On the road with C2EA

2005-12-20T14:05:00.000-05:00

Paving the Way Day Eleven

October 25, 2005

Dear Friends,

I am exhausted. I just pulled off my wet shoes, socks and jeans. Maybe by morning I will have worked the chill out of my bones. But it is day eleven on the road and it is still all good.

Amos woke me up at 5:00am this morning. Instead of turning on the lights, he gently tapped everyone and quietly let us know it was time to get up. No time even for a sink bath this morning. Instead it was brush your teeth, grab a cup of coffee, a donut and a couple of apples, and load up the truck. (Can I just say that I have had about enough of apples? Everywhere we go, kind and loving people give us bushels of apples - Granny Smith, Cortland, Delicious – I have been eating three apples a day for the last ten days. Why couldn’t we have marched during peach or cherry season?)

By 7:00am the truck was loaded, and by 7:15am we were in formation, ready to march. We even had a new flag at the ready for when we hit the Delaware border. It had been raining all night, the temperature hovering just below 50 degrees, and no letup in sight. It was surreal marching through industrial wasteland in the early morning rain, surrounded by tall chimneys shooting flames burning excess gas. We chanted and sang just to keep our spirits up.

Susan and another volunteer met us at the border at 8:45am. We unfurled the flag and felt a brief moment of exhilaration before beginning the search for a friendly restroom. By noon, we had marched nearly ten miles straight, coming into Wilmington with only one pee pee break. Just outside of the downtown, we were met on the corner by residents and staff from the local AIDS hospice. Others were slowly making their way down the hill. We sang together, and did some of our best chants. It was another reminder of why we are marching.

The folk at the hospice inspired us to carry it on home to the First and Central Presbyterian Church downtown. As we turned the corner, people came pouring out of the church, cheering us up the last hill. The rally that followed was great. The mayor spoke, as did a state senator who has been the key proponent of legal needle exchange. Clearly a lot of effort had been made to make this a great event. Then came lunch… and another five miles to march.

The rain had not let up. If anything, the temperature had dropped, and most of us were already soaked, notwithstanding our rain gear. At one point, there were only ten people marching, with another ten or so riding in the vans. It was just enough to have one person for each flag, two for the banner, and three marshals. To make matters worse, the Township of Elmsmere did not want us at all. It took the intention of the State Senator to get us permission to walk on the sidewalk, with traffic, and no bullhorns. Yes, it was another reason to march.

This evening, we had just finished dinner and our time of sharing. Our Delaware hosts had promised us an evening of pampering and set everyone up to soak their feet. A middle aged man came in. Richard had seen the C2EA signs and asked if there was someone he could talk with about AIDS. He and I went off into a corner and talked. He said he was newly diagnosed and that he was still trying to deal with his diagnosis and its implications for himself, his wife and his children. As a lay minister, he also had not yet figured out how to face his church.

The conversation was part AIDS 101 and part spiritual. We had just finished praying together when the custodian came over to inform us that everyone else had already left the building and that he was locking up. We hugged and said goodbye in the rain on the street.

Tomorrow we get up at 5:00am again, sixteen miles with another rally thrown in. More rain is the forecast. I can already feel the wet bone-chilling cold. It’s still all good.

Love,

Charles King

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Message from Cindy (posted by Robin)

2005-11-12T19:21:00.000-05:00

THIS IS FOR THE PAVING THE WAY CARVAN MEMBERS.... BET I GET THIS BACK............ I CAN'T BELIVE WE MADE IT TO W.D.C....SUCCESS..... YOUR WISH WILL COME TRUE AND LOVE WILL COME YOUR WAY SHORTLY.. YOU ARE...... MY FRIEND... MY COMPANION.... THROUGH GOOD TIME AND BAD.. MY FRIEND, MY BUDDY, MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS THROUGH HAPPY,AND SAD.. BESIDE ME, YOU STAND. BESIDE ME, YOU WALK. YOU ARE THERE TO LISTEN, YOU ARE THERE TO TALK, WITH HAPPINESS, WITH SMILES, WITH HUGS, WITH PAIN AND TEARS, I KNOW YOU WILL BE THERE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS! YOU ARE ALL GOOD FRIENDS TO ME AND I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU... I MISS YOU, ALL PAVING THE WAY FRIENDS, IF YOU GET THIS BACK. YOU ARE SO LOVED!!!! PEACE, LOVE AND HUGS, CINDY APONTE........
Cindy drew "I Love U" in sign....

