On the road with C2EA

Re: Hey, I finally found this opportunity

2011-11-11T09:19:00.000-05:00

hey there...
it was important for me to prove I could amount to something this was
such a relief now I can be my own boss trust me on this
http://terziogluinsaat.com.tr/CarlWatson72.html
see you.

robmafia3

2011-10-20T12:13:00.001-05:00

Leann whilea http://copiartec.com.ar/ploh.php?adavid.alviny3op1

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

Waves Across The Nation Caravan

2005-11-01T19:29:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Cedric Murphy and I have call Larry and Tim and they do not know how to add pictures to the c2ea web site can you help.

Cedric Murphy

Brotherhood Task Force of NWLa

318-294-2025 cell

2005-11-01T17:48:00.000-05:00

Soul of the South Day 15

2005-11-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

Day 15

9:00 AM

Man, I’ve been on the caravan 15 days. This experience has made me want to travel for awhile. Maybe I can get a job as a field organizer like Larry. That’d be cool. Well if the south is the bible belt, then Atlanta has been called the buckle. I guess it lived up to its name. Lots of religious groups have been at everything we’ve done. Yesterday we went to the Martin Luther King Center yesterday for a press conference. Larry, Kendal, Jeff Graham, and some other religious leaders spoke about C2EA and HIV/AIDS. Most of the pastors/priests/reverends (is there a word that is inclusive of all?) are really awesome. I like how passionate they are about HIV/AIDS. I’ve only met a couple of them, that bothered me. I don’t like when people push their religion on me. I recognize the passion they have for their calling, but that’s it THEIR calling. When people try to push me into something I’m not, it bothers me. I have my own spirituality, and I’m willing to talk to people about it, but only if they ask. My religion is between my god and me. I need to give credit however, to everyone that is getting the prevention/activism messages through to their religious community. However it works for them, as long as they don’t discriminate. I’m glad that religion is not hampering many communities in the south about ending this pandemic. Last night we had a speakout at the capital in Atlanta. It was very powerful. Many people spoke/signed their story. It moved me so much. Jeff Graham is one hell of an activist. We are now on our way to pick up Kendal and Larry. I met them at the Youth Action Institue. It’s so awesome how we’re slowly getting connected to our family again. Casey from Shreveport called me last night, I called him back this morning, and he was like “I’m on the caravan!” I also talked to Dani from the YAI and he was like oh my god chris!!!!! I’m almost overwhelmed with excitement. So far I’ve spoken with/met up with: Dani, Heather, Casey, Asia, Shannan, Kendal, Larry, Maralis, anyone else? When we meet in Richmond with 7 other caravans, we are gonna go nuts!

Columbia here we come, get ready!

Chris Rothermel

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

rothermel.c@gmail.com

Albany, NY

2005-11-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

Well I am going to play catch up a bit since we have been so busy. Yesterday was an off day for us so we decided to say in Northapmpton and do some visiting to some service groups there before we made our way to the Albany. We stopped by the Northampton Needle Exchange program - Pete, Corey and T were awesome, spent so much time with us and made us feel so welcomed. They were saying that they have about 400-500 encounters a month and that they exchange some 6-7,000 needles a month. They were very proud to say that they surprassed the biggest amount thus far passing 90,000 needles exhanged for the year. Pete also shared with me that this program only costs about 200,000 a year and that in the past 5 years that he has been there he has not had one positive result come back from those who they have tested who are in the program. Pete, Corey and 'T', thanks so much for your time and welcome!

Then we went to AIDS Care Hamspshire County we spoke with Debie, Anna Beth and Cort gave us some of their time and they shared that they have about 90-95 clients that 3/4 of them are males 22-60. 25% are woman and of that 45% are ppl of color. They were sharing with us that they are real concerned about loosing the unique identifier when testing that Mass is at risk of loosing it and going to name based reporting. Thanks folks from AIDS Care!

Then we rolled onto Albany after having a real long conversation with a reporter on the caravan. We finally got to Albany where we met with the co-coordinator of the NorEaster Caravan Mark Hayes and he took us to the Damien Center. This center was real special to me. I walked in and felt such love and family. The kids were running through with their costumes on for Halloween, they made food which they offered us to eat they took me through a tour it was amazing. I just wish they had this sense of family in State College where I am. It was a pleasure to meet SOOO many of you and hope you are following our trip!

Today, we went and had a press conference at Legislative Coorespondents Association press room. It was great to have so many local folks there including State Senator Neil Breslin and Michael Kink of the National C2EA it was a great way to bring awareness to HIV, then we moved to the front of the building where we had a prayer service then we had some lunch. Now we are somewhere on the road between Albany and Syracuse NY where we will be spending the night. Janet, Andrea, Larry, Anythony x2, Eric, Frederick, and the originals, France, Ray and me, Tom till next time...

From all of 4 cars on the campaign,

IF IT'S NOVEMBER 1, THIS MUST BE ALBANY!

2005-11-01T00:20:00.000-05:00

Video clip about C2EA from Albany's Channel 9 News
(Kudos to Housing Works' own Mark Hayes, who
appears in the video--Well said, Mark!)

Me and I

2005-10-31T23:32:00.000-05:00

I’ve grown to see this world, maybe not the one you see or the one I saw some days ago. Some of it seems similar: people and places bare basic semblance to a comfortable, familiar place, but the way I perceive them has changed; I have changed.

Miles on the road, walking from myself, I seem ever closer to me.

“Why are you walking?” he demanded – drunk and irascible, the faces of lost friends in his mind. “Where is the money going?” he demanded as we sat in that dive. “You’re a liar,” he accused and I stood, vacant and scared.

I wanted to tell him that his fight was mine, that his loss was familiar, and that we could act together. I wanted to tell him he didn’t have to yell; I heard what he said beyond the noise; whispers speak truly in the wispy trails of rage.

How do I tell him what I’ve seen, or who I am or what will be. I don’t know – not last week or next. But I am prepared, maybe just a bit, for something intense and inescapable.

We and I will arrive in DC. There will be others there, possibly more of me or different ‘I’ and in that meeting I might again be challenged. But from this meeting my resolve will be even more resolute.

Through the courageousness of others I can identify and resolve the destructiveness of me. And perhaps in return, we can agree to exist and inhabit the world through a series of brave acts, forever; symbiosis: feeding each other and nurturing the best parts of ourselves.

Daniel Solon
10.31.2005

End aids now

2005-10-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

Hey Everybody

I’m really honor to be apart of this history making event. Presently I’m one of the Flag Carriers, It is really amazing how the we are received. The hospitality is so wonderful it is a blessing for those of you who are not here I’m holding it down for UBC. We will be marching into D.C this week to shake up the Capital we have a special flag drill that Charles and Doug taught us. I hope and pray all is well back home and looking forward to seeing you guys in D. C. Thanks you guys at UBC for caring about me I love you guys Hold the fort down until I get back. Eddie and Daniel are doing fine. We have a lot of events to attend these next few days. Right now we are staying at Hero a drop in center for people with the Virus who are not eligible for assistance with medicine etc. I just want you guys to know It is a great honor to carry the flag for C2EA. I can’t wait to get to D.C. I got to go we must be up by 6:45- and out by 7:15am to go to this Church for Breakfast. By the way we always chant and share each not before lights out.

