World AIDS Day comes to Tisch

The World AIDS Day rally was held in the Tisch Library on Monday, in order to raise awareness and prompt action against the deadly virus.

Information on the disease was available in the main lobby of Tisch, including a table displaying statistical information and an emotionally-charged educational video about the disease.

Also on display in the lobby was a 12- by 12-foot patchwork quilt hung to commemorate World AIDS day this past Monday. The quilt used a variety of fabrics, colors, and designs to highlight the lives of those who died from AIDS.

The section of the AIDS Quilt on display at Tisch -- one of 5,600 panels in total -- represented only a small fraction of those who have died from the disease. There were eight patchwork sections on the panel, each measuring six feet by three feet -- the same dimensions as a grave plot. So far, the quilt has raised more than $4.2 million in donations from those who have seen it.

The quilt was started in 1987 as a way of putting faces to the staggering statistics of AIDS death. "It becomes a reality," said sophomore Archana Asundi.

According to the World AIDS Day website, five people in the world die of AIDS every minute, and there are more than 42 million people affected in total. There are almost 14,000 new cases of HIV infection daily.

"In high school we learned about it but people just thought [it was a distant problem]. They shrugged it off," said junior Abie Ighodaro, one of the students who volunteered to pass out red ribbon stickers that commemorate the day.

The most affected area of the world is Africa. "A whole continent is dying off," Ighodaro said.

Yet, despite the staggering number of deaths caused by the virus, people still are not paying attention, according to Julie Wlodinguer, a student coordinator for AIDS Outreach. "People don't think they're vulnerable," she said.

According to Wlodinguer, apathy is the biggest problem in fighting AIDS, coupled with fear and ignorance. This year's World AIDS Day was committed to breaking down the hurtful stigma attached with the disease. Those living with the disease today must also deal with people who believe that the only people who contract the disease are homosexuals and intravenous drug users.

"People need to know that once you have HIV you can still live normally," Wlodinguer said.

Another issue is finding a line between scaring people enough to act without creating a fear of those who have contracted the disease. "Figuring out how to help can be really difficult," Janet Mozes, a Nurse Practitioner at Health Services said. Ighodaro suggested "spreading the word," and fundraising as two approaches.

Spreading the word about the virus was Mozes' goal for the day. She said that just wearing the red World AIDS Day ribbon can help raise awareness and that it is through heightening awareness that stigma is combated.

Tisch was chosen for its high student visibility and potential for catching attention.

Many other people took part in World AIDS Day. Campuses across the nation held candlelight vigils to remember those who died. Celebrities joined the fight as well, hosting educational television programs, wearing ribbons, and headlining benefit concerts.