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.

What have you done today...

...to make you feel proud?

The other night at Illuminations Project, Kimberly Anne O'Neil performed to Heather's Small Proud. It got me to thinking, is there one thing (big or small) that you can do to make yourself feel proud? It doesn't have to be something big or overt. It can be a random act of kindness that makes you feel proud. Think about it.

World AIDS Day

Monday was World AIDS Day. It was the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day/Houston decided to make it a week long observance. One of the events was a candlelight vigil that was held on Monday evening in Tranquility Park in downtown Houston.

The City of Houston Health Department coordinated the event in conjunction with Montrose Counseling Center. Mayor Bill White and other city officials spoke at the event. The Gay Mens Chorus of Houston sang. Two of the speakers were the face of AIDS. One person was a female who was infected by her husband. Through the years she has had some issues to reconcile. The thing that struck me most about her was her attitude. She said that she doesn't live with HIV; HIV lives with her.

Another speaker was a male who by all counts should be dead. Because of the intervention of someone, he is alive today. It was through the care of the staff at Legacy that he is able to stand in front of people and tell his story.

It was a chilly evening in Houston and Monday night events are always difficult to draw a crowd. It was a good turnout but I wish there had been more people.

The week ended last night at Zilkha Hall/Hobby Center. Illuminations Project was an evening of performers using their talents to bring awareness to AIDS. The line up was as diverse as Houston.

Planet Funk, Hope Stone, The Houston Ballet, Sara Sjolander, ShyAnne, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Flyboys of Flag Troupe Houston were just a few of the performers.

The Gill Family did a montage of songs from You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. It took me a moment to figure out what was going on and then I realized that they were all playing a character from the show. However, the person who have played Snoopy had passed away and they were doing the songs in his honor.

That performance brought tears to my eyes. You see...

When I was a senior in high school, our Spring musical was You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. It is a very small cast and because of all of the rehearsals we became very close. I haven't kept up with the other cast members but I could relate to the emptiness that the performers were relaying in their production.

ShyAnne did a song that I will never be able to listen to again without thinking of last night. ShyAnne performed Hurt by Christina Aguilera (click here to view Hurt). There were two male dancers from The Houston Metropolitan Dance Company who performed while she sang. One of them was wearing a shirt that a very big red ribbon on it. That dance number changed the whole context of the song for me and now when I listen to it I will always think of last night.

It reminds me of something that happened back in 1992.

There was a dedication of panels for The AIDS Memorial Quilt. The dedication took place on the lawn of Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Someone sang The Dance by Garth Brooks and it forever changed the meaning of the song for me. I remember someone was in the crowd and start to cry out loud and sob. That was sixteen years ago and in my mind it is almost like it happened yesterday.



So today I've sort of been in one of those moods of missing people.

On a brighter note, Legacy received Illuminations Project Award for its service and commitment to fighting AIDS. Congratulations to the staff for the recognition.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 7.0

I've been working on something since yesterday. I'm not finished. My fingers and shoulders are tired and I decided to stop. It will f___g be there in the morning and no matter what I do tonight it won't be finished tonight so I stopped. And it is almost time for Project Runway.

Need to catch you up on a few things.

Montrose Counseling Center & Dalton DeHart

Tomorrow night Montrose Counseling Center is honoring Dalton DeHart. It is a kick-off for their building fund.

I probably met Dalton in 1994 when I joined Executive & Professional Association of Houston (EPAH). As long as I have known Dalton he has had a camera around his neck. :-) Dalton has documented many parties and events throughout the years.

Dalton has many photographs of me with a cocktail in my hand. In fact, one time he took my picture at a press conference and I didn't have a cocktail in my hand. He said I broke his camera because of the missing cocktail. LOL

Dalton also has many photographs of me with big hair. He has also documented my weight gains and weight losses. I'll always stay on Dalton's good side because I'm afraid he might have some photos worthy of blackmail.

In addition to being a photographer, Dalton has been involved in many community organizations.

I'll be stopping by and hope to see you there!

Illumination Project

I just remembered that I haven't done a recap of the performance on Saturday night. I need to find the program to refresh my memory. Look for it soon.

Running & Weights

I met up with runnerOne yesterday morning at 545A. It was a bit on the frigid side. It was 36 degrees Fahrenheit. It was so cold (HOW COLD WAS IT?) that even the guys who run shirtless were a bit bundled up. We had a good 3 mile run. Did a negative split.

I got a 3 mile run in today. And get this. Yesterday I even went to LeFittes.

Parallel Lives

No. Not Parallel Lines by Blondie.

Running My Mass Off has commented that we have parallel lives. That got me to thinking. Seems like there is someone else that has paralleled my life. I realized yesterday morning that runnerOne and I have parallel lives almost to the point of it being freaky.

Word Of The Day

Hoodwinked

tim mARTinez CARDS

http://timartinezcards.blogspot.com