Gordon In the House

October 31 2005 - Paving the Way

2005-10-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

October 31, 2005

Paving the Way – Day 16

We marched into the city of Baltimore today and ended the day at City Hall!  We completely took over the red light district streets and fittingly, marched up Gay Street to the City Hall building.  It was wonderful and the day was gorgeous.  We also marched past John Hopkins Hospital and the Maryland Correctional Facility.  It was a very powerful day.  This city is, more than any other place we’ve been, in desperate need of services and housing for those living with HIV/AIDS.  There has been no other area we have passed through where so many residents have come up to us voluntarily seeking out more information.  The city seems largely dominated by drug trafficking and it is being done openly on the streets, day or night.  It’s a very sad sight to see and the sense of solitude and despair is all around us.  I am grateful for the time here and the fact that we have a house to ourselves for 5 consecutive nights, but the truth is that this portion has impacted me the most and I find myself feeling very depressed and overwhelmed.  We have been met by hostility also and it is just a sad thing to witness.  I am grateful for the experience and for the privilege of meeting so many wonderful people, but the sense of hopelessness here is palpable and I can see how it could suck anyone in.

Andrew Ross came back today; we are so happy to see him.  Patrick Dolby, who is a member of my staff also came out today and it made me feel so proud, knowing that he made the effort to be here.  He had originally wanted to do the entire 21 days, but due to a hand injury that requires surgery, he’s only able to make this week.  I feel great knowing he’s here.

I get to sleep all by myself tonight in my own bedroom.  Val, terri, Julie, Rudy and I are at “Crack House” making sure everything stays safe while the others are staying at a church nearby.  We will have 3 more nights here.  Thursday, we will be staging a cd and hopefully, if we avoid arrest, Friday we will be marching into DC and I can’t wait!  I hope to see a lot of people there.

Thanks to everyone who have sent me emails and called me, giving me support and the confidence I need to continue on this journey.  It has been extremely difficult for me and I have been home sick from bearing witness to people, stories and events that have made me want to retreat into the safe shelter of my home and family.  The family here however, has made all bearable, as we share tears, hugs and smiles and lend each other confidence and support, in the unshakeable belief that we are doing what is right and if nothing else, we are changing each other’s lives.

upcoming event

2005-10-31T20:54:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone
Tomorrow is a big day for me. I will be telling my story for Channel 5 News here in Baltimore. I ready for it. My story has to be talked about. There are so many women of color that don’t get services that they are entitled to. I miss everyone at 57 Willoughby Street. Andrew you’re the best for giving me the chance and time to do this event.

Good night

Paving the Way JOHNNY

2005-10-31T20:42:00.000-05:00

Paving the Way JOHNNY

Today was an exciting day and short day at that we only walked 6 miles. Once again I spent the day leading the march with the American flag. We were loud and happy and people in the community were all coming out to find out what was going on. We were recognized everywhere and everything went smooth. Famous Amous do your THANG. Robin you were jumping and running and happy and loud girl you were everywhere. Paving the way is having so much fun, this is such an experience that I just can’t believe why people are missing out on this. Right now we’re in Baltimore City and is depressing. Amous is driving me nuts anyway I really don’t have much to say because I have my mind somewhere else...

Johnny Guaylupo

October 30 2005

2005-10-31T16:26:00.000-05:00

October 30, 2005

Dear Friends,

Yesterday and today were both beautiful days, each in its own way.  Yesterday was cold and overcast, but we had a wonderful influx of folk from New York AIDS Housing Network.  Their enthusiasm lifted everyone’s spirits.  The scenery was so pastoral that we stopped and had a picnic beside the river notwithstanding the autumn chill.

At 6:00pm, we bused into west Baltimore, were we are staying in an empty three-bedroom house.  (Already, we fill up every inch of floor space, and we are adding three more overnighters tomorrow.)  There is only one bathroom, so the line is perpetual, but the heat works, and our hosts, especially Harriet, Betty and Melanie, are wonderful.

The neighborhood is about as ghetto as it gets.  There are crack houses on either side of us, and traffic on the street all night long.  People come up to the house to check us out around the clock.  Some are curious, others looking to see what they can get, and a few are openly hostile.  Others want to share their stories.  Everyone in this neighborhood has an AIDS story, without question.

This morning, we all benefited from the extra hour of sleep, and we woke up to the warmest day of the march to date.   We drove to our starting point and began the steepest climb of the trip, a mile long hill.  With lots of chanting, we made the entire climb without a stop.  From there, the rest of the march felt like it was downhill.

After three miles, we came on an abandoned Sunoco station where Evelyn, the staff person for the local Planning Council, had set up a hot lunch, with chili, homemade corn bread and fresh fruit.  She had even spread out blankets on the grass for us to rest.  I have already gained five pounds on this march, but I wolfed lunch down with everyone else.

After lunch, we were so energized that we marched three miles in less than an hour, our flag team practicing their drill almost the entire way.  The flag team is fascinating to watch.  As it turns out, everyone has a secret desire to twirl a flag – gay, straight, boy, girl, young, and old – just put a flag in hand.  Amos, otherwise known as the Black Hornet, developed a medley of all of our chants and songs, tied together by rap – “freedom or death, freedom or death, uh, uh, uh.”

The best of the day was our time of sharing at the end of the day.    As we do every night, we went around the circle sharing the experiences of our day.  Inevitably, several people told of experiences that were moving.  Our hosts joined in at the end, and it was as if a dam had burst.  Harriet and Betty, both older women and deeply religious, told us their experience with AIDS.  Both are long term survivors, fighting to protect their children and grandchildren from the disease.

Betty was particularly moving as she told of loosing both her two sisters and her two brothers to AIDS and told of her own struggle with addiction to crack, then struggling with a daughter who was using and a son who was dealing.  Betty’s son was with her, helping to tell his family’s story.  A sweet guy, he had been scrubbing the bathroom when we came in, and stuck around just soaking up the energy.

Harriet, who said she was infected by her partner, decided that she could only survive AIDS if she was unashamed.  She told of being threatened with arrest for distributing condoms to crack dealers and of sitting on the bus telling strangers about her HIV status as a way to talk with them about prevention.  Both Betty and Harriet stressed the importance of our being in this neighborhood.  So we promised to march through it on Tuesday to spread the word.

It’s good to be in Baltimore.  Tomorrow we officially march into the city.

Love,

Charles King

On the road with C2EA

2005-10-31T16:07:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn frick
American Heritage caravan rider.

Indianapolis, Indiana to Dayton, Ohio.

