Serrano Mourns Loss of HIV/AIDS Activist Dennis deLeon

“When I heard the news about Dennis, my heart dropped,” said Serrano. “With his passing we have lost a leading light in the Latino community, and a true leader in the fight against discrimination and HIV/AIDS. He worked so hard on behalf of the underserved, the forgotten, and the disenfranchised of our city over the years. His voice, his fierce advocacy, and his courage in the face of injustice will always be remembered.

“Though he is gone, it is safe to say that his legacy will live on across our city and in many ways across the nation. The pioneering work that he did in New York City on human rights and HIV/AIDS prevention in many ways became the models for the rest of the nation.

"His legacy was also of empowerment. He showed us that the best way to fight discrimination was to empower those who suffered under its cruel weight. He believed in the communities that he lifted up, and through lifting them up, he allowed their members to lead fuller and richer lives, with less discrimination and hate.

“Dennis’ work to end the scourge of AIDS was no less important. He sincerely believed that through sound public policy and effective activism we could bring the transmission rates down in the most affected populations. He was right, but the fight is not over. We must continue his work and end this horrible disease in his memory, and that of all those who have died because of it.

“Dennis will not be forgotten and our efforts to continue his work will go on.”