Red ribbons were hung on trees around campus this week to remind passersby of the AIDS pandemic as part of a series of events brought to campus to commemorate World AIDS Week. Sexual Health Awareness (ASHA) and Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC), two student groups organized Wesleyan’s participation in the international event, which raises awareness and money for research on the virus.
SGAC held a call-in to President Bush on Monday about the Global Fund and sent speakers to the Oasis Center’s World AIDS Day event at the Middletown Youth Center. Ribbons and fact cards were also handed out at Monday night’s Ebony Singers concert.
ASHA leader Lindsey Reynolds ’04 organized a Tuesday evening performance by the South African Sinikithemba Choir. All members of the choir are HIV positive and travel the globe spreading their message through performance while raising money for treatment in South Africa. A Wesleyan alumnus is currently filming a documentary about the group.
“ I was blown away by how amazing they were—they sang and danced with such enthusiasm and were all incredibly talented. Hopefully they can come back to Wesleyan next time they are in the area”, said Jenn Brown ’04, who attended the concert.
Wednesday night’s Vespers was HIV-themed, a forum was held on Thursday regarding AIDS in Africa, and on Friday there will be a bake sale at the Campus Center to raise money for a treatment center in Haiti. ASHA and SGAC also sold beaded ribbons from South Africa in order to raise money for a care center for children orphaned by AIDs.
“People don’t seem to get the significance of the problem. Perhaps they do, but they don’t seem to act,” Reynolds said.
ASHA and SGAC use lobbying, advocacy, and direct action—such as lecturing to high school students—to fight the AIDS pandemic, as well as raising money through events such as those held this week.
“Why is it that if I got sick, I could get treatment and live another 10 or 15 years, maybe longer, but for most people in the world, an HIV diagnosis is as good as a death sentence?” said Rebecca Brigham ’05, chapter leader of SGAC.
According to Brigham, if every American provided four cents a day, treatment could be provided for every single person living with HIV in the developing world.
“I want my country to be a leader on this issue, but unfortunately I don’t think this will happen unless people put pressure on the government to change their policy and show the government that they want their government to be a world power that fights for equality and human rights”, Brigham said.
ASHA has organized AIDS and HIV-related events for several years and began to receive additional support from SGAC in the fall of 2002. The Student Budget Committee, Student Activities Committee, and specific departments helped the two groups organize this year’s events.
World AIDS Week was nationally recognized in the U.S. this year through several television specials, as well as coverage by local and national newspapers. A U2 benfit concert was also held in Cape Town, South Africa. For more information on the World AIDS Week or the fight against the AIDS pandemic, go to www.worldaidsday.org, www.fightglobalaids.org or contact student leaders on campus.