A view of AIDS

Quilt panels make stop on campus, opening discussion of virus

By Irene Thirlwall

Students and others in the community came together in remembrance of those who have died from or are living with the AIDS virus.

Talia Duran, a Fresno State senior, President of the United Student Pride Productions, and USP Vice President Gail Sherwood were responsible for organizing the three-day event held on the Fresno State campus.

“ It was amazing how it came together. In about three weeks it was put together,” Duran said. “We were all over the news. It was great coverage.”

Condoms and safe-sex information were given out Monday.

Tomas Casarez Jr., a Fresno State junior, was at the event.

“ There were plenty of students passing by. There were positive reactions,” Casarez said. “It is a wake-up call.”

Duran said she was also thankful for the straight allies who were at Monday’s event, including the Hmong Association and Alpha Phi Omega.

Tuesday evening, a candlelight vigil was held. A crowd of about 18 people discussed and remembered loved ones and their fight with the disease.

Some had made promises to tell their loved one’s story to make people aware of the danger and seriousness of AIDS.

One attendee, Jeff Crews, shared his story. He said there is a new generation who is not scared of the disease, mostly because they do not actually know anyone who has ever gotten it.

“ For me, the gay community of my generation in San Francisco and Los Angeles were wiped out. All of my friends from San Francisco are gone,” Crews said.

“ Fear and shame can be broken by one person understanding,” Crews said. “A candle is so appropriate, because we need to open up the light.”

Many at the vigil talked about the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, a portion of which was displayed Wednesday in the University Satellite Student Union.

Helene Fisher worked security at the last quilt event in Fresno, held at the Selland Arena. Fisher said she had lost someone a year ago and that she currently has a family member with the virus.

Michelle Colvin, a Fresno State political science and women’s studies major, said she saw the quilt in Visalia, in 1993 and in Washington D.C.

“ I have never in my life seen anything so powerful. It made me weep,” Colvin said. “I think of all the people who were not as lucky.”

Colvin said she has lost five of her closest friends and says it’s a pain she would not wish on anybody.

“It put a humanizing quality to it,” said Hassan Davis, a part-time student at Fresno State, who said he has seen the quilt on TV many times.

Wednesday night, the quilt was on display for the second time during the day—it had also been available for viewing that morning.

The evening ceremony turned out a larger crowd with about 25 people.

The quilt hung over the stage; it consisted of eight panels. Each section was dedicated to someone and was decorated somewhat like a personal collage. There was a piano on one panel, with piano keys along the border of the panel, another had Muppets on it, and others had roses, pictures and other items. Many panels said wife, daughter, sister friend, or brother, father, and husband, showing the different roles those people once played. Each panel also contained the date of birth and death.

They hope to have more panels on display again next year.