The Miss Universe organization partners with Latino Commission on AIDS.

Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera, was appointed the International Ambassador for the Latino Commission on AIDS. She will support local, regional, national and international initiatives in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, health education, capacity building and advocacy. Miss Universe will work to promote the efforts of the Commission’s HIV awareness campaign on October 15 – the fourth annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.

“When we selected HIV/AIDS Awareness as the official cause for Miss Universe nine years ago, the purpose was to truly make an impact every year with each titleholder,” said Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. “As the International Ambassador of the Latino Commission on AIDS, Zuleyka can help urge the Latino community to learn about prevention and help to remove the stigma that goes along with testing.”

The Latino Commission on AIDS notes that cultural taboos are just one of the principal barriers preventing Latinos from getting tested. Ms. Rivera will work to diminish that perception by publicly taking an HIV/AIDS test in Manhattan on October 15th, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.

“The bold efforts taken by Miss Universe will call worldwide attention to the AIDS epidemic in Latino communities and encourage Latinos to get tested for HIV,” said Dennis deLeon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS. “We anticipate that this alliance will help to influence Latino men and women everywhere to learn how to prevent HIV and to get tested on a regular basis”.

The 18-year-old Miss Universe has continually expressed her passion for the fight against HIV/ AIDS and has supported organizations that advocate education, research and legislation.

“I want to encourage HIV/AIDS awareness and education for my peers, but more importantly, I want to be an example for everyone who is afraid of being tested,” said Ms. Rivera. “Together we can all work toward the mutual goal of protecting our loved ones and our communities.”

“We salute Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera for making HIV prevention the theme during her reign. We are pleased that she will be encouraging Latinos and all other communities to be tested for HIV infection on a regular basis,” said Alberto Santana, Statewide Latino AIDS Coordinator for the Florida Department of Health.

“We at Union Positiva are all very proud and extremely excited to host this great step forward for HIV testing and awareness in Latino communities. We salute the Latino Commission on AIDS and Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera for this groundbreaking partnership,” said Union Positiva Executive Director Doralba Muñoz.

Rivera will also be an official spokesperson for the Commission’s annual gala, Cielo Latino. She will endorse a pendant by designers CarlosAlbert, the proceeds of which will raise funds for the Latino Commission on AIDS’s programmatic and educational initiatives in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The Latino Commission on AIDS is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Latino community. In response to the critical, unmet need for HIV prevention and care for Latinos in New York City, a coalition of Latino leaders founded the agency in 1990. The Commission realizes its mission by spearheading health advocacy for Latinos, promoting HIV education and prevention, developing model programs for high-risk communities, and by building capacity in community-based organizations. Through its extensive network of member organizations and community leaders, the Commission works to mobilize an effective Latino community response to the health crisis created by HIV/AIDS.