World AIDS Day

Local groups plan events on Dec. 1 to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. PLUS: Five movies that depict the AIDS crisis.

By Laura Latzko

AIDS Ribbon

World AIDS Day Dec. 1

Local groups plan events to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS

In observation of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, organizations around Arizona will work to create awareness about HIV/AIDS.

RJ Shannon, minority AIDS coordinator at the Arizona Department of Health Services, said that World AIDS Day helps spread awareness about how certain countries and communities, including communities with people of color, have high mortality rates because of a lack of access to drugs, educational materials or HIV testing.

"The message behind the day is that we still have a lot of work to do, and we are honoring the people who have died and those who are still here," Shannon said.

According to statistics from the World Health Organization, in 2009 33.3 million people were living with HIV worldwide, including 15.9 million women and 2.5 million people under the age of 15.

Shannon said World AIDS Day creates awareness that HIV/AIDS is a global issue that affects a range of people from different backgrounds.

"It doesn't discriminate," Shannon said. "It's the same behaviors across cultures that can get you infected."

The theme for World AIDS Day through 2015 is "Getting to Zero," which reflects the goal of having no new HIV infections or AIDS deaths and no prejudice against people with HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day has been observed annually since 1988.

Arizona Events

Phoenix: Grace Lutheran Church

During events sponsored by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Annie Loyd, of the Fusion Foundation, will lead a community drum circle with community members from 6 to 7 p.m. in the courtyard of Grace Lutheran Church, 1124 N. Third St. Artwork by youth from 1in10 and Release the Fear will be on display.

A multi-faith service from 7 to 9 p.m. will feature a candlelight vigil and speakers from faith groups. Praise dancers and a choir from the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Buckeye will perform and a local poet will read his work. Kirk Baxter, an AIDS survivor and founder Body Positive (now known as the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS) will be the emcee. Those attending can bring quilts, which will be sent to the NAMES Project Foundation to become part of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Tucson: University of Arizona

The Women's Resource Center, Pride Alliance and Campus Health Service will host a resource fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the UA Mall. Campus Health Service will pass out red ribbons, which represent HIV/AIDS awareness. COPE Community Services will offer free HIV testing from noon to 2 p.m.

Tempe: Arizona State University

HEAL International, the LGBTQ Coalition at ASU and the Black and African Coalition at ASU will put on an event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Old Main at ASU in Tempe. There will be free HIV testing, and food and entertainment from Phoenix-based pop group Peachcake and Gilbert-based hip hop dance crew Elektrolytes. During a related Paint for Peace event, students will have a chance to paint pictures depicting their visions of peace. The canvases will be sent to the NAMES Project Foundation.

Devils in the Bedroom, ASU Wellness and the undergraduate student government will hold the first Global Village from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tempe Campus on Hayden Lawn, with information on how HIV and AIDS has affected countries and communities.

Phoenix: Arizona State University

At ASU's downtown campus, DPC Aware, Programming and Activities Board and Advocates for Downtown Equality will stage the campus' second annual Global Village from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Taylor Mall to create awareness about HIV and AIDS. The Maricopa County Health Department will conduct free HIV and sexually transmitted infection testing.

Tucson: Club Congress

Fluxx Productions, Positively Beautiful, TIHAN, Cope Community Services and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) will host an event starting at 4:30 p.m. with music and ballet folklorico dance group Diverse Dance. Speakers will tell their stories about living with HIV and AIDS.

Prescott: Pride Center

The World AIDS Day Planning Committee and Northland Cares will have several days of activities.

Nov. 30: Silent AIDS Walk from the Yavapai County Courthouse to the Prescott United Methodist Church and a remembrance service at 6:30 p.m. at Prescott United Methodist Church.

Dec. 1: Wreath auction with free appetizers at Monk's Restaurant.

Dec. 4: Benefit concert for Northland Cares with entertainment from local singers from 4 to 10 p.m. at Coyote Joe's Bar and Grill.

Dec. 5: Discussion with Cathy Elliott and Bud Sadler about living with HIV at 6 p.m. at Prescott College Crossroads Center South.

Dec. 8: Free HIV testing and safe-sex counseling from Yavapai County Community Health Services from 2 to 6 p.m. at Prescott Pride Center. -E

Carol Poore

Southwest Center CEO to attend AIDS conference in China

Carol Poore, president and CEO of the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, will spend World AIDS Day in Beijing, where she will be a keynote speaker at an international conference.

Poore will speak about how HIV/AIDS organizations can provide prevention outreach and wellness and medical services during the annual World AIDS Day conference Dec. 1-3 sponsored by BIT Life Sciences.

Poore said it is significant that the conference is taking place in China because organizations there are starting to address HIV/AIDS. She said that she hopes to show how to better work together to serve the needs of people with HIV and AIDS and to reduce the stigma around the disease.

"They are where we were 20 years ago," Poore said. "They are finally starting to talk about HIV and AIDS as a public health issue."

Poore said she will be the conference's only speaker from a community-based HIV and AIDS service organization. -E

Movies reflect history of HIV/AIDS

By David-Elijah Nahmod

HIV/AIDS has been handled in a variety of ways in film. Here are a few of the movies available on DVD that depict HIV/AIDS stories.

An Early Frost

Aired on NBC in 1985, An Early Frost was a groundbreaker in its day. Even the naysayers admitted that the film powerfully underscored what it meant to be a person infected by HIV at that time — long before there were medications available that could extend people's lives. Aidan Quinn plays Michael, a 30ish attorney who may have come home to die, while dealing with coming out to his parents as a gay man and as someone with AIDS.

It's My Party

With the idea of a terminally ill person's right to die with dignity gaining acceptance, it's a fascinating to look back upon this moving, if little seen 1996 film about the last night in the life of Nick (Eric Roberts), a gay man with AIDS who's told by his doctor that he's only has days to live. Nick throws himself a lavish party to say goodbye, after which he'll commit suicide. Randal Kleiser wrote the script based on the farewell party thrown by his own ex-partner.

Love! Valour! Compassion!

This 1997 film based on Terrance McNally's Broadway play, follows a close-knit group of gay men as they commiserate about life, love and HIV over three holiday weekends at the country home of Gregory a successful Broadway choreographer. Most moving of the various stories is of the gentle love between James and Buzz who make one last stab at love. When James falls ill, Buzz takes care of him, showing how love has the power to override illness, and even death.

Sex Is

In this 1993 documentary, director Marc Huetis presents a diverse group of gay men sharing their personal journeys on how they came to accept their sexual identities. Each of them finds a way to deal with AIDS and the realities of safer sex. Stories of loss and fear are shared. The graphic conversation is fast, lively and thought provoking. Sex Is is one of a handful of films to acknowledge AIDS afflicted people outside the sphere of gay white males.

A Finished Life

A Finished Life: The Goodbye and No Regrets Tour

By the time he was 48 years old, Gregg Gour had lived with HIV for half his life. He had lost his partner to the virus, and was tired of the health complications that were caused by his medications. Gour decided that it was time to go. He quit his job, sold his house, stopped taking his meds. In this 2010 documentary, filmmakers Michelle Boyaner and Barbara Green follow Gour as he makes a cross-country trip to say goodbye to family and friends. -E

Also in the edition: See Neil Cohen's review of the documentary We Were Here.