Hey, everyone! YN has done an awesome job providing links about HIV/AIDS, ways to get involved, and education resources (and I know a ton of you guys probably already know about this) but I thought I'd just give another tip-off about World AIDS Day and a Day With(out) Art.
World AIDS Day and A Day With(out) Art, both recognized this Friday, fight the stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS and attempt to break through the wall of ignorance and confusion surrounding the virus and disease. They fight to provide comprehensive AIDS education to all, teachers and students alike.
World AIDS Day grew from an international meeting of health ministries from the United Nations in 1988. It has grown to be a day in which people are encouraged to educate themselves on HIV/AIDS prevention and use their power of knowledge to educate others. Its credo is “You, Me, Us.” This slogan is a summarization of the program’s beliefs: “This year, it's up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice” (worldaidsday.org). World AIDS Day is a day to fight against the prejudice and stigmas that fuel HIV’s rapid spread. The Red Ribbon is a symbol of support for AIDS victims, the fight against HIV/AIDS prejudice, and battle for
all-encompassing AIDS education.
A Day With(out) Art was established in 1989 in New York City, a year after World AIDS Day, to provide a visual aid to the AIDS outreach programs and to raise awareness of the many, many NYC artists infected with HIV and dying of AIDS. Originally, A Day With(out) Art was a day in which many museums, theatres, galleries, and other arts related organizations closed their doors and sent their employees out into the city. Many of the employees attended AIDS vigils or awareness events. A Day With(out) Art was meant to dramatize a day in which art would be lost—when artists would be dead because of the rapid spread of the disease within NYC and the gargantuan spread of the worldwide pandemic. Now, A Day With(out) Art employs art in order to raise awareness and promote social activism and education. Visual and performance artists around the country bind together to rally educational forces and spearhead the fight against the virus and the stigma.
Remember, worldwide, the situation today is not any better now than it was in the 80s and 90s. So, on this World AIDS Day and A Day With(out) Art, please look past how people contracted the disease or how you may have been taught to see AIDS victims. See that we are the same people, and that it should be in our hearts and minds, or in our religion, or in our innate human consciousness to feel compassion and therefore help our fellow people. That means standing up for the conquering of stigmas and prejudices and intolerable acts of censorship when dealing with HIV/AIDS. That means you taking a stand for what needs to be done in order to stop the pain and suffering running rampant over the globe. Make a difference. Save a life. Change the route that the world is taking.
So this Friday (or any other time of the year) educate yourself and those around you. Use the resources YN has given you on the homepage and the below links (some of which are the same, I know):
OneWorld AIDS Day Visual AIDS - A Day With(out) ArtUNAIDSWorld AIDS CampaignAldo Fights AIDSYouthAIDSI may not be able to do an overwhelming amount in my community, but I
can wear a red ribbon or HIV/AIDS t-shirt and raise awareness within the student body, which is important since our age group has the most yearly contractions. Even if you can't do a ton, do what you
can.
What are you doing on December 1st? Share ideas and opinions.
Thanks, guys!
"I imagine a lot of people tune in simply to watch reporters get bitch-slapped by Mother Nature, and frankly, who can blame them?� Anderson Cooper
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