Last Thursday, University members, Middletown citizens, and representatives from the Oasis Wellness Center held a vigil to commemorate World AIDS Day.
The vigil’s attendees first gathered in Olin’s lobby to listen to speeches that ranged from discussions of the AIDS cause, personal accounts of illness, and poetry of HIV positive Middletown residents.
Addressing the audience, newly elected Mayor of Middletown Seb Giuliano commended the work of students as well as city organizers in putting the event together to raise awareness, contrasting it with the relative lack of information about AIDS in the past.
“Back then, all we knew was that it was a death sentence [and] all you had to do was say the word and people panicked,” he said.
The Oasis Wellness Center works with the community to stop this panic, and two people they have helped shared their experiences. Despite having very different stories to tell, each person emphasized that dealing with being HIV positive involved making the personal decision not to look at oneself as a victim.
Greg, who wished to keep his last name confidential, said that it was more important to have empathy than sympathy and that he was now able to walk around with his head up. The power of personal strength and spirituality were things he found central to battling the disease.
“The difference between religion and spirituality is that religion is for those who are afraid to go to hell and spirituality is for those who have already been there,” he said, adding that spirituality has helped him be a voice for others rather than see himself as a victim.
Rosa Guzman, an HIV positive artist whose paintings were on display in the lobby, also spoke. She was infected by her partner with whom she had been living for nine years, and she talked about the better grip that she had on life by accepting what had happened.
“I wake up thankful that I have another day [and] want [to] celebrate life,” she said.
Describing the social effects of the AIDS pandemic in South Africa, Nompumelelo Nkosi ’06 talked about the rise in children-managed households in the country, with more young people having to serve as the breadwinners in their families. She underscored the importance of eradicating the stigma of AIDS and of increasing acceptance.
The attendees were also treated to a performance by Quasimodal.
The vigil concluded with a candle-lit walk down Church Street in commemoration of those who have died from AIDS. All proceeds from the event benefited AIDS support groups in Middletown and sub-Saharan Africa.
World AIDS Week was a collaborative effort among the Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC), AIDS & Sexual Health Awareness (ASHA), Planned Parenthood, Students for Microbicides, and the Oasis Wellness Center in Middletown.
“I think the week went well,” said Lauren Smith ’07, one of the heads of SGAC. “The idea was that we would have enough events going on that people would have to see and notice that it was World AIDS Week, and that even if they were busy could come to something. The general reception was good. A lot of people were wearing AIDS ribbons, and the events were attended.”
Jesse Greenspan ’07, who is also an SGAC head, agreed.
“I thought Wesleyan’s World AIDS Week was a resounding success,” she said. “The variety of events on campus, from panels and discussions to films and a benefit party, made AIDS awareness and education accessible to students in a variety of ways. This is also the first year that SGAC has worked closely with other student groups on campus to plan World AIDS Week events. Judging by the week’s success, I think this is a pattern that will continue in the future.”
The week-long series boasted a range of events, from daily documentary screenings to jewelry sales to raise funds for AIDS orphans, letter-writing and phone call campaigns to senators and trade representatives, panels about AIDS issues and an AIDS dance-a-thon in New York City.
In addition, artwork by local AIDS activists/patients and students was on display all week in Olin’s lobby. There, a large red ribbon sculpture was covered with 800 Durex ‘love’ condoms representing the number of people who die of AIDS each day.
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