AIDS Quilt displayed in the Heisman Field House
Issue News Back Next

News-in-review

AIDS Quilt displayed in the Heisman Field House

Organizers encouraged community involvement

by Abby Person

A 1,064 panel portion of the AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed in the Heisman Field House during the first weekend in December. Organizers coupled the display with AIDS education sessions and a reading of names of people who have died from AIDS.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt was organized in the mid-1980s as a memorial dedicated to people who died of AIDS.

One aspect of the weekend's educational programming was to bring school-age children from surrounding counties to see the quilt. Jessica Pitman, a junior and head of the education committee, said they hoped to invite the students' parents as well.

"We hope it will make parents feel more comfortable about HIV, AIDS and sex in general," she said.

A signature square was also on hand for signing by those who visited the quilt. Those who wished to make new panels could participate in panel making workshops as well.

The organized effort to bring the AIDS quilt to Oberlin began last year when members of ACT-UP Oberlin first approached the College administration and The NAMES Project Foundation, a non-profit organization which takes care of the quilt and uses it to raise money for AIDS education and research.

After that a coalition of members from ACT-UP, other students, Associate Dean of Student Life Ken Holmes and President of the College Nancy Dye worked together to bring the quilt.

Bringing the quilt cost approximately $12,000, according to sophomore Jenna Hill, co-chair of the Oberlin College Display Host Committee. In December she said they expected around $4,000 to come from ACT-UP, and the rest from the office of the Dean of Student Life and Services and fundraising.

Since the mid-1980s, the quilt has grown to well over 35,000 separate quilts.

"I think that it's a powerful experience to see the quilt," Pitman said. "It somehow makes the AIDS epidemic more real than any speech, movie or newspaper can make it. The display is tremendous in size and scope. The large display adds something itself. It brings out a depth of emotion."


Photo:
Memorial quilt Last December, a large portion of the AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed. (photo by John Matney)


Oberlin

Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 25, May 23, 1997

Contact Review webmaster with suggestions or comments at ocreview@www.oberlin.edu.
Contact Review editorial staff at oreview@oberlin.edu.