BAKERSFIELD - Hundreds of people gathered at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield to commemorate World AIDS Day.

Volunteers with the Bakersfield AIDS project organized a vigil to remember all the people acted by HIV/AIDS.

It’s also a time to raise awareness about the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than one million people are living with HIV around the country and 1 in 5 people who are living with HIV don't even know they have it.

"Bakersfield AIDS Project was founded by Audrey Chavez who her brother passed away from AIDS and I had two uncles pass away from AIDS.  So, we're just trying to prevent people from having to go through the pain and loss we had to go through that could have been prevented," said Phillip Castro, volunteer with the Bakersfield AIDS Project.

Leaders with the health department say there are about 2,001 reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Kern County.