For forty years, AIDS Walk Boston has brought people together to honor lives lost, support those living with HIV, and strengthen the networks of care that make our communities healthier and more resilient. As we gather for the 40th anniversary – Strides for Action, we do so with deep gratitude for the past and renewed commitment to the future.
What has always made this walk special isn’t just the miles logged—it’s the people who return year after year, and the new voices who continue to find their way to the starting line.
Honoring Those Who Came Before Us
For Jayden Johnstone, Strides for Action is rooted in remembrance.
“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I stride to honor the people who fought tooth and nail for the progress we benefit from today,” Jayden says. “Their courage made room for the lives we lead now.”
Striding becomes an act of gratitude—one that acknowledges history while ensuring those stories, sacrifices, and successes are not forgotten. Each step taken is a way of saying: we remember, and we carry this forward.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
For Ian Moura, this is his first time participating in Strides for Action in Boston, though not his first AIDS Walk. What drew him in was community.
“I signed up with my rugby team, the Boston Ironsides,” he shares. “It felt like a meaningful way to spend time together outside of a game and support a cause that has mattered to so many for so long.”
That sense of togetherness—of doing something active, visible, and positive—speaks to the spirit that has carried AIDS Walk Boston through four decades. It’s about showing up for each other, across generations and experiences, and continuing a legacy built by thousands of walkers before.
Reducing Stigma, Building Hope
Kelly Rush, a longtime supporter of the walk and of the Boston Ironsides, reflects on how far we’ve come, and why the walk still matters.
“So many of my friends are HIV-positive,” Kelly shares. “Progress has been incredible, but stigma still exists. If we can help make people’s lives even a little easier, then we should.”
For Kelly, Strides for Action is about community responsibility—being visible, supportive, and hopeful. Over the years, the walk has evolved, but its heart has remained constant: people coming together to help one another, especially in moments when support matters most.
Why We Still Stride—40 Years On
From longtime participants to first-time walkers, the reasons people stride may differ, but the impact is shared. Strides for Action is about honoring legacy, celebrating resilience, and reaffirming that community care saves lives.
Forty years in, the message is clear: this walk endures because the need for compassion, connection, and action endures too.
Join Us
As we celebrate 40 years of AIDS Walk Boston, we invite you to be part of the legacy—and the future.
Whether you stride in honor of someone you love, in gratitude for those who came before, or simply because you believe in stronger, healthier communities, your participation matters.
👉 Register, form a team, or donate to support the May 31st Walk on the Boston Common now at https://stridesforaction.org
Walk with us. Celebrate the legacy. Help carry it forward.