Watch: Governor Cuomo Challenges Other States to End AIDS by 2020

Today Governor Andrew M. Cuomo kicked off the 2015 AIDS Walk in New York City, This video is of his speech at the 30th annual event’s opening ceremony, where he discussed the plan to end the AIDS epidemic in New York.

Cuomo was honored with the “Hero Award” from the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) for the initiative to end the epidemic by 2020. 

In response, Cuomo said, "I accept this award on behalf of the 130,000 New Yorkers who we lost to this tragedy of HIV and AIDS. And as we start, let us look back and let us look forward and let us never forget the nightmare that we went through – the 35-year nightmare, where generations of New Yorkers lost their lives. Let us never forget the fear and the stereotyping and the negativity and the bigotry that went along with it. And how it stereotyped the LGBT community for decades."

He went on to say, "As New York was ground zero for HIV and AIDS 35 years ago when this began, and as we paid the highest price here in New York, let us also be the birthplace of the renewal and a future that says, “we can have a world where HIV/AIDS is not an epidemic and we are committed to it, and New York is going to lead the way, the way we did on marriage equality.”

In conclusion, Cuomo called on other states to join "this crusade" to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020.

Watch his entire speech in this video.