The events that had been planned for our caravan arrival in Indianapolis fell through at the last moment for a variety of reasons and excuses. We often don't know what to expect, when or if we will be able to eat, or even where we will sleep till our big bus rolls into the latest city on our long road to Washington, D.C.
In Indianapolis we were able to get a brief clip on the local FOX news television station only after we called them while on the road and within hours of arriving there.
A few days back in Iowa City the local media totally snubbed us and the community forum about the Campaign To End AIDS. After this event, we heard that people who had attended this forum where so outraged that they went and barricaded the parking lot of the local television station till they gave some coverage to the issues and goals of this caravan.
Our next stop in Dayton, Ohio, progressed very well. Dayton is rich in history yet declining in population as it's job base shifts mostly overseas. It is here where those metal pop-tabs on soda cans were created, as well as those plastic twist-rings on bottled water. The Wright brothers had their bicycle shop here where the first airplane was built. Ten stories down in a secret bunker inside of Wright/Patterson Air force Base supposedly lie the bodies of aliens salvaged from Roswell, New Mexico.
There was a large rally downtown at noontime at Dayton's Courthouse Square to receive us and bring our message to the people of Dayton, and for us to hear their concerns about HIV/AIDS to take with us to Washington, D.C.
openly Lesbian Dayton Mayor Rhine Mclin spoke about the importance of education and HIV prevention programs in stopping this pandemic.
People also spoke of their personal experiences living with HIV in this community where the specter of stigma haunts their lives.
Keith Matthews said "I've been living with AIDS for 16 years, I lost my first friend to this epidemic 20 years ago last month, and I lost another friend just last month,and countless friends in-between. One day I hope to stand here and say that I've been cured of AIDS."
Donald Woodward spoke as a heterosexual African American, and the message that he wanted us to take from him to Washington, D.C.," People here who are living with this, we have a lot of issues-including denial. Apathy is a joke, it's a normal human function to have sex. That is the reality of the world that we live in."
According to the centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 15,000 people in Ohio are known to be infected with HIV, with an additional 5,000 who are infected yet do not know it. In the Miami Valley, where Dayton is located, 1,300 people are known to be living with HIV/AIDS,and approximately 500 here are infected and also do not know it. There are an additional 900 to 1,000 newly diagnosed (reported) cases added to these numbers each year. 22% of these cases are women.
Bill Hardy is the Executive Director of AIDS Resource Center of Ohio, and is a strong advocate for HIV/AIDS services in an area covering 35 counties.
Bill Hardy spoke of his battle in a recent ARC Ohio newsletter: " Earlier this year we learned that severe and disproportionate cuts to Ohio's HIV/AIDS programs were being considered. Our rapid and unprecedented combined efforts seem to have been successful in heading off the State's cuts, at least for now. But we continue to be told that there are no promises. For two decades we advocated for increased resources to address the "new" pandemic of HIV/AIDS. Now we're fighting with all our might just to make sure we don't slide backwards."
When I asked Bill what it would mean to Ohio if the Ryan White CARE Act was not reauthorized and fully funded, and he said that vital programs such as emergency assistance,primary services, and basic medical care will go away.
Dayton is a part of the "rust belt" of America where many manufacturing jobs have closed down or moved their production overseas. As these jobs and there workers leave this area or are unable to find new work, this also takes away the needed tax base for social services, including HIV/AIDS care and prevention.
I was told of a former client of the AIDS Resource Center who recently committed suicide by jumping off a ten story building, where his body laid till found by a security guard.
This is indicative of what will happen if we fail.

Chaos in the morning

2005-10-31T08:15:00.000-05:00

It is the morning of Day 17. It is total chaos in this house. 25-30 (I lost count already!) sharing ONE bathroom, LONG lines, shower lists, trying to sneak in the shower out of turn, pee, make coffee, drink coffee, eat something, find a corner to dress, “Dr Joe” (Joe Kranz’s official title for this trip) bandaging toes and knees, Charles walking around in my fuzzy blue slippers and eating left over spaghetti for breakfast, Derrick running back and forth to the truck for this and that, tying to pack up some stuff, put away laundry, stepping over people, sleeping bags, air mattresses, personalities, hair gel, cigarette breaks outside on the stoop, laptops clicking away, brushing teeth in kitchen sink, Charles trying out new chants…..total chaos. It’s great (LOL). Charles, Doug, Daniel and Rudy went out to find some trouble last night, and late last night, Julie, Val, terri, Nancy and I had an ice cream party when Charles brought us back some ice cream when he came in. Gotta pack up, more later….
Robin Milim

FW:

2005-10-30T22:40:00.000-05:00

________________________________

From: Nahikian, Marie
Sent: Sun 10/30/2005 10:33 PM
To: c2ea@post.blogger.com
Subject:

Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 4:18 PM
To: All Staff
Subject: Marching along
All,
16 people showed up to join the marchers yesterday, including myself, so it was a nice sized pack of folks walking through Maryland. The experience was unbelievable.

I'd like to make a specific push to those of you who are on the fence about going - GO!!! I could only go one day, but it was one of the more memorable days of my life, and many others I've spoken to agree.

The marchers are busting their butts and some are feeling a lot of pain. They continue on, but their spirits are heavily lifted by the morning appearance of more walkers. They understand that everyone has scheduling difficulties, and they are extremely grateful to see you for a day or a few. At the same time they know Housing Works has 400+ staff people and tons of them have not arrived yet.

Marching is sometimes fun, and sometimes difficult. The group is functioning like a smooth machine now. Not everyday is the same, but yesterday the van ride was comfortable (including a visit by the New Jersey police!) and the weather was perfect. There were breaks every hour or two with granola bars, drinks, and some little sandwiches, and lunch was some delicious fried chicken. People who got too tired to walk are free to ride in the bus or van that follows the trip. We got back to 13th st around 9pm, even after running into some traffic at Holland tunnel.

If you are on the fence, or if you are considering going and are not sure whether to go for just one day or more, I highly recommend it, and I know the marchers would appreciate it.

Jason

I need to add my voice to Jason's --

- for both staff + clients - marching for a day is the most empowering thing any of us can do - don't let this experience escape your participation. It will change your perspective + leave your heart full + feet sore - particularly anyone who is HIV+ or cares about folks impacted by this disease. Walking the tunnel or going to Washington for a day is important but not like "walking a mile (or 15) in their shoes."

-Marie Nahikian

Jason:

I could not agree with you more. I would really encourage folks to pick at least a day.

-Andrew Coamey

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ray saying hi

2005-10-30T21:28:00.000-05:00

raynald joseph from aids care ocean state in rhode island on the nor easter caravan started off yesterday in dorcester ma it was a good start except for the weather but that didnt stop the caravan from getting onto a good start today what can i say good day met a great deal of wonderful people that were very involved with hiv/aids activism on the wonderful campus of smith college all in all the caravan is doing well getting the word out to people about us and our demands and with each stop people are wishing us well and letting us know they fully support us everything is much appreciated from the hospitality of jerry and jon to the wonderful turn out at smith college thanks to elizabeth and hailey and even a thanks to the guy that gave us directions on the side of the road keep posted on us and we love and appreciate everything and everyone we have met out there

Hey hey we're the Monkeys

2005-10-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

Not sure if this works but lets give it a shot...