American Heritage Caravan update- The Epilogue

2005-11-10T20:39:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider

November 10, 2005
Portland, Oregon
After eight hours flying back over the route that our caravan traveled for fifteen days I am back home to Portland, Oregon. The crisp, clean fall air of home is a tonic, as was when Delta flight passed over Mt. Hood and the Columbia river that both flank Portland.
The last day of action for C2EA was yesterday, starting with an early photo-opportunity in front of the Capitol Dome so cental and imposing both on the hill and the land. Machine gun bearing Praetorian guard suited in black body armor were stationed about the grounds and recesses of the Capitol dome. There was a constant construction din of jack-hammer on concrete as rows of homeland security blast walls are erected as visible barriers of the 'War on Terror."
About 75-100 C2EA caravaners and their supporters showed, and we held up the state flags of the United States and it's territories, the flags from states where no one traveled from were held by stand-ins.
Several congressional supporters gave rousing speeches as this was the day we were to speak with our elected members of the House and Senate about the platform and concerns of the Campaign To End AIDS.
Those are:
1. Fully fund quality treatment and support services for all people living with HIV everywhere in the world.
2. ramp up HIV prevention at home and abroad, guided by silence rather than ideology.
3.Increase research to find a cure,more effective treatments and better prevention tools.
4. Fight AIDS stigma and protect the civil rights of all people with HIV/AIDS everywhere.
We were to talk with our representatives or their representatives about these core issues, and score them from their responses.
So away from the flags and up the hill we walked to enter through the security gates to be totally revealed through X-rays before entering the marble labyrinthine catacombs of the hive that is the House and Senate office warren.
First was a meeting with Matthew Canedy, a Professional Staff Member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee On Aging, representing the Committee Chair Senator Gordon Smith.
Each of us talked about the different platforms of C2EA trying to give them a personal spin.
My story is that I Got my diagnosis back in 1986, yet have never progressed into AIDS or suffered any opportunistic infections. Low normal T-cells, undetectable viral load, and have never had to take any medications. Even in flu season my immune system usually is able to fight off the current range of whatever gets coughed around each season. I was told in 1989 that if I did not take full doses of AZT that I would be dead in 6 months. Knowing the side-effects of drugs such as AZT upon our bodies, I saw no reason to take any potentially immune-compromising drug into my system. When and if I get sick, I will open that door and consider what's the best course of medications to pursue. Today if I would get sick, I would not be able to afford to open that door. I'm mostly self employed these days often balancing several jobs, none of which has any health insurance.
I was fortunate to be able to buy a house years back when the housing market here was depressed, yet one bad illness would cost me my home and throw me into a tattered and ripped social service safety net, potentially costing more money than if I had been able to afford health insurance.
There once was an Oregon Health Plan, but after a ghastly period of paring away vital services this State health plan stopped accepting new clients.
Some months I end up sharing meals at Portland's HIV Day Center as after paying all the bills we must pay to live as Americans there is little money left and I have to cut back on food.
The HIV Day Center faces closure if it's Ryan White Care ACT funds get cut.
I also told of living in San Francisco in 1981 when AIDS first virulently exploded in the Gay Community, often killing people brutally in epic personal battles with there own bodies,battles against both their own bodies and cultural hysteria. lives often snuffed out in a mere score of months. This virus mutates and adapts, and already has bred the largest pandemic in recorded human history. How odd to see all this "Bird Flu" scare with HIV/AIDS there at our doorsteps.
I talked of whole villages in Africa with most parents dead from this pandemic, such ripe fields to harvest for future terrorist interests.
For Senator Smith's Aide I also appealed to the Senator's strong support for the value of human life.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon met us next, personally in his meeting lounge, then we told our stories and platforms to Stephanie Kennan, Senior Health Policy Advisor. For this talk I added a thank-you and acknowledgment to the Senator's strong history of supporting health care, and his strong support in senior citizen lobbies for doing so. It is important to support AIDS drug assistance programs through Medicare/Medicaid.
Our next stop was at Congressman Earl Blumenhauer,s office, where an Aide rushed through our platforms while we were kept crowded in the lobby. Someone poked their head in who looked like the Congressperson, yet took one look at us and beat a hasty retreat as if opening an occupied bathroom stall.
All we spoke with acknowledged our concerns, but also spoke of the challenge of this age from the latest political wars on Capitol Hill.
I left to sit in the mist of a lovely rain-forest a block away in the National Botanical Gardens. In a multi-storied greenhouse rimmed with a catwalk where you can stroll among tree orchids and bromeliads high up in giant palm trees. Not to many people visiting this flowered sanctuary today, construction of blast walls without. Yes, you have to go through security and X-rays even to visit this urban piece of sanctuary.
The expectation of invasion goes back to when this swamp town laid out it's streets spiking out in all directions, yet leading to the blast of strategically placed cannons. These circles today have grown old-growth tributes to Gods and Generals.
This city of monuments such as the glass-black stone wall of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, inscribed with the names of Americans killed while darkly reflecting back the reflection of this wall's visitors.
The unborn monuments and memorials to honor the war-dead yet born haunt this place.
I'm reminded of Bob Fosse's "Cabaret" where people tried to live their lives and ignore the growing power and danger of the Nazis, till it was too late. "Tomorrow belongs to me....."
And today we live this life of quiet desperation.
For the last three weeks I have seen such as vast grass lands where antelopes dance, slept on All-Souls night in a church Sanctuary next to my boyfriend, and heard many stories of the lives caught up with and lost to this global pandmic, and the brave fight of many who believe America can and should be a better place. It is wrong to allow people to die on the streets just because of their fate or position in life.
What ever this whole C2EA thingie was, it was an opportunity or way-station along a long and hard road to the end of this pandemic.
I have walked this road for years, and that sea of empty shoes used at these demonstrations to signify those lost to this pandemic are filled with too many ghosts now walking behind me.
What do we walk away with?

November 8 2005 - Douglas Speaks!

2005-11-08T20:50:00.000-05:00

November 8, 2005
Douglas Sanders

Can we officially say we closed a chapter in history? I can’t believe that I have taken three weeks out of my so called “normal life” and spent them with some of the greatest, most insane and most brilliant minds as far as Advocacy for AIDS goes. I’ve learned a lot throughout my journey with the Campaign to End AIDS. I’ve learned so much about the people I work with and the organization that we work so hard for. I’ve put in many late hours, but not as much as some others, even though most think I may be the only one that burned the midnight oil. I know I am not because I was awake to see them working away just like me. It’s been difficult working trying to carry around an office away from home. It’s enough to take care of Charles while we’re back home in the office. Rounding up folks for conference calls drove me to the edge of insanity but I managed. And I figured out one thing that would make my life easier. I NEED A BLACKBERRY! But now that this trip is over, I don’t know if I would need it as much.

This journey, this movement has moved me, shaken me, stirred up various emotions and feelings in me that I guess in some ways surprised me a bit and made me aware of what other folks with HIV & AIDS go through day in and day out. I am truly grateful and blessed and should never complain. Walking through Newark and Trenton, NJ, and staying in the midst of crack houses in Baltimore’s West Side really brought it home that folks are really being shit on. However a bit of it can be attributed to their vices, but hardly a measly percentage could account for that. These people have been forgotten, lost in some bureaucratic waste basket and left to die basically. You can definitely see where programs and money has been cut from communities that are in extreme desperation for services. It’s amazing what the human spirit can endure. I thought enduring 21 days on the road would be a miracle feat, but to look back on it now and to put it in perspective, it wasn’t so much. My part was small. I was merely a player in an orchestra of voices, people, infected, affected, people who gave a damn, some that didn’t know me, but still cared. They cared because they have friends, family, co-workers that live with this virus, that died because there was no cure and adequate medication had not been developed.

On another note, it was quite refreshing to meet some of these people whom I had been speaking with back and forth, over and over on the phone. It felt like family reunion. I actually anticipated some of the arrivals and listened to them as they got off the caravans, listening to their voices, to see who I could pick out of the crowd. I recall picking out Judith Dillard, Karen Bates, and Thelma Wright the minute I got close enough to hear them speak. And talk about three strong-spirited, tough gals they are. I didn’t get to spent as much time as I would have liked with members of other caravans although I got a lot of hugs and handshakes. That was cool with me.

I have to give a shout out to all Paving the Way caravan members. Through our toil, through our strife, through many disagreements and major fights, sometimes pulling stuff out of mid-air and sometimes out of our ass, we made it, and every one of you need to pat yourselves on your backs for this historical accomplishment. Also to the ones who didn’t care enough to walk for a least 1 day or 1 hour out of a day, who think they are owed something, and I quote, “Eat Shit, nobody owes you a red-ass dime.” If you want better care, better services, better housing, better training, get off your ass, quit your bitchin’ and DO SOMETHING! This much I have learned. Just remember, I walked for me, but also I walked for you as well. Ok, enough of that.

