“This will be sacred ground for many people. They can come here and remember loved ones. Parents rejected their children, their sons, as soon as they found out they had AIDS and were gay,” said Nicole Murray Ramirez
Ramirez never thought this day would finally come, when shovels would be seen digging into the ground to mark the beginning of construction for an AIDS memorial in the City of San Diego.
Friday morning, Mayor Todd Gloria, city and state leaders, joined those in the community who have pushed to bring this first of its kind memorial to the City.
This $2.3 million project includes the AIDS memorial, a brand new Olive Street Park featuring a playground for kids, fitness equipment and an overlook deck of Maple Canyon.
Ramirez said once it’s completed, the hope is that this park and memorial serves as a reminder to everyone about loving unconditionally.
"I want families to try and understand that we’re all God’s children, and to accept their children unconditionally,” she said.
Nearly 8,000 people in San Diego have died from AIDS.