Click here to see us singing the monkeys

American Heritage caravan update # 10

2005-10-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider

October 30, 2005
Chicago, Illinois to Indianapolis, Indiana

Last night at the Institute for Cultural affairs we met up with the Seattle caravan also on their way to Washington, D.C.
Tired, hungry, grumpy, stinky, and road-weary,it was utterly wonderful to meet up with another arm of the body of this movement.
Today our separate caravans will set off in different directions, next to meet in the belly of the beast of the United States of America.
Today also we met the 9 people from Chicago who will join our caravan on this journey to save our lives and breath life, hope, and the will to end the AIDS pandemic. Many of us on this caravan have no health care or medical insurance, and as was with those who suffered and died after Hurricane Katrina, we tenuously live our lives but a few days away from disaster and death.
I think of Lonny on this caravan who will loose the medications that keep him alive come the new year. If we fail, the new year will bring him death. His laughter that I hear today on this bus will be silenced.
This is the reality of America today as many of us daily slip beneath the surface of utter destitution down into our graves, often alone in the cold night, invisible.
I've met so many kind, generous, truly inspiring people on this long road of adversity lit by that eternal spark of hope, that this nation can be the America that was the dream we were told in our youth. The shadow-side of this dream today for many is nightmare; a bloody legacy of war, genocide, racism, and greed.
This hope burns bright in the hearts of those who have joined us today in Chicago. The American Heritage caravan is 23 people strong now. To look around the table this morning when we met, where everyone had a seat at the table, there was no doubt that what we have been able to accomplish so far is historic.
What started out as a caravan of mostly Gay white men has been doubled where the majority is now African American. We are represented now in this caravan by Latinos, by Native Americans, and by the strength of women. Many women had wanted to join this caravan, but the realities of their lives are that often they are the caregivers of their children and families, and it was difficult if not impossible to leave their families for the duration of this action.
Yet today they are here with us, along with those with wheelchairs and oxygen tanks.
This is what we must do to keep alive.
Tonight there burns a flame of hope in America.
To learn more of this campaign and caravan, and how you can help, please log onto: www.c2ea.org.

2005-10-30T20:06:00.000-05:00

hello everyone,
TODAY was an exciting day, we went to SMITH college it was a real cool atmosphere
I hung up 289 prayer flags from NH there going with me all the way to washington DC
and all the way back to NH. The picture of me with Bongo (the dog) was Elizabeth's roommate's dog trying to join the caravan. Then we went to supper it was funny because we came across these (what i called minute men) guys dressed up, So Tom went over and asked if they would take a pic with us (Tom thought they were cute). I try so hard to keep them in line, but it's not working. Thank you Keene State College for the beautiful prayer flags, the Nor'easter made a prayer flag also.

France Sullivan

Smith College - Northampton, MA

2005-10-30T18:40:00.000-05:00

Wow, first we had such an awesome day, I am just gonna say a few shout outs and let the oters fill you in on the rest of the days activities. First... PLEASE leave us comments!

Secondly it was awsome, all three France, Ray and I was on the college radio state twice. Shout out to them! - Thanks ladies!

Let me give a shout out to some of our new friends from Smith College and so awesome job Elizabeth and Hailey! Fantastic job thanks so much for your hospitality.

Also a special hello - Hudson, Holly, Emily, Tejratan, Chris, Jane, Elena, Jessica, Liz, Lilith, and Becca - ok we tried to remember everyones names so sorry to those who we left out but Smith College - thanks for hosting us. We had two hours of awesome conversation and met some awesome folks. Just remember DONT walk out of that room and not do something... get in touch with your local folks and continue to net. I let the others share now :)

Hugs and leave us posts!

Tom Donohue
State College, PA

5 more days to go!

2005-10-30T18:21:00.000-05:00

Paving the Way Caravan (day 16)

Most of the marchers must have leather feet and rubber knees or something because there only seems to be a few select ‘special’ people who have the luxury of experiencing the woes of foot travel. We do get over it rather quickly and everyone is more than happy to return to pounding the pavement. We have seen the glory of visibility and felt the truth of love and kindness! We will keep on keeping on to DC.

We will voice our sane desires for the compassionate END TO AIDS. We demand a true morality concerning treatment of everyone infected and affected for as long as it takes. We will teach each other the value of family as it pertains to US and carry these same messages to the land across all nations.

Ours is a road of listening, sharing, healing, bonding, learning, feeling, helping, caring, and teaching.

Ours is a road of love.

To all caravans, supporters, hosts, family, and friends
Much love,

Eddie Fukui

*thank you to all the truckers on the road acknowledging us with a blast of the horn (are they telling each other about us?).

Day 16 on the road with crew

2005-10-30T17:31:00.000-05:00

Day 16

Today wasn’t so bad . We’re staying at a house in Baltimore City. We still haven’t walked into Baltimore City yet. We bus out to where we finished the day before and start walking. There are a few more war scars on our battlefield. My ankle has swelled up from all the walking. Dianne W. has a big blister. I think they are having a blister contest, who has the biggest and who’s looks the worst. Myself I would rather do without the walking scars. But, as I have learned on this journey things have away of working itself out. All in all things are going pretty well. I think Mr. King is coming down with a cold. It’s probably because we work up a sweat walking. Then stop for a bathroom break and it gets cold. Amos(aka The Black Hornet) keeps twisting our chants around into his own personal love chants, but it breaks up the stress and we get a laugh in here and there. Well I’m off to wash some clothes. Come and join us if possible, we are also open to see new face. Almost there if my ankle holds us. Miss you guys back in New York. Come join us for a day or two.

Sheila Peeples
JTP
Bronx Cobra

Soul of the South Day 13

2005-10-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

Day 13

We just had a prayer service in Phenix City Alabama/Georgia. I don’t know if I should be posting this, but I was quite offended. Most of the prayer service was preaching about God’s love, and God’s healing and spreading the good news and the bible. Well, I’m not a Christian and I don’t think it’s right for someone to preach to me about spreading the Christian word. I believe that religion is in each person’s heart. I’m not knocking anyone’s religion by day, but the reason we are here in Phenix City is to end AIDS, not preach the bible. We didn’t say one word about what we are headed to DC for. In fact, I doubt if half of the room today knew we were going to DC. I don’t believe in forcing people to a specific religion, and I feel that today the local event was more about religion, than it was ending AIDS. One lady stood up today out of all the people there, and she said she wasn’t Christian, she was Buddhist. She said that although she wasn’t Christian each religion had a “golden rule”. Her quote was “Plant a tree under someone’s shade that you don’t expect to rest.” I thought that was touching. I’m not Buddhist either, but she recognized that not EVERYONE in the room was Christian. I really admire her; I’m glad she said what she said.

