of HIV/AIDS awareness. Public Health is currently under assault. Despite withdrawal of support on the federal level and an outright attack on the entire field, our city and health department will continue to offer critical response, we will continue to stand up and do community-led responses, ending stigma and discrimination, and we will continue to educate and empower our residents to make healthy decisions. I want all of us to remember that we are facing an uphill battle, but the work here continues. I must commend and thank our partners from Tapestry, NNCC, and Planned Parenthood who have been standing with us for decades. Thank you to Mayor Sarno an all who remain committed to public health. Together, we must and will continue to Educate, Legislate, Advocate and Agitate!”