I am going to write more when the spirit moves me to write. I think I will let the pictures I taken do more talking and I am willing to write. So be on the look-out for uploaded pics; I have tons! To be continued…

Peace, Love, & Light

Douglas

American Heritage update # 17

2005-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider

November 6, 2005
Washington, D.C.,Last day of action

Arriving here has become such a different story than any of us had expected. The American Heritage Caravan's cohesion has mostly evaporated. A core group of us still are camped out on the floor of a gymnasium. Across from me is a rider from the Seattle caravan suffering on the floor with a herniated disk.
My friend Ricky also from Portland started to get sick last night, running a fever from the forced condition of sleeping upon a hard, cold floor. The price of a hotel room in this capitol city of business is well beyond many of our means. Caravan organizer Lonny who boarded in Salt Lake City after flying out to join us from Ohio has scheduled a hospitalization upon his return, as he is struggling to keep it together just to survive this last day.
I had been curios as to why there was not the thousands that we were told to expect at the opening rally, why it was just us caravaners and a few people from the local community. Washington, D.C. has a large Gay/Lesbian/Bi/trans community, including one of the larger populations of those living with HIV/AIDS.
Yesterday I transversed the local GLBT neighborhoods looking for visible signs about these four days of action for what we were told was to be a major national action once we all converged here in Washington, D.C. from our many corners of America. There were no posters posted, no billboards, no flyers tacked on community billboards or taped in the windows of GLBT based businesses and establishments. I scoured from page to page the latest issue of the Washington Blade, one of the oldest and best established GLBT newspapers in the country for any mention about these four days of action.
Nada.
Zip.
No mention, not even in the calendar of events for this upcoming week. This is most queer,as the Washington Blade is one of the best for covering news related to HIV/AIDS, a goodly chunk of it's advertising base is for the very HIV/AIDS medications that we traveled across this nation to advocate for accessibility for all who need them to survive.
So I started asking questions of the C2EA event co-coordinators and the Washington, D.C. organizing committee. When my questions were answered with a lot of hostility, I knew we were in worse trouble than I had begun to fear.
I was told that the Gay community does not care any more about HIV/AIDS; The Gay community is apathetic; that there is some sort of nebulous conspiracy to silence our actions here; The Washington Blade was bought out by conservatives who are boy coting C2EA; The Washington Blade did publish C2EA related articles, that I needed to look better. All protests here in D.C. are only attended by those who come here from outside, that the locals are mostly "activist weary"; The local C2Ea organizers were to busy and overworked, that it was up to all of us to get the word out.
I heard many variations of these excuses, and just got more and more befuddled.
I walked in the Blade offices, had a friendly talk with one of the editors, was told that in the past the Blade had published C2EA elated events, but for these four days of actions no C2EA organizers had bothered to contact them with the information to publish. I was given the contact information on who to email future information to.
On Sunday night there was a youth march and rally to Lafayette park across from the White House. This event began at Malcolm X/Meridian Park with a spirited drumming and rapper session to inspire the several hundred attendees. This odd, terraced park originally plotted by Freemasons using their monumental architectural embellishments is a regular night time hang out for groups of incense-wafting drumming youth of this area. The illuminated spike of the Washington monument stabbed the sky lined up in the distance.
The messages spoken were about using condoms and clean needles, how odd that 25 years into this global pandemic that this simple message that is pr oven to save lives still has to be fought for. Forming an ordered line the marchers chanted through a tony neighborhood chanting and waving "End AIDS NOW!" signs". The chants, well practiced, also were about a supposed HIV cure that the Government has been suppressing, the same information that has buzzed this pandemic from the start. There is much good and provoking information to back up these claims available a google away on the Internet.
As the marchers led by a the flash and sirens of a police escort worked their way down the street, clouds of small birds would erupt out of the trees flying panicked into the dark. Diners in trendy sidewalk eateries would momentarily put down their fork fulls of steak.
The rally in Lafayette park was attended by about a hundred observers. The message was "not to keep youth in the dark" about how not to catch the HIV virus, and this government's complicity in the spread of the HIV virus.
Today there were two planned civil disobedience actions. The first was at the Family research council where four trained activists chained themselves to a display in the lobby featuring the traditional wedding attire of suit and dress. As of tonight those arrested are still jailed awaiting a sentence before a judge.
The second action was a march and die-in to the White House. This action had close to 300 marchers led by the obligatory giant paper mache' Bush puppet. The chant rants were such as "ACT-UP! Fight Back! We Must End AIDS NOW!"
At 1600 Pennsylvania avenue in view of the back of the White House ( as was written in the Bible when God chose to appear before Moses, only the backside was visible) 29 protesters lay ed down on the sidewalk holding cardboard tombstones bearing the messages of death and grim statistics. The practiced park police like black armored spiders lined off the protesters with yellow police tape, and one by one the protesters were dragged, cuffed, photographed, and fed into two paddy wagons as their supporters cordoned off a street away cheered their support. 29 people were arrested at this one, all released by evening with the equivalent of a parking violation.
The last to be arrested was Charlie from the Seattle caravan, wheelchair bound and veteran of the war the HIV virus wrought against his body, he was dragged and placed in a waiting medical van.
Tonight Charlie is sleeping here on a cold, gymnasium floor.

American Heritage update # 16

2005-11-06T13:39:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider

November 6, 2005
Washington, D.C.: Day of Action # 2

The stew of smog has cleared from the D.C. skies today, the blue skies and relatively cleaner air has revived me a bit, as has the rest time I'm allowing myself today. Last night I started to get sick on the cold gymnasium floor, soaking my sleeping bag with sweat. For some reason the air conditioning is cranked up full blast all night, and we can't turn it down for a perplexing array of excuses. The more critically ill of this band are being housed in better situations now, I'm told. Those of us still in the recreational center's gymnasium had to sign a release and waiver "from any and all damages which may be sustained by me directly or indirectly in connection with, or arising out of my overnight stay at the facility..."
How odd to be here advocating for the rights of the HIV/AIDS affected world community, yet to do so I must sign away my rights and protections. Washington, D.C. is all about this breed of contradiction, down to it's Spirograph street layout planned by French immigrants centuries past.
I've also been assured that those of us who's health demands dictate regular meals will be provided with sack lunches when food is delayed.
The big scheduled event here today later on will be a "Don't Keep Youth in the Dark on HIV" rally for effective HIV prevention. A march will begin at Malcolm X Park on Meridian Hill, culminating in a large rally across from the White House at Lafayette Park. Civil Disobedience training is underway as I type this.
From the Washington Post in regards to yesterday's march, we are getting good media representation here:
"Washington has a far higher incidence of AIDS-170.6 cases per 100,000 people, according to federal statistics-than other major US cities, including New York and San Francisco. An estimated one in twenty District residents is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And that number climbs to an estimated one in seven among black men in the District, said Michael Pickering of RAP Inc., a drug treatment program that works with people who have AIDS."
And I would like to thank all of my friends and readers of these blogs who have emailed me such kind words of support. Often I only have access to a computer for an hour or two, and dash these things out in a fast and sloppy gorilla journalistic manner. Special thanks to friend Rick who nearly daily responds with energizing words of hope.
This was sent to me from my friend Steve who has been there for me since we attended Lincoln High School of Seattle way back in the day:
"Inert Self Castration
Okay, so during this entire trip the most attention you received and the most consideration you were offered were from high school kids and religious organizations who are about to have their funding pulled out from underneath them. How does the funding in this country compare with say, western Europe? How can any government be called wise that ignores something that spirals out of control out of ignorance and neglect?

But of course this government was put there by the voice of the people (the people with bankrolls), and disseminated by a media that will cover whatever offers them the best short term gain.

The only hope I can garner from these journal entries is the occasional group of enlightened individuals you have encountered on your travels. But without proper funding and considering the farcical amount of funding they have, how can it be enough?