The event today made me think about our current administration. Our government was formed with a separation between Church and State. Under our current admin., that line has been blurred. Our president pushes his moral views (ie abstinence) and religious beliefs, which in turn, is killing people. Abstinence is not working, and our current admin. continues to fund abstinence based programs. We need prevention based on scientific facts rather than ideology. I felt really pressured today into conforming to the majority of the room. I felt stifled, because I was afraid to speak up against this majority. I don’t want to feel like that anymore. I WON’T BE STIFLED! I WON’T CONFORM! I WON’T DIE!

Chris Rothermel

Host Committee Organizer: Soul of the South, Houston
Campaign to End AIDS
rothermel.c@gmail.com

2005-10-30T14:17:00.000-05:00

C2EA ON TV: FROM CAPITAL NEWS 9, ALBANY

2005-10-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

C2EA, FRONT AND CENTER ON ALBANY'S CHANNEL 9 WEB SITE!

LINK to CAPITAL NEWS 9 FULL STORY and VIDEO CLIP:

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=154976&SecID=33

Campaign to end AIDSUpdated: 10/29/2005 9:09AM
By: Kristina Krawchuk

"A nor'easter is heading this way, but it isn't the kind you might expect. You won't need boots and a heavy coat, this storm is filled with compassion and the need to wipe out an epidemic.

Mark Hayes of Housing Works said, 'You know what, AIDS is here in Albany, it's in Schenectady, it's in Troy, it's in Clifton Park, it's in Saratoga, it's in Glens Falls. And you know what? It's even in Plattsburgh.'
In fact, New York State has the highest number of documented HIV and AIDS cases in the country..."

LINK TO CAPITAL NEWS 9 FULL STORY AND VIDEO CLIP:
http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=154976&SecID=33

Day 2 - report while driving on I90!

2005-10-30T11:10:00.000-05:00

Day 2 on our way to Smith College in North Hampton, MA! Here we are, the C2EA crew thus far... then our hosts... John and Jerry and the last pic is of a guy who helped give us directions!! Thanks Mr. Unknown name. He also signed one of our C2EA posters and he's coming along with us. He wished us luck and we were on our way! We are really excited, Elizabeth (which is also my neice's name :) shout out to my neices and nephews :) I wanna see a post saying hi to us CHARLENE!! *my sister*) she just called us to check in!

Tonight we are thinking about staying in North Hampton rather then going onto Albany - we want to do outreach along to some AIDS Service Organizations along the way tomorrow since we don't have anything scheduled... we'll just do things along the way. Thus far this trip has been so amazing... I've been really down lately and these folks I am with and have met have just jumpstarted me its been amazing! Until we get to Smith - enjoy... Hey! Dont forget to register we want your comments and support!

Tom Donohue
State College, PA

October 30 2005 - Paving the Way

2005-10-30T09:07:00.000-05:00

October 30, 2005

Paving the Way – Day 15

Well, yesterday was a hoot.  I spent the morning doing a laundry run and scoping out the house we will be staying at for four nights.  It started off with a 20 minute instructional pow wow between terri, myself, Robin, Val and Anthony (our lead driver).  We had spent the night at Ames Methodist Church which was about 30 minutes from our start off point.  While the marchers loaded up to get to the start off point at Route 40, our little group was going to go into Baltimore City to check out the digs and drop off 18 bags of laundry.

We spent 20 minutes going over which route we were going to take that would lead us into the city.  By the way, ALL routes lead into the city.  Once we decided on a course, us girls piled into the van and Anthony into the truck housing our luggage.  We had decided we would take the lead and Anthony would follow.  We promptly got onto the wrong road altogether and ended up going on this scenic, 40 minute drive through the rolling hills of Baltimore County.  We saw all the animals you would normally find on old MacDonald’s farm and the most beautiful stone cottages and farms.  We knew Anthony was driving behind us, shaking his head and muttering, “women, women”.  It was really cool.

Once we got into the city, what a surprise to get to our destination!  As someone in the group later said, ‘OMG, we’re in crack city!”  There are more boarded up tenement buildings on this block than there are actual residents and we have to have someone on watch, guarding the cars as well as someone in the house at all times.  The entire neighborhood saw us unload.  We’re hoping they think we’re just a big drug ring coming in to do some business on ebay or something, then we’ll be packed and out after we funnel millions of dollars into our swiss bank accounts, all done through laptops!  Since there’s a good diverse racial mix of us here, we’re hoping the residents will be scared of us.  I already took some time to get on the cell phone on the stoop and tried really hard to look nonchalant and tough at the same time.  I don’t know if it worked…….

Our host committee includes a woman by the name of Bettye from a CBASO named HERO and these folks are wonderful!  The house is roomy, very comfortable and it is so nice to be able to stay in one place for more than one night at a time.  A lot of love has come our way from these people and they have taken good care of us.  I’m surprised to hear from these guys how much inspiration and hope we are giving them.  Seems like we’ve made quite a stir these past 15 days and I’m happy to be getting this type of feedback.

I drove the rest of the day yesterday on a particularly dangerous strip of Route 40, which will not be finished until today’s run.  I had to drive up ahead of the marchers to avoid having cars swerve past the caravan of C2EA cars that were behind them, trying to protect their flank.  It was really dangerous and kind of scary, but I felt pretty invincible in that huge van I was driving.  I was very scared and protective of the marchers and I think I have to do the same thing today.
We picked up Julie Pena!!!  Yayyyy!  She’s joined us for the rest of the trip and I missed having her around.  She’s usually one of the core group and it was so awesome to see her come in last night.  Today will be a short day and we will end up at the city limits.  More to come.

Day 16 from Diane

2005-10-30T08:19:00.000-05:00

Day 16 from Diane

Diane Williams

It has been a good night for me. The sleep was very good. So glad to see Julie comes. I happy to see my C2EA family with me. Every one seems so happy this morning. To all my co-worker at housing works I miss everyone and thank every one that is holding down the house for everyone here. Anthony is hope that he getting some well deserve rest. To my son and daughter. I LOVE YOU FOREVER. Boss you know that I miss you.

