World AIDS Day 2013

Legacy Community Health Services-Montrose World AIDS Day 2013

Today is World AIDS Day. A global day to bring awareness about a disease that affects children, women and men.

When people were first infected with HIV in the early '80s, Montrose Clinic (now Legacy Community Health Services) went from being an STD clinic for gay men to one of the first responders to the pandemic in Houston. Legacy went from teaching people how to die from HIV/AIDS to teaching people how to live with HIV/AIDS. Treatments have changed over the years and people are living longer. The face of HIV/AIDS has changed. It went from being a gay man's disease to a disease that affects everyone but one thing hasn't changed: the stigma attached to being HIV+

I was getting ready to head over to a holiday party and visit with friends but before I headed out for the day, I did want to take a moment and acknowledge this day. You might say that the above photo says it all but it is too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday weekend and forget about today.

The photo above was taken last night after I arrived back in town. Katy Caldwell, (Executive Director at Legacy) Gary Archer (from Bright Star Productions) and I had been trying to think of a way to illuminate Legacy's Montrose location for World AIDS Day. Katy suggested a red ribbon. I suggested a string of red ribbons on the white tile. And well then, we left it up to Gary.

from Gary:
I thought it should be multiple ribbons all the way across, some larger, some smaller, different shades of reds, bold, shadows, etc. I visualized this as each of us standing side by side honoring those friends &family who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. That’s my take on this…my concept. On a personal level, I see many friends up there and therefore, I see myself.

So folks there is the story behind the building being lit. And there is also an obscure part of the story that not many people know about.

Back in 1997, I became involved in a committee to raise awareness for World AIDS Day and Illumination Project. Jane Weiner was in charge of the project and I had never met her. I was warned not to drink her Kool-Aid but I did. In one of the meetings, Jane wanted to know why a building or buildings in Houston weren't decorated with the red ribbon. Well, six years later we have one building lit; maybe more will follow.

I hope that you will take a minute to remember everyone who has died from HIV/AIDS, everyone living with HIV/AIDS and everyone who is helping fight the battle. You don't have to light up a building but you can light up your heart.

POSTSCRIPT:

For more photos, visit Legacy's Facebook page.

To read CultureMap's story, click here.