That, and there are individuals like me out here who feel helpless watching this shit every day. But that's part of the trouble isn't it, people who feel numbed and made apathetic by giving into hopelessness. Well, fuck me, and anyone else who feels that way...they put themselves in that position themselves.

Your battle is worthy.
Inert Self Castration
Okay, so during this entire trip the most attention you received and the most consideration you were offered were from high school kids and religious organizations who are about to have their funding pulled out from underneath them. How does the funding in this country compare with say, western Europe? How can any government be called wise that ignores something that spirals out of control out of ignorance and neglect?

But of course this government was put there by the voice of the people (the people with bankrolls), and disseminated by a media that will cover whatever offers them the best short term gain.

The only hope I can garner from these journal entries is the occasional group of enlightened individuals you have encountered on your travels. But without proper funding and considering the farcical amount of funding they have, how can it be enough?

That, and there are individuals like me out here who feel helpless watching this shit every day. But that's part of the trouble isn't it, people who feel numbed and made apathetic by giving into hopelessness. Well, fuck me, and anyone else who feels that way...they put themselves in that position themselves.

Your battle is worthy.
I know you are despairing right now. Just remember that this trip is not about the people who do or do not respond. You are doing this for yourself and your friends. The fault does not entirely lay with the people who choose to remain ignorant, although they do help it along with indifference. This kind of movement gets it's lifeblood from the media and the things it chooses to point it's fickle gaze at. People cannot help or join or follow if they don't know your there. As for the people whose attention you get and that do not respond except with ignorance? Do not feel bitter towards them but pity. Even a long life if it is one bereft of compassion and understanding is no kind of life at all.

Don't look outside for satisfaction and reward, look to your own brave heart, because you have a mighty one my friend.

Fuck it, shout in SPITE of the ignorant and fearful.

Remember Frederick Douglass' admonition to a young student: "Agitate, agitate, agitate".

Thank You, Steve.

American Heritage caravan update # 15

2005-11-05T22:26:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider.

November 5, 2005
Washington, D.C.

The first offense one is aware of when in Washington, D.C. is olfactory. Imagine varying levels of old fish tank, unwashed gym shorts, sewer methane, stewing in a rank, sticky humidity even in November. I had expected more of an kitschy American mutant cousin of Disneyland. No Disneyland could ever be this foul and colorless. No Goofy could be as Goofy as President Monkey Face's mug sold on the street corners on tourist trash commemorative plates and buttons. Whatever struggling fall foliage allowed in hacked-back processions does little to paint this swamp whose primary colors are those of weathered monuments in neglected graveyards.
Our American Heritage caravan disembarked the 26 surviving passengers at the Metropolitan AME Church somewhere in a tangle of intersections. Washington, D.C. was plotted to perplex and the streets layed out to befuddle and confuse any would-be invaders.
It works.
To find your way around, do not think logically, do not try and visualize a sensible grid, as you will become terribly lost in a terrain that can turn suddenly savage.
We were fitted with day-glow orange wrist bands, handed a program book subject to instantaneous change. My boyfriend Dan and I set off to see the legend of this land in the flesh.
The multi-national tourists flocked about as pigeons sure do like taking lots of photographs here. We did the standard monument walk-through, till the noxious waft of the goose-poo filled green and grey reflecting pond leading to the Lincoln Memorial sent us running for freedom.
During this time the 250 strong group of activists that had marched on foot to Washington, D.C. from New York City led by one of the Campaign To End AIDS founders Charles King entered this capitol of capitol cities. This long march was one of the primary events of this action, this latest Mr. King orating as another Baptist King did on these streets echoed in the shadows of history not so far past.
We enjoyed a most-filling early Thanksgiving dinner of Turkey,fried stuffing, green beans, and mashed potatoes served to us at the 1st rising Mt. Zion Church. I was very happy to see at least one African American based Church support the efforts of this caravan.
We were set up at the Kennedy Recreation Center where we were to spend the night sleeping on a cold gymnasium floor. Across the street spread the ruin of a hollowed out church, project blocks ringed the facility. As we were unloading the bus hurriedly a drug deal gone bad erupted in gunshots on the next corner, the occupants of a car layed on the floor as their windows got shot out. We were rushed inside and barricaded. Several caravan riders freaked out, crying uncontrollably as the wail of sirens drowned out the night. Once it was safe, those who could afford to pay for hotel rooms left, almost half of our caravan. Those who were left, many struggling with various levels of illness, were told all was o.k. There were no promised cots, and we were told our only other option was to sleep on the streets. As best as we could we settled for a restless night on air mattresses upon a cold gymnasium floor. The showers were also cold.
Today was the opening rally in a parking lot fenced off on the side of JFK stadium, and a march through the blighted neighborhood of Anacosta.The rally pulled in several hundred participants, far shy of the thousands that we had hoped for. It all was very self-congratulatory as the different caravans were introduced and their members shared the stories of their experiences upon the many roads from the far corners of America that led to this concentrated activist clot. The messages all were very powerful and moving, many stories from both long-term survivors and the newly-infected from the trenches of this new war against the spread of HIV and for the eradication of AIDS. Men, women, children,all races and sexual persuasions were here represented in this little microcosm of the largest global pandemic in human history.
And then in a neat formation we marched bearing flags of all the United States down the tarmac of the Anacosta river walk. On the left was the overgrown bramble of the slow, green waterway, on the right an expanse of an old graveyard gone to seed. We marched 3/4 of a mile chanting and singing to reaffirm our message anyway, if only to ourselves and whatever resident spirits. Then we marched across the Anacosta bridge where our message received many honks of support from passing motorists driving both small cars and large trucks. The weather was sunny, warm, slightly humid. On the other side of the bridge the march split into two groups; one walking directly to a rally site in Anacosta park, the other through Anacosta proper as this neighborhood has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the country, either one in four or one in six men here carry the HIV virus hidden in their blood. An ignored aftermath worse than what followed Hurricane Katrina here lies ticking. The Senate just approved cuts in the billions to Medicaid drug-assistance programs for those in this population with no means to pay for their medications priced far above their financial realities.
Tick, tick, tick.....
The rally lasted for several hours, mixing music with message. The statistics that I've been ticking off in these blogs the last few weeks were repeated.
The demands to reauthorize and fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act to domestically care for our sick and dieing. To fund programs to effectively prevent the spread of HIV nationally and globally. To get life-saving medications into third-world nations were the HIV/AIDS pandemic is burning through whole populations as a wildfire of death.
After this rally we were bused then subway-ed to another church for a dinner that was delayed due to over-committed volunteers. Often these mostly young volunteers do not grasp that some of us need to eat on a regular schedule because of medication demands and health concerns, and we are further weakened by the stresses from our journeys here and the near-homeless conditions by which we are accommodated to attend these four days of action in Washington, D.C.
I witnessed another American Heritage caravaner, Chris, start to grow faint from lack of food after marching in the sun and attending the rally. Chris is a former boyfriend so I intimately know his limits, and was able to catch his body before it hit the floor after he fainted from hunger while waiting in the dinner line. He came to and refused to go to the hospital, and after eating began to revive.
We are already starting to drop here, as was just a few months back in the nightmare that was New Orleans.