Diane Williams

American Heritage caravan update # 9

2005-10-30T07:37:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider

October 29, 2005
Chicago, Illinois

Our caravan was well recieved in this city so rich with a history of political activism, a city where so many people live with HIV, where so many have died.
Our American Heritage riders were set up in comfortable accomadations at the Institute of Cultural Affairs. The Uptown neighborhood where we are staying is one of the most culturally diverse in Chicago, within blocks of where we are staying over 81 different languages are spoken.
The Institute of Cultural Affairs Community Resource Center in Chicago enables 24 agencies to provide health, support, and homeless services to the Uptown neighborhood's diverse population. Over 120,000 persons are served by these agencies each year. ICA's International Conferance Center last year provided space for 167 different organizations from around the world for 180 conferences and numerous meetings for urban research, exploration and service. Today this center hosted such groups as Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and an organization of Ghanian taxi-cab drivers.
For our caravan most of our stay here was one of rest, which for many Caravan Riders was touring the culture and sights of this international city.
Part of this culture was the near-by Gay district, or "Boy's Town" along the stretch of Halsted street. What happened on Halsted street, stays on Halstead street.
I hope.
Later in the afternoon over half of the American Heritage caravan riders met with our local supporters at the Test Positive Aware Network housed in a neighborhood impacted by a high percentage of HIV infections. Test Positive Aware Network was founded in 1987 by Chris Clason and 16 other individuals who were HIV positive. They came together with the belief that through the sharing of information and personal experiences regarding HIV that they could help each other. They believed that self-empowerment and information would help them to live.
TPAN is a community-based organization dedicated to providing services to persons infected, and affected by HIV. Service delivery is peer based, and the many needs of Chicago's HIV community is this groups only mission.
The majority of both the staff and volunteers are HIV positive, to better understand the issues, emotions, and concerns faced by their client base.
TPAN's motto is "Committed to living-committed to you."
Life.
Death.
Tonight the season of ghosts began to play on Chicago's streets as Halloween nears, the time when our dead are near.

To learn more about the Campaign To End AIDS, the American Heritage Caravan, and how you can help finally end the AIDS pandemic, please log onto:
www.c2ea.org.
To learn more about the Institute of Cultural Affairs:
Chicago@ica-usa.org
And to contact the Test Positive Aware Network:
www.tpan.com

Walden Unleashed

2005-10-29T23:34:00.000-05:00

Miles of highway cut through heaping mounds of foliage, halted explosions in variations of orange and red and purple and green and brown and yellow. In the distance: a hill of determinable slope reaches upward toward the horizon. To my left: a bay lined by cat tails and tall grasses; water meets land and in places it’s impossible to discern the glassy surface of the water from the reflections of leaves that meet with the water’s edge and the lily pads that are submerged just below.

Cloud-strained sunlight passes in radiant ripples, forced onward by a cool autumnal breeze: mighty in its effortless push against the clouds, gentle as it brushes against my cheek.

Walden was a vision, a transcendentalist vignette. This is Maryland.

We’ve been joined by a new contingency today. Dawning puffy black coats and baggy jeans, they seem at odds with the environment. Black on black New York Yankee caps, Timberland boots, Sean John labels, these are the members of an urban tribe whose home is far from the pastoral quietude of this wilderness.

Standing on the banks of the river, they stare together, as though looking for the first time or maybe seeing for the first time a wall of trees. They run coyly in ineffective circles, as Charles unleashes handfuls of billowing pussy willow seeds that bob and weave through the air, excited that they too can play with these enchanted people.

For most, it’s unclear why people rise at five AM to board a bus set for nowhere: it’s a counterintuitive, instinctual calling. And for the first five miles or so, it’s still unclear. But wariness grows to interest grows to involvement grows to passion grows to release and reconciliation; there is an effect on the road that is indisputable.

There is a change that occurs, for those who let it. There is a reminder that beyond the canyons of an indifferent city there are spaces where benevolent Nature trumps artifice and in that space ephemeral truth slays cultural illusion. The societal lies we believe from necessity are no longer necessary and their melting and dispersion is the revelation of a more integral self.

Banners and signs, marching and driving, screaming and singing: these are all the calling cards of revolution. As our communal rhythms change so do we and the world around us.

Reposing in sunlight, I’m skeptical of a better way to draw radiance into darkness and color into blackness.

Daniel Solon
10.29.2005

Paving the Way Johnny

2005-10-29T22:18:00.000-05:00

Paving the Way (Johnny)

I have no clue what day is today but all I know is that we are in Baltimore city staying in this 3 bedroom house.  Well anyway right now I’m totally clueless but I know one thing I am having so much fun and this is just changing my life everyday I learn something new everyday I meet someone new but yet everyday someone dies of HIV/AIDS so as exciting as this caravan is there is a lot of work that we have to do and we are getting there.  Learning from other people in other states and there issues the things that they go through from stigma to gay bashing it’s just unbelievable but all of this just makes me angry but stronger at the same time .  We are going to END AIDS I know we are I never felt this way in my life and I wish my uncle was still alive to experience this I wish my family understood why I am going on this long journey but they will soon.  But this is amazing we are actually doing it!  All of us not only Paving the Way but all the other caravans it’s exciting to see pictures and read stories of a lot of the members that attended the Youth Action Institute.  I can’t wait to meet you all again in D.C.

The Paving the Way caravan is a family and we all have different personalities and we are getting to know each other better. Famous Amous well what can I say about him he’s a mess (lol).  Valerie, Terri, Robin, Dianalynn and new comer Julie are the divas (yea right lol) Kiara is so calm and the girl found herself a baby daddy around the corner because she is MIA (lol).  Ilena, Dougie and Daniel left me here with the old folks.  The Jerffersons are in the basement and they are partying and having a good time.  They disserve all the fun they work so hard giving out flyers and spreading the word around. Eddie FU is sleeping with Sheila and Roody they are they early sleepers.  Diane William is right next to me talking to someone she sounds sexy but enough of her.  Uncle Charles is reading his newspaper from 4 days ago.

Robin has a very big mouth I just noticed it’s 11 pm and she is making so much noise this is URBAN CAMPING when you stuck with beautiful loud people like Robin and “city girl” Terri Smith.

Well anyway I’m writing a lot of nonsense about what is going on in this house today.

But I need to work on my speech for the upcoming events, so let me start with that enough of this.

Tomorrow I will give you and update.

Johnny Guaylupo

Today and Days Previous

2005-10-29T18:59:00.000-05:00

We are committing an act of beauty.

Daniel Solon
10.29.2005

Dorchester, MA

2005-10-29T17:04:00.000-05:00

Well here we are! Here is France, Ray and I in Dorchester. Today's event was called The Community Forum Process; The Road to the State of Emergency at the Great Love Tabernacle Church in Dorchester. Rev Franklin Hobbs was like our MC it was great. I am not a big church goer but you walked into this house of worship and it was amazing, the energy and love literally just made me have such goosebumps and it was welcoming. I made it there a bit late because I was waiting for an aircard and cellphone which was donated by Sprint - thanks Jim!

There was a prayer service, a presentation about a State of Emergency that was declared by the city council of Boston regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic in communities of color in Boston. There was a community forum, some youth called Commited to Christ (C2C) a youth hip hop group,some folks who were running for office it was just alot of community folks who came out to speak out! It was awesome! Thanks to everyone for all your hard work...

Tomorrow we head to Northampton, MA
Student/Community Forum on HIV Prevention Activism.
Smith College, Seeyle Room 106.
1:00PM
Join us to learn about HIV/AIDS prevention policy locally, nationally, and globally, and hear from local activists about how to get involved in the fight for science-based prevention and social justice in western Massachusetts. Contact: Elizabeth Reynolds, ereynold@smith.edu, 347-684-2100.

