You can't be afraid of stepping on toes if you want to go dancing. -Lewis Freedman
Tuesday, November 23, 2004"
As the Sistah said well: "I don't know quite how to say this so as not to offend, as it must be said... <snip>...Gay men had worked so hard and long for acceptance they did not want to "share" HIV with any other group. And organizations like mine kept reminding the public that it wasn't just a "gay" disease. We did so because others were at risk and to get into people's narrow little mind that they should stop hating the "homos" because they are just like everyone else. In the process I believe we (I) may have promoted HIV as not that big a deal. Unintentional of course. We wanted the hate to end, the fear to stop. It did not occur to us that there would be any resistance with gay men. After all we are in this together! A backlash hit the "rest" of the HIV community.....some gay men proclaimed it was not fair and they were being overlooked. I have no doubt many gay men felt this way because that was their experience. But it reached a point that I had quite a few angry gay men who felt like I was using their efforts for my advantage. My explanation of wanting to help was often greeted with scorn. Some felt it was hard to accept that I simply care and want to help! I wanted to bring everyone together in this battle, to work together in passion and compassion. And don't tell me it can't be done. Bullshit! As I have written before - we are going to have to save ourselves. We, the people cannot wait for Big Brother to save us! Thus the question "What do we do?"
First and, perhaps, foremost: We need to stop falling all over ourselves walking on eggs and worrying about offending someone! As Orwell said quite well:
"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
My other suggestion is that we refrain from using the old, outdated PWA terminology... We need to Advocate, Educate, Care, FUNdRaise, and Speak OUT for the entire HIV Community! Why? Because HIV is the only thing that separates, discriminates, stigmatizes, demonizes, vilifies, persecutes, and oppresses- US from one another while at the same time being the only thing that touches and can UNITE US- as well.
Best Regards,
Michael
There is an old native North American Indian tradition called Heyoehkah. The Heyoehkahs, or sacred clowns, were people within the tribe who "did things differently", challenged people's thinking, shook them up. Their function was to keep their people from getting stuck in rigid ways of thinking and living. They were also know as "contraries" because they lived backwards. They walked backward, danced backward, everything they did was contrary to the norm. By their living, they symbolized the shadow of the Creator God, reminding people of their spiritual center.
For gay people, the role of Heyoehkah is especially important: not only are Heyoehkahs often gay, the role of contrary is a sacred symbol of the role we play among society as a whole.
Not long ago, a handsome courageous, young, gay Indian named Richard, danced Heyoehkah at a powwow. When I heard about it, shivers ran down my spine. It was a sign of remembering. It was a sign that we are remembering our relation to the Great Spirit and that the Creator God is remembering us.
His dance also made me realize that from the beginning there has been a Heyoehkah response to AIDS. When the normal response was to react with fear and panic, there were people dancing backward, responding with love and confidence. When, every day, the world began repeating a death mantra, our sacred clowns danced the dance of life. They talked about living with AIDS, surviving, healing, recovering. When the normal reaction to a diagnosis was isolation, our Heyoehkahs dragged us into a community. When the world wanted us to be victims, they drew circles of light around themselves and stood in their power.
Whenever it got dark, they turned toward the light. Whenever people said there is no hope, they said there is always hope. Whenever people said this isn't about us, they stood up and said, "This is about you. This is about us as well. Our planet is sick. Earth has acquired an immune dysfunction. We are all living with AIDS."
The heart of this book is inspired by that magical AIDS community of sacred clowns, the contrary people who keep hope alive, who stay spirit-centered, who "do things differently."
Perry Tilleraas - The Color of Light: Meditations for All of Us Living with AIDS
Greetings Y'all!
A select committee of local HIV/AIDS Advocates met yesterday with Education/Prevention Specialist, Clint Ibele of No Ky Health to begin planning for this years World AIDS Day Observance. We have undertaken an ambitious project to revive the passion with which we once faced the epidemic...
World AIDS Day is commemorated around the globe on 1 December. It celebrates progress made in the battle against the epidemic — and brings into focus remaining challenges.
World AIDS Day 2004 will focus on Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS — the theme for the World AIDS Campaign 2004. Through its focus on women and girls, the year-long campaign aims to accelerate the global response to HIV and AIDS – preventing new infections, promoting equal access to treatment and mitigating the impact of AIDS.
We are mounting a weeklong schedule of events around Wednesday December 1st. The current outline begins on Monday November 29th when displays will open in various locations. We have a committment from Kenton County and outreach was assigned for Boone, Campbell and Grant Libraries.
St. John United Church of Christ at 520 Fairfield in lovely downtown Bellevue will be our hosts for this years Service of Remembrance. The service will begin at 7:00 pm and the photo exhibit "Kentucky Faces of AIDS" will be open an hour before and after it. For more information go to www.StJohnChurch.net
We are also working with an offer from the cast of "The Laramie Project" to host a benefit performance of the current production. Rick from Woolly's on Monmouth is handling those details.
WE will do online outreach and communications. As you may know, our developing organization was born as the result of this years theme for the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial held for the first time here this May. My hope and intent is that we have turned our Remembrance into ACTION by creating a CommUNITY-Based organization that brings a stronger and more respected response to the fact that there's now a HIVe in every neighborhood of the South Bank HIV CommUNITY.
"When the drumbeat changes
The DANCE Changes"
All who wish to be involved in the "Heyoehkah" dance on The South Bank for World HIV/AIDS Day
Michael
aka The Queen Bee of The South Bank HIVe @ Seminary Square
"I want you to open your hearts and see the world in a different way. You get from the world what you give to the world. I promise this will change your life for the better." Oprah!
"I used to be afraid of dying, I'm not anymore.
I'm more afraid of what happens to the people who live..."
And The Band Played On
World AIDS/HIV Day
toward a Hate Free Millennium:
"Stop the madness!!!"
"I remember the STREET BATTLES, the funerals, the bigotry, the betrayals, the courage. I remember it all. The last thing we need to do to mark the 20 years is a month of self-congratulatory black-tie fundraisers for the AIDS bureaucracy. Our hearts may be filled, but there are only two emotions worth expressing at this perilous time: GRIEF and RAGE. Grief for the millions who have died and are dying. Rage at the indifference, greed, and stupidity that permit this grotesque calamity to continue. We should cancel the COCKTAIL PARTIES and start off June in The Streets of Washington, DC -- SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER."
AIDS Quilt Founder, Cleve Jones in the June 2001 POZ Magazine
Youth Explosion Event Targets Covington Teens
On August 6, a new program for teens was among the many offerings during the Old Timer’s Fest in Covington, Ky.
Youth Explosion, a workshop for young people, offered education about HIV/AIDS, abstinence and STDs, along with food, games and prizes. Teens aged 12-18 participated in the workshops and had the opportunity to hear from a panel of people who are living with HIV/AIDS.
Participants were also able to eat, play games and win prizes. The Old Timer’s Fest is an annual event on Covington’s Eastside
Copyright (c)1991-2004:
The Michael W. Connett Living Trust
No comments:
Post a Comment