We DID it!!

2005-11-04T23:08:00.000-05:00

We made it!! We arrived in DC this afternoon!! Who’da thunk it??!! We actually DID this!!
Robin Milim

My adventures

2005-11-04T16:48:00.000-05:00

on the trip to dc i thougth of Anthony and John my husband and his brother hopfully we can change the for our grandchildren. keep it real. jd

EMERGENCY!!!!EMERGENCY!!!!EMERGENCY!!!

2005-11-04T10:26:00.000-05:00

After being on the road for over two weeks, now in Virginia we have just been told that our accomodations in DC are uncertian and are changing and that our best hope is to have a prayer service and pray to god. While prayer is certianly one tool we can use, some of us are more pragmatic and would appriciate group solidarity and cohesiveness. Why should we risk our lives and health and possible arrest when we have to put our faith in an orginization that at this late date does not even know the basic logisics of basic care for our sick caravan members during the day. We are being herded like cattle from one church to another. This is a problem for some who are not as mobile as others especially considering the amount of luggage we brought with us. Help Us please. If anyone in DC can help us with refuge and or transportation please get in touch with Lonny Lefever at 937-726-7668. The situation at the rec center in Dc is very tenuous. We will not be allowed access from 9 am untill 9pm each day causing some hardship for individuals who are sick. One of our members has a walker and a bad hip and will need resting space. HELP US NOW.
American Heritage Caravan riders Levi and Vaughn

Feel good yeah

2005-11-04T07:39:00.000-05:00

Today is a great day I feel much better so much better. Everyone is in good spirit tired we know we still have to push on. Remember to keep us in prayer each and everyday. I truly believe by faith that we will accomplish what we all set out to do. Put the ground work in to end this HIV/AIDS disease. I encourage family friends and associates please join us in this great Fight. Remember to donate young and old. Let the world know that we will not go away until it has ended. Gordon

American Heritage Caravan update # 14

2005-11-04T06:06:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider.

November 3, 2005
Charleston, West Virginia to Richmond, Virginia.

Last night our hosts at the Asbury United Methodist Church found homes (with BEDS!)for us all to rest in. David and Andy hosted nine of us in their spacious house. The Jacuzzi was wonderful.We all went to a friendly local Gay bar in a building that surely been a speak-easy way back in the day.
As this caravan draws near to Washington, D.C., today my idealism waned. We had hoped to have hundreds of people joining us at this point.The number of riders on this caravan are 26. For some on this caravan it has been an opportunity to visit many Gay bars in exotic new cities between snippets of events and media exposure. For me today it felt like a big, lost opportunity. Two weeks busing through America's heartland has given us a unique story and perspective, and helped connect many groups and individuals, but all the big goals set beforehand feel a bit pie-in-the-sky.
Many excuses live in this land of lost opportunities. Pushing the original caravan and it's planned events back a month because of hurricane Katrina severely taxed many already over-worked rural HIV/AIDS activists. World AIDS day now is less than one month away, another whole set of HIV/AIDS events.
Probably what we have worked has accomplished some good, and made very evident the pit-falls for the C2EA planners of future actions or caravans.
Maybe what happens in Washington, D.C. this weekend will turn things around.
So here it is night and I sit in yet another church basement.This time it's the Metropolitan Community Church of Richmond, Virginia. We were supposed to meet up here for a big rally with the other caravans, only the Florida caravan showed, bearing four riders. Two other caravans due here tonight got delayed as both had to take riders to hospitals. As it was in Louisiana after Katrina, we are starting to drop off in the streets, will our deaths again go unnoticed? There was another church service here after we all were fed, then housed, by the generosity of yet another quirky little church congregation far out of the mainstream. Word from the site of actions is not good, the city of Washington, D.C. is throwing up hurdles against us, the riot police now are preparing for us with batons, rubber bullets, and tear gas. A Little band of sick HIV/AIDS individuals should be very easy for them to subdue, before our tattered little band disperses to die invisible off in their little dark corners in this land that was America. Less than ten days of what it costs to blow apart the bodies of the children of the cornfields of America could fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act. But that would be using tax dollars to keep people alive, to stop them from getting infected then sick in the first place. Silly, stupid, me- tax dollars are only for KILLING and DEATH. So this weekend all of you safe in your little corners of America, be very, very silent, as when the Angel of Death makes it's pass over your heads, you probably won't be noticed. I remember what that nice lady told us at that truck stop, that GOOD people don't die from AIDS. And you all are such good people after all, right?
So here I sit in the dark of the dawn hours away from our fate in Washington, D.C.
Instead of the garden of Gethsemane, this lone long-haired pagan hippy sits alone.The only garden for me is inscribed with the names of the dead, watered by tears. Somewhere off in the recesses of this basement I hear someone coughing with serious respiratory problems. No praying here, just the coughs of the dieing.
Maybe you will see a little sound-bite about this on your televisions this weekend, the safety of your little remote in hand. Maybe this time the Angel of Death will pass you by, good people.

Gordon day was not so good

2005-11-04T00:15:00.000-05:00

Today was not a good day for there was too much tension. After being in a house with 30 to 40 people it is very difficult trying to use one bathroom in the house. As we continue our Journey to DC we find that people we meet and greet are cheering us on. When you see us coming please hunk your horn. We had a meeting with the global aids students committee of the university of Maryland in college park which by the way is a beautiful campus. The students that attended gave us a warm welcome. And had many questions to ask. I find that I was really stressed because things seem to running smooth then things at times changed. But carrying the flag gave me renewed energy. Although my body is worn down and my feet are tired I still carrying on, my goal is to make it to DC and have my voice heard. I’m very grateful to be part of C2EA. I ask everyone who is effected and affected by this HIV/AIDS to be with us in DC to stop this madness and find a cure to end this disease. We must educated our nation youth through Sex Education a complete course that cater to all walks of life. The Youth are our future. I hope to see you soon. So make a huge effort to be here.

American Heritage Caravan update # 13

2005-11-03T23:12:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider.

November 2, 2005
Louisville, Kentucky to Charleston, West Virginia.