I have to get batteries for my camera and so we'll have more pics to share with you...

A special shout out to Jerry and all the folks involved in todays event. Jerry spent a lot of time preparing our arrival so Awesome job!

Until tomorrow...

Tom Donohue
State College, PA from Dorchester MA

I forgot to add Alycia and her crew from CT were there too, YAY!!

Soul of the South: Day 13 and before

2005-10-29T16:19:00.000-05:00

Day 13

Wow! This trip as amazing. From New Orleans we went to Biloxi. We met up with 3 more riders at the Southern Mississippi AIDS Task Force! One of them was a 2 year old boy. His father died of AIDS, his mother, Jessica, is infected, and he is negative. Stories like that just make me shiver. The mom didn’t find out she was positive, until after the dad died. Gabriel is such a cute little boy. Jessica is so vibrant and full of life. She’s been positive for 10 years, and she will live to see her baby grow up into a strong man. Everyone I met since I left Houston has inspired me so much. The other rider, Kathy is really nice. Her husband also died of AIDS. She lost a lot of friends and family when she started to disclose. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of all the people that are so hateful, just because of a little virus. I couldn’t even imagine if my mom had disowned me when I disclosed. I think I would have lost all hope in life. These people are so strong to me. I feel honored to be in this van with these wonderful people.

In Biloxi, we also saw Shannan Reaze from the Youth Action Institute. It was so great to see her. She’s crazy, happy, energetic, and fun. That’s why we get along so well J They showed us a couple of videos. One was about the TITANS from the Youth Action Institute. I recognized a bunch of people in the video. It was nice to see familiar faces. Then we went to the beach and looked at all the damage caused by Katrina. It was very different from the damage back home. Both places, lots of things will need to be destroyed. In New Orleans, the houses will need to be demolished because the water went above the roofs and destroyed everything in it/the structure of the building. The building were still standing though. In Biloxi, the buildings were just big piles of rubble. Sometimes they weren’t even there. Many of the buildings on the coast were missing the 1^st 2 floors, and the rest of the building was still there. It was so sad to see. I didn’t see many numbers on the buildings, because there were no buildings. The cops came and told us we couldn’t be there, so we went back to the agency.

Then we headed to Mobile, AL. We got there around 6. They had a big reception for us at a local church, but most of the people left because we didn’t know people were waiting for us. There were still lots of people there though. They cooked us an awesome dinner of Spaghetti, salad, and brownies. I met Lester, from the Mobile AIDS Support Services, who runs a bunch of prevention programs including Mpowerment. GO Mpowerment… OK, I had to plug favorite intervention. I’m such a nerd. I met Brian who also works in prevention there. Scott, who is on the board of directors. Asia, Scott, Lester, and I were cutting up all during dinner. It’s amazing how friendly people are to us. Everyone set up camp in different rooms upstairs. We were going to go see Mobile clubs, but Asia lost her ID, so we went to Lesters and hung out and watched TV instead. The next morning we met a bunch more people. I learned that there is a 300 people waiting list for ADAP drugs in Mobile. Larry (not Bryant), recently re-located to Mobile, and he can’t get his meds until someone either dies or moves away. We must come together and tell our officials that THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. People are DYING because of funding cuts. I couldn’t believe this poor man’s story. We talked all morning long, and got some more front burner forms signed to bring to DC. We headed over to MASS to meet the rest of the staff. It was a nice building. Then we headed to Mobile Office of Public Health. We met with a man there and told him about C2EA. By this time, it was 5 on Friday. We decided to go back to the church. Asia, Lester, and I decided to go to the fair last night, but they told us we wouldn’t be able to get back into the church so we stayed at Lester’s house. We went over there to rest up before the fair. I was just about to fall asleep when the Washington Post called and interviewed me. I wasn’t expecting that and I was half asleep. She said she got my number from Tim. Thanks Tim! I guess I’m gonna be in the Washington Post. Then Asia and I watched the Laramie Project and cried for awhile, then we went to the fair. The fair was cute. We rode a bunch of rides, and got really dizzy. I almost fell out of one of the rides, because I’m too skinny. It was kinda scary, but he all had fun. I convinced Lester to meet us in DC on Nov. 4^th. Now we are headed to Phoenix City.

DC is gonna be so awesome. It’s going to be like one HUGE family reunion. I’m so excited. I get to see all of my friends from the Youth Action Institute and all of my new friends from across the country! I’m very excited.

Chris Rothermel

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

rothermel.c@gmail.com

on our way

2005-10-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

I AM SO EXCITED TO BE KICKING OFF THE NOR'EASTER CARAVAN WE HAD A WONDERFUL EVENT TODAY i MET SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE CARAVAN ON THE WEBSITE. iT'S SO GREAT.RIGHT NOW WERE GOING TO JERRY TO STAY THE NIGHT.

FRANCE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE

Chores Today

2005-10-29T11:02:00.000-05:00

Paving the Way…..to the Laundromat
It is Day 14 (I think, I have lost track by now!) and Terri, Valerie, Dianalynn, Anthony (who drives the Thrift Shop truck) and I have gone off to Baltimore to check out the house we are staying in for 4 nights straight (woo hoo!) and to find a Laundromat to drop off everyone’s clothes. Everyone else headed out to the road where we left off walking yesterday to continue our walk into Baltimore, where the bus from NYC should have met them by now. I am sitting out in the van waiting for them to finish talking to Bettye, our wonderful host from Baltimore, who has arranged all this for us. She works for “Hero”, an ASO here in Baltimore. It was so great to see how excited she was that we are finally here. I understand there are supposed to be a lot of people coming out today from NY. That will be great. I saw a lot of emails that people wrote last night about experiences people have had out here, and urging folks to come out if only for a day, to experience this for themselves. I was really touched by the support that we are receiving, not only from our own Housing Works folks, but from the people we are meeting from all over and from our hosts in different states. I, like my fellow walkers, were at first a little discouraged by the small turnouts of “Daytrippers” joining us, but soon realized that numbers are irrelevant. The fact that we are doing this, and so many lives have been touched along the way, including our own, is really the bottom line and while it’s great to have more people, it really doesn’t matter how many people spread the hope and the message. That the message is being sent at all, that is what matters. I do wish more people could have gotten to experience some of the life changing experiences we have, and bonded in a way I would have never guessed, but that’s OK too. Our motto out here has become, “It is what it is, and it”s all good”. My sentiments exactly! LOL I only have a few minutes before we have to get back on the road, so I’ll end this for now
Much love
Robin Milim

Here we go....!

2005-10-29T10:35:00.000-05:00

Well I am on my way from Boston to Dorchester MA to our first event! Last night I got to spend some time with an ex of mine and we went to dinner it was nice and a real pick-me-up to get me even more excited about this journey!

