AIDS Memorial Display

Last week, I had the privilege to be a volunteer in the AIDS Memorial Quilt display at Rockland Community College. This display was the largest display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in the Northeast in the past eleven years. The display was held for three days (Thurs - Sat) and it sure felt surreal seeing the effort that someone put on in creating the quilt for someone they loved. I was there during setup which was amazing as we had to line up 240 blocks that contained 1,920 panels. This only represented 4% of the entire collection which is currently at 44,000. If the whole memorial quilt is laid down, it would take 10 football fields. Coincidentally, the first time the quilts were displayed in 1987, they had 1,920 panels.

Each panel is consist of eight 3x6 quilts. The display had 4,500 names which is just a 4% of more than 91,000 names in the entire display. So after lining up the panels, we had to unfold them and refold them in a lotus flower folded design. It was interesting to be the first one to see the display before the public and some of the quilts were truly amazing. Some told the story of their struggle while some just contained the names of those who have died due to this disease. There was one quilt that truly touch me (image on the right), it was a quilt made by a friend who made it because the other half of the person who died was so sick and wasn't able to do it by himself. You almost feel for the person who was making the quilt for losing two friends.

I had a chance to walk through the whole quilt and saw some familiar names such as Liberace, Rock Hudson, Ricky Wilson, Arthur Ashe and Freddy Mercury. Most of the quilts for the stars were probably made my their fans. I also notice that the dates were mostly in the 80s and 90s but not much in 00s. The reasoning was the current medication is making people who are infected with HIV / AIDS live much longer.

Names of the people who passed were read throughout the exhibit. I had the chance to be a reader one night and read through a couple of pages of name. Did notice one page containing names of kids who have scumbag to this disease. There was name of a baby who was only 6 month. I had to stop for a second after reading the baby's name just to get my throat cleared before continuing on.

As to with opening, so it must have a closing. I was one of the closer, first, all the closers lined up around the quilts. At a signal, we all walk towards a panel and folded it from top to bottom. Signally the closing of the quilts. Then there was a dedication of new panels before the exhibit was official close.

Hopefully it wont take another 11 years for the exhibit to come back.

More info about the aids quilt here