On the surface driving through the hills of Kentucky, this part of the country is a deceptively beautiful, clothed in fall finery of fire-red trees, yellows and oranges befitting of a raver's fashion. Crosses dot the highway medians,appear at regular intervals cresting on hillsides,empty, ready for new bodies to be nailed upon them. Where before on this journey we viewed antelope and cows, now we are in horse country.
We arrived into Louisville at night, winding through a sleek business district; old world churches nestled next to shiny new temples of commerce.
You do not have to go far here to find the ghetto.As we rode through Louisville's projects we witnessed open drug dealing,traveling through blighted neighborhoods bearing buildings hollowed out as skulls.
Where we were to spend the night was at an old Catholic Parrish that the church abandoned, today known as the House of Ruth. The House of Ruth is an association of persons caring for families and individuals affected by HIV and AIDS. They provide advocacy and support for their physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. From their brochure: "HIV/AIDS has the ability to shatter- not only the lives of individuals, but also their families. And that has an effect on the entire community. Although there is not a cure to-date,there have been great medical strides made in managing this disease. However, there remains a side to this illness that only those who are close to it can see- the emotional repercussions. Many HIV/AIDS infected/affected individuals often feel lonely, isolated, desperate and hopeless. House of Ruth can help alleviate these feelings by mending shattered lives.
House of Ruth through its comprehensive program, believes that treatment of HIV/AIDS is not only found in a doctor's office, but is also found in the community. House of Ruth also believes that in order to treat an infected individual, it must start by treating the entire family."
This is the safety net for the Louisville HIV/AIDS community,and it is getting torn to pieces as funding sources close and dry up. We were to sleep in the building gymnasium,which was unsuitable for our more frail caravan riders, as numerous bullet holes in the window and gaps in the ceiling made the space unheatable in the low 30 degree weather. A cascade of creeper vines had forced their entry into the building through gaps in the exterior. We slept in a heat able dining hall next door upon a concrete floor with air mattresses. Halloween decorations were strewn about leftover from a children's Halloween party; flaming paper skulls and glow-in-the-dark plastic skeletons, motion-activated ghosts that giggled and rattled little chains when their mechanisms sensed your approach. Disposable horror-holiday gew-gaws manufactured overseas probably by children much less fortunate.
Two of our caravan riders who had boarded the bus in Chicago had to be flown back, as the rough conditions in the past days sent their health situations spiraling downward to where they had to be hospitalized. The number of riders on this American Heritage Caravan are 26.
Organizing our stay here was an amazing one man show of an activist named Darrell Robinson. About seven years back he organized the first HIV/AIDS resource agencies in the state of Kentucky, a project he's fought to grow as the caseloads increase statewide,as denial and drug addiction throw more people into a system that is having it's basic funding cut and slashed. Kentucky only has started collecting statistics for those who are pre-AIDS but HIV positive this past year, they won't be able to release these statistics till about 2008.
Out of this chaos Darrell made sure we were well fed for both dinner and breakfast by securing the funds to hire a caterer. Fried chicken, meat-loaf, mashed potatoes, and corn for dinner, eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy for breakfast.
What is it like living with AIDS/HIV in Kentucky? I asked Darrell,who is the Education Director for the Louisville AIDS Resource Center :
"As we go into our third decade of HIV/AIDS, though the medications may be new and improved, the stigma, the lack of education and the dis concern still lingers. The media keeps referring to HIV/AIDS as a controllable illness and that the need for concern is no longer there. In it self this is such a farce. There are at this time over 1.5 million people in the United States that are HIV/AIDS diagnosed. 40,000 newly diagnosed cases a year, 8,500 deaths a day world wide. Yet the State of Kentucky keeps wearing the blinders that belong on thoroughbreds during a race and sees nothing. They don't think HIV is in their community and their children are not at risk. Kentucky is second only to West Virginia for the most poorly formulated drug assistance program in the nation. Until 3 months ago Kentucky had a waiting list for over 300 people to even receive assistance with their medications, not to mention Housing,medical treatment, clothing, food and transportation. The state reports cumulative cases of AIDS through 2004 at 4,119 people. Yet we know that in Louisville their are over 100 clients at the WINGS clinic being served and the other seven HIV doctors are so full it is at least a six month wait to even See doctor for the first time. You do the math. Keep the Promise to End AIDS and join the Caravan to end AIDS today."
We could not secure the permits needed for a public event, the local media totally ignored our phone calls,
so we left Kentucky for our next scheduled stop in Charleston, West Virginia.
The West Virginia hills reminded me of back-home in Oregon, it has been about two weeks since our caravan rolled out of the HIV Day Center there.
We Arrived at the State Capitol Charleston and were received and fed by our hosts at the Asbury United Methodist Church. An interfaith service of prayer and healing open to the local community was held after dinner, over 50 people attended, as did reporters from two television stations.Readings from this service included those from the Baghavad Gita: " My devotee is compassionate towards all beings, bearing ill will toward none. You must look with an equal eye upon everyone, working for the good of all."
Also from the Torah "The strangers who live with you shall be to you like citizens, and you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt..."
After this service the whole group marched bearing candles two blocks away to a AIDS living memorial garden planted on a wedge of land at a busy intersection in the light of the Capitol building's gilded wedding-cake styled dome. We all shared the names and stories of our departed friends and family.
Some names were inscribed on the bricks on the garden walkway. Many bricks were yet to be inscribed as the death toll will surely rise in this rural corner of America. This was another memorial service out of many where it was left to the church to remember the dead of their community. No one showed up from any of the State HIV/AIDS agencies, so I was unable to gather statistics in another small town where an invisible tsunami of death drew near.
We did score two small sound-bites on the evening news.

Soul of the South Day 17

2005-11-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

We went to Columbia S. Carolina yesterday and I finally met Karen Bates. It's great seeing people's faces from the conference calls. She had an awesome event at the state capital. There were several speakers, preachers, and live music. Someone sang a beautiful song on stage. We drove to Durham (is that spelled right?)after and picked up the 3 ladies from San Antonio from the airport. Then we went and got 3 hotel rooms at the holiday inn. We stayed there last night, and i did homework, caught up on e-mails, and chilled. Had a great night sleep, although someone from another caravan (not mentioning any names Casey) called me at 4 in the morning. It's alright though. Today we went to Durham's event. It was awesome. A church auditorium filled with people. They had a drawing for donations, lots of speakers, networking, and a dance team. DC tomorrow!!! I can hardly hold in my excitement!!!

P.S. I'm speaking at the opening ceremony, and I'm nervous.

Chris Rothermel

Host Committee Organizer: Soul of the South, Houston
Campaign to End AIDS

rothermel.c@gmail.com

Snap and Pop

2005-11-02T22:55:00.000-05:00

Snap: and it was set: his hand on the sign, “Entering Elkwood”, and behind his glasses: eyes burning wild with pride. This was only one of so many such pictures: Entering Trenton, Entering Cecil County, Entering Nowhere at All.

For a boy from The City, he was so excited about being nowhere, so glad that he could make the trip to this in-between, and so grateful that this instant of satisfaction would forever be caught in as few as two dimensions.

That morning he had taken pills, many pills, “toxic AIDS drugs”. There were maybe seven of them, and large. They were white and powdery, or orange and obscenely oblong. With a cupped palm he tossed them all in his mouth and without the assistance of water or juice or food, he swallowed them whole.

That instant may never be caught on camera or printed on glossy paper. That sort of preservation only serves in reckoning feelings that exist beyond the now; a vague reminder that sensations exist in both positive as well as negative realms.

That moment, the blurred motion from bottle to throat, lives indelibly in his consciousness as both fear and salvation and, at the very least, allows him to visit Elkwood and Cecil County. It is a means to his mortal prolongation, not a means to an end, or rather not the means to a desirable end.

But for now he can experience in many more than 2 dimensions. And now is the time that he suffers to know; he is surrounded by beauty and a great deal of love. And it happened on the brink of nowhere while his mind was alert, his body was active, and his life, not geography, was the best part of what lied ahead.

Daniel Solon
11.2.2005

Paving the way

2005-11-02T22:25:00.000-05:00

Paving the way.
I’m still setting the march pace as the flag carrier. Today we march over 15 miles, gaining much support from those who will listen. I met a couple in the area where we are staying the man said that his brother was HIV Positive. I’m tired and my body aches from head to feet. But I know it is well worth it. By the way the host person Betty agreed that her three Grandkids will make the trip to the hill and speak with some of our elected officals. This city of Baltimore is finally giving us a lot of support and said that they will be in DC with us. Hope to see everyone in DC

Gordon

Nor'Easter

2005-11-02T14:55:00.000-05:00

hi c2ea on the started in albany ny went to syracuse ny binghampton ny
on our way to state college pa in syracuse at living room dinner was fine
and hospitality was great warm atmosphere the people welcome us
with open arm broom county health department did a press conference top of the
morning with love to you all

frederick cooper
new york city ny

hey folks

2005-11-02T14:32:00.002-05:00

Well I have two days of catching up to do. Well Monday we went to the needle exchange program, we went and hung out with Peter, Cory and T they were really cool folks. Then we went to a ASO in Northampton Ma. Yesterday we were in Syracuse NY.
Were we went to the college it was exciting. Then we went to the Living Room which was a house for HivER and we ate supper,they were really friendly and they told us to give them HELL in WASHINGTON DC. This morning we were in Binghamton NY.HEALTH Department were the media was there and I did a live interview with them. Now were on our way to State College and I'm really excited we also picked up 4 person to join our caravan. Love you all

France Noreaster caravan
Manchester, NH

Day 19

2005-11-02T12:52:00.000-05:00

Day 19
On the road with the crew

Today my ankles feeling much better. But they needed someone to stay at (what we call) “The House” so Paul Hatchett and myself decided to stay back. Last night the host committee had a good old fashion church dinner for us. I think everyone wanted to take back the pans with the leftovers in them using the excuse that they should carry some for the ones that had to stay back, even I tried that one. But all in all every things going according to schedule so I’m told. I keep trying to give you subtle hints about how exciting this walk is, even if you don’t enjoy walking, you get caught up in the vigorous spirit that everyone has about this campaign. Valerie has even joked about a fly that has been with us from the beginning. The best part of this to me is talking with the other people. Just listening to the various things they have done and the things that they would like to see change has been a learning experience in itself. As I said before sometimes it’s just a matter of holding all this new information in so when the time comes that I have to use it I’ll have it. Time is winding down, not to many more days left in this part of the caravan it is an ongoing process such as life is. It is still not too late to help us take it on in to Wash. D.C.

Sheila Peeples
JTP
Bronx Cobra

American Heritage caravan update # 12

2005-11-02T11:21:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American heritage caravan rider

November 1, 2005
Columbus, Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky.

At daybreak this All-Saints day I awoke next to my boyfriend sleeping upon an air mattress on the Dias of the chapel in the Lamb of God Anglican Chapel down inside the basement of the Broad street Methodist church of Columbus, Ohio. A red votive candle had burned in a wall sconce above us, the old woodwork infused with the scent of frankincense incense. here in this Sanctuary far from home upon a difficult road, two Gay men fighting for their lives found peace this night when the veils of this world are the thinnest and our dead are there beside us. From this parish's mission statement: "To the Gay,Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered, we say that your love is sacred, your union is blessed."
After all the hateful words aimed against our love and devotion to each other by those who have only enough religion to hate, not enough to truly love, that simple statement of affirmation wets my eyes with tears of hope.
I found a card there, a "Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence":
I bow to the sacred in all creation.
May my spirit fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May my mind seek truth with humility and openness.
May my heart forgive without limit.
May my love for friend, enemy, and outcast be without measure.
May my needs be few and my living simple.
May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others.
May my hands never harm a living being.
May my steps stay on the journey to justice.
May my tongue speak for those who are poor without fear of the powerful.
May my prayers rise with with patient discontent until no child is hungry.
May my life's work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.
May my soul rejoice in the present moment.
May my imagination overcome death and despair with new possibility.
And may I risk reputation, comfort, and security to bring this hope to the children."
The role of Christianity and this caravan has at times boiled over and become contentious. Some on this caravan have been severely abused by the Christian Church, the very mention of which dredges this pain and hurt up to the surface. As we travel across the heartland of this nation, what has been very effective is to speak from the heart of our personal experiences, whether it be Gay/straight/Bisexual/Transgendered/Black/White/Latino/Native American/Young/Old/ Male/Female/religious or non-religious. (Please forgive me for any unintentional omissions.
when we speak from these personal experiences, the challenge has been to differentiate between the stated political goals of this caravan and our own unique perspectives.
The American Heritage Caravan began in a church basement in Portland, Oregon, where our local HIV day center operates out of. If the Ryan White CARE Act is not fully reauthorized, the Portland HIV Day center will face closure,those of us dependent upon their services will be shut out in the streets.
Portland's main HIV/AIDS social service agency, the Cascade AIDS Project, totally ignored this caravan, and gave us zero support. How interesting that a good share of their funding comes from the Ryan White CARE Act, that we are fighting to keep the funding to pay their salaries as services for the local HIV/AIDS community get slashed and ended.
All along this road to Washington, D.C., often the only support that we have received has been from small Christian churches who have opened up their buildings for us to stay in, and have fed us. We have also witnessed major local HIV/AIDS support and prevention organizations like the Nebraska AIDS Project and the AIDS resource Center of Ohio who are there struggling hard in this climate of deprivation to meet the diverse needs of their client base.
The American Heritage caravan riders and a few local supporters held a noontime rally around the lavish state capitol building in a cold rain. No local politicians showed up to hear us, and we were totally ignored by the local media. In the rain, drowned out by traffic and construction din,We chanted "End AIDS NOW!!"
and spoke about the estimated 10,000 people who died yesterday of this disease, have died today, and will die tomorrow. Some of us with walkers and trailing oxygen tanks, our hand-held signs melting in the rain, we received a few car-horn honks of support, a few thumbs-up from passers by.
What will it take to end this? At a truck stop one lady told us AIDS was of no concern of hers, as her children were "good" kids who would never catch this disease. Welcome to the United States of Denial.
We entered back onto our bus to dry off, and drove off to our next uncertain stop in Louisville, Kentucky.

In BaltimoreNorthern

2005-11-02T09:20:00.000-05:00

In Baltimore…Northern Liberties…where we are staying in a “ballimore” row house…6 people sleeping in living room – 3 in dining room…8 in front bedroom 2nd flr – 4 in middle – 3 in back and in basement 5 or 6…and one bathroom…this is togetherness _the good, the bad, the ugly.

So this is the future – we’ve had a number of suggestions for staff housing_ so how about doing this & we can work on firehouse schedules – 10 days on – 2 weeks off.

CDers arriving tonight _ but we have 15 miles to Jessup…along the famous Rt. 1

-Marie Nahkian

Paving the Way-November 1st

2005-11-02T09:16:00.000-05:00

November 1, 2005

Dear Friends,

As wonderful as this march has been, it has not been without occasional mishaps and tensions.  Whether it was too many people in such close quarters for too long, the long competing lines for the single shower and toilet, or the “haints” coming to life, yesterday was one of those mornings when tension just seemed to hang in the air.

Generally, I have tried to defuse tensions with humor, but that morning even my best effort seemed to backfire.  Ok, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to send Diane with my megaphone, “Halls Spit”, to sing gospel music lustily on the stairs when some folk were already annoyed at her, but it seemed like a great innovation at the moment.

Fleeing the commotion to which I had contributed, I went out to move the truck that carries all of our luggage and supplies.  Our regular driver had gone back to NYC, and I was proud to have been trusted with the responsibility for driving the truck and the bus.  I could tell a great story, but the truth is, I wasn’t watching my right mirror close enough when I swung wide to make a u-turn.  Sure enough, I clipped the side-mirror off of our own van.  And there were at least a dozen marchers to bear witness.

Oh well, everyone is entitled to at least one mistake.  So an hour later, I found my driving a loaded bus of marchers back to the day’s starting point, McDonalds on Route 40 West.  I was followed by a second bus from NYC and a van load of other marchers.  All went well until I executed my brilliant spin through the McDonalds parking lot.  There, with the entire procession watching, I managed to side-swipe a ladder sticking out from the top of a painter’s truck.  This time, everyone was there to witness my humiliation with even the driver of the truck laughing at me.

Of course, two accidents in one day is completely unacceptable.  I was tempted to suspend myself from driving until I had taken a refresher safety course.  Instead, I have decided that full confession on the blog is punishment enough.

The rest of the day was fabulous.  We officially marched into Baltimore.  It was exhilarating to march through the city streets with people pouring out to see the commotion.  First it was off to the public library for what was to have been a rally and lunch.  No one showed for the rally, but our hosts fed us well.  From there we marched through John Hopkins University, to the state prison, and on to City Hall, officially claiming Baltimore for C2EA.

We were followed much of the afternoon by a camera man from the local Fox News affiliate.  He kept trying to anticipate were we were going to be, and we tried to help him, but he kept showing up ten minutes late.  Finally, he got out of his truck and started running down the street after the march, carrying all of his equipment.

After a half dozen block or so, we decided to show sympathy for our news man.  We stopped the march and let him set up a block ahead so he could interview me while the marchers passed.  We were all set up, and the marchers started up.  Cool – except the chant Amos had chosen goes, “Bush must be smoking crack; tired of being bush-whacked?  Bush must be smoking crack; time for us to fight back!”

It’s a fun chant for the highway, but probably not the clearest articulation of the C2EA message.  Take two worked just fine; Fox got its footage, and we got our 30 seconds on the evening news.

Today started with a four-minute interview on Fox.  Carnell Thomas, the Maryland C2EA State Coordinator each carefully rehearsed the three sentences the most wanted to fit in.  It worked like a charm, except we demanded “research that follows science and not ideology” and “prevention that includes microbicides.” Not a bad transposition of our demands, if you ask me.

We had a delicious breakfast at Betty’s church, the Faith Deliverance Revival Center, and marched from there to a photo op at City Hall.  Again, marching through the City streets was exhilarating, but for the first time, I had to drive, not march.     NBC showed up while we were walking the picket line in front of City Hall.  With all of the gay men and straight women swooning over the very tall, dark and enormously handsome camera man, we did manage to provide great chant shots and get in all of the Maryland AIDS facts.

From City Hall, we marched right through the downtown, passed the local AIDS Services Administration, where we were met by cheers, and on to the Fist and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, which is located on neither First nor Franklin Streets.  Thanks to lots of local effort, we were met at the Church by three more news crews.  Clearly, everyone in Baltimore who watched TV was going to hear about C2EA.

The rally at the church was poorly attended, and the reps for the city and state elected officials were pompous and self congratulatory.  I don’t think we could have sat still if one more of those officials told us that they were with us on the march in spirit.  All of the dignitaries also managed to have another appointment requiring them to leave before anyone form the community could speak.  But the spirit of Rosa Parks still hung in the air.

The pastor of the local Unity Fellowship Church was passionate, countering some of the official rhetoric by noting that more than half of his congregation was persons living with AIDS and HIV, most of who are going without life-saving treatment or services that they desperately need.  We were presented with a framed thank you card, made by a local organization that serves children affected by HIV.  The card was covered with footprints of the children, signifying our steps on their behalf.

The rally ended with a ten-minute chant and song medley that rocked the church.  From there, we got back in the street and marched my favorite route so far, right through the heart of the ghetto, right to our house between two crack houses.  After a fifteen minute demo in front of our house, Cameron and Laverne took our left over food and distributed it door to door on our block.  It wasn’t a completely charitable gesture.  Housing Works’ Transgender Transitional Housing Program had come down on a rescue mission with enough goodies to keep us from starving for days.

This evening, it was back to Faith Deliverance Revival Center for a dinner.  The spread was more than impressive:  ribs, meatloaf, chicken, green beans with smoked turkey, collards, cabbage and bacon, collard greens with ham, roasted sweet potatoes, potato salad, baked macaroni, and coconut, chocolate and pineapple upside down cakes.

I close with two observations from the road: the most welcoming churches and the ones with the best food have all been pastured by women.  Though we are marching as many as fifteen miles a day, we are all gaining weight.

Love,

Charles

helpful people

2005-11-01T20:54:00.000-05:00

hello im a concerned person who want people to know that their is hope. im a 33yr old male living with hiv and can say that im still here living and loving life to the fullest. for those who are living with hiv/aids don't be afraid help is here.you are the one who needs to take the first step.

2005-11-01T20:48:00.000-05:00

Me and my son were picked up in Biloxi Mississippi on October 27^th and went to Mobile. We were there for 2 days and the people were great. I made new friends and commited to speak to some youth in December! We were showed around Mobile by people who were knowledgable and we were well taken care of..

On October 29^th we were in Phoenix City boardering Columbus Ga. We were welcomed by some very wonderful people. On the morning of the 30^th we were invited to a prayer service that I enjoyed VERY much!!! The speakers touched my heart!!! When Gina sang “GET THERE” I cried!!!!! She has such a beautiful voice.. I will never forget the kind words, the wonderful prayers and the overall expierence especially that the Mayors showed up.It was a great honor to be involved.. Thank you

On October 30^th we arrived in Atlanta were we stayed in another wonderful church. Jeff and everyone at Aids Survival Project were awesome. Atlanta is as beautiful as I remember . On October 31^st we had a press conferenceat Martin Luther King Hall, I was very moved it finally hit me the stand I am making and I am filled with pride! Later that night we went to Georgia capital and spoke on the steps! Praise GOD I had no fear as I read my speech I had written down earlier in the day. I am so greatful for how good we have been treated so far..

Thanks to everyone for making this great thus far!!

Jessica Mardis 29 and Gabriel Johnson 2