We started leaving and came upon SNOW - well ok it was just spitting snow but it was snow. A few days a go back home in PA we had 2 inches.

Alright ta ta for now...

Tom Donohue
State College, PA

2005-10-29T08:58:00.000-05:00

American Heritage caravan update # 8

2005-10-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider

October 28, 2005
Iowa City,Iowa to Aurora, Illinois to Chicago, Illinois

Last evening we slept on the floor of a cold basement at Trinity Episcopalion Church in Iowa City after eating dinner at the local Salvation Army soup kitchen. After being together on the bus all day there was no facility for showering or cleaning up. For me this was a needed reality check as to why we are on this caravan. Imagine having to live this realty daily while saddled with a terminal illness. That is the realty and fate that many of the estimated one million people living with HIV/AIDS in this great United States will face if the Ryan White Care Act is not reauthorized and fully funded. This is why this caravan is bearing witness to the dire state HIV/AIDS services in the heartland of this country, why we will be participating in the four days of actions when all ten caravans converge in Washington, D.C. on November the fourth.
Imagine being denied access to the medications which you need to live, to face death alone on the streets of America. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and those poor Americans left to die was a brutal wake-up call for all in this country unable to afford health care, for the hundreds of thousands Americans living on the edge with no medical insurance.
Iowa city is a reflection of America; on the surface another college town that has the feel of a tourist trap with many bright and flashy bars and entertainment facilities. The children of those who can afford this lifestyle walk the streets in hundred dollar shoes partying with their friends at night, while the invisible of that community struggle to meet their basic needs. This morning I walked out onto the roof of the church where we stayed, my footsteps crunching into the sharp layer of frost formed from last night's freeze. Below and across from this church I saw where the homeless were sleeping, their bodies pulled into the landscape's shrubbery for warmth, for protection from the cold and the night.
Several American Heritage Caravan riders in their lives have also been homeless, and struggle daily from slipping on the bureaucratic ice back into this urban kind of hell. To see this breed of abuse, of deprivation for them was as the fear of being trapped in an abusive relationship, one that leads to the morgue.
Last night a community forum was called at Trinity Church for this caravan, where 16 people from the community attended. There was a banner made from a sheet and cloth paint with C2EA's logo on it, made by two local teen-aged girls. We have it with us now on our caravan bus. We promised to carry it with us on our journey to Washington, D.C.
One of the American Heritage caravan riders, Joe, told a part of his own very moving story and related a telling conversation he'd had with his mother. "My mother asked me, 'Do you always have to fight other peoples battles?' I said, 'Yes. But the only difference is that this this time it's MY battle too.'"
A local speaker, Tim, said that they get 10 newly diagnosed cases of HIV/AIDS each month. He told us that the majority of these people are going to need to access Ryan White funds and ADAP. Without those funds being available their futures shall be bleak.
Still on the subject of those funds Tim said, "When I think about how we came from a 'gay cancer' which killed in weeks (of diagnosis) to today...I'm grateful for today." But one of his most poignant observations was that "if you make a friend of a person with HIV, you shall have made friends with your greatest source of information about HIV." So now you know. If you want to learn about something, go make friends with someone who's living it every day of their lives!
Caravan counselor Jack spoke on a more global level. He spoke about the destabilization of whole countries in Africa due to the massive numbers of younger adults dying, leaving only the elderly and the children. Many of the children have no role models, parents to teach them cultural values and to give them a sense of belonging and place. With out that these children are ripe for being taken advantage of by terrorist recruiters and roving gangs.
American Heritage caravan rider Chris spoke about the difficulties of reaching the black community with AIDS prevention here at home. The first issue he spoke of was that there is a general and historic sense of disenfranchisement amongst African Americans. The second issue he spoke about was the cultural bias against homosexuality and the way HIV is still associated as a 'gay disease'.
When Joe spoke again he led us in a chant (the beat was 1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2), w w w end aids now dot com! It was fun and people learned a valuable resource at the same time!
our next stop was in Aurora, Illinois, the home district of Republican Speaker Of The House Denny Hastert. Inside the Fox River Community Center we arrived at the start of a meeting called with a representative from Denny Hastert's office to speak about the utter neccesity of reauthorizing and fully funding the Ryan White Care Act.
One speaker said: "I have seen in other parts of the country people waiting for someone to die so they can get on services. I don't want to see Chicago come to that."
A worker in the social services spoke about her experiences before the Ryan White Care act was created: "I met a homeless woman whom I could offer nothing but my friendship and business card. A week later I got a call from the morgue. They said 'We have a woman here with no I.D;just a card with your name and number on it.' I don't ever want to go back to that."
This next part is reprinted from a joint letter to Illinois members of Congress about the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act:
As individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS throughout the state of Illinois, and as organizations serving people living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS in rural, suburban, and urban communities, e write to express our deep concern regarding President Bush's Rtan White CARE Act reauthorization principles. The CARE act is the nation's flagship response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, having provided comprehensive medical and social services to poor,uninsured people who have no other options for healthcare since 1990. We wish to see the CARE Act continue in it's role of "safety net" by providing these lifesaving services to all individuals in need, regardless of where they live.
HIV/AIDS remains a life threatening infectious disease and a significant public health emergency. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one million people in the United States are living with HIV, including more than 405,000
with AIDS. Approximately 211,000 individuals need antiretroviral treatment but have no means to access them. Over 1,900 people languish on AIDS drug assistance program waiting lists around the country. The Institute of Medicine estimates that over 314,000 people with HIV/AIDS in the United States lack consistent care and treatment. Meanwhile, the demand for services grows steadily. Each year, more than 40,000 new infections occur in the United States;1,600 of those in Illinois. More than 30,000 AIDS cases and over 16,400 deaths due to AIDS have been reported in Illinois since 1981.
After five years of flat funding and cuts for essential HIV/AIDS prevention and care services, and without a commitment for new funding, the Bush administration proposes to shift significant CARE resources away from hard-hit states to address HIV/AIDS in less populous and rural states.
Rural areas, especially in the South, are struggling against longstanding healthcare access problems, which are exacerbated by increasing rates of HIV in their communities. While all individuals living with HIV/AIDS should have the ability to access quality care and treatment,, disparities in healthcare experienced by poor people in one part of the country should not be addressed at the expense of poor people in another part of the country. Stealing from Peter to pay Paul- and dismantling lifesaving services for vulnerable populations with no other means to access health care- is unacceptable. Illinois will withstand significant cuts in funding and will suffer diminished infrastructure and service capacity should the Bush administration's principles be enacted. Thousands of Illinoisans with HIV/AIDS will face life-threatening gaps in care if the Bush administration's proposal is enacted.
We call on you to provide leadership necessary to ensure that geography does not determine access to essential medical and social services. We call on Congress to increase CARE Act funding by $594 million and to devise a plan to distribute the resources in a way that is fair and equitable to every American living with HIV/AIDS in need of healthcare, rejecting the Bush
administration's faulty principles. We also ask for the maintenance of local control