The political climate brings additional challenges, as some members of the Latino community are particularly affected by federal laws that restrict people with HIV from entering the country and demand the deportation of those found to be living here temporarily. The fear of deportation in particular may keep HIV-infected people without documentation from seeking health care. Access to AIDS care may also become more difficult for Latinos who live and work here on a permanent basis. Outreach workers such as Maria Cristina Vlassidis are incorporating AIDS education into people' s lives. Together, they pinned up carousel horses, laid out baby shoes, and placed a teddy bear against a basket of fruit.
Children are a symbol of hope.
With these altars, we do more than acknowledge our losses. We express our hope and commitment to fighting AIDS as a community. Paula Brewer is the editor and Christen Kaczorowski the assistant editor of the Harvard AIDS Review.