The Seattle City Council presented several ceremonial proclamations and recognitions at its Dec. 2 meeting. Councilmembers honored Reverend Doctor Renee McCoy on World AIDS Day for decades of work in HIV/AIDS prevention, presented a posthumous proclamation for John Jeffrey Tucker — founder of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center — and recognized Albert Ward on his retirement after more than 26 years of city service.

During her remarks, Reverend Dr. Renee McCoy highlighted recent reductions in HIV funding and offered national and local statistics she said illustrated continuing urgency: she cited global and U.S. figures and said that in King County more than half of people living with HIV are over age 55. McCoy urged attendees to continue advocacy and to treat HIV/AIDS as an ongoing public-health priority.

Keith Tucker, son of John Jeffrey Tucker, accepted a proclamation establishing a day in his father’s honor and said the observance will be a “day of action” with ongoing community programming tied to the Langston Hughes center’s legacy. Councilmember Strauss introduced a retirement recognition for Albert Ward, who joined city service on Aug. 4, 1999; Ward thanked the council briefly and staff posed for photographs.

These items were ceremonial and did not require formal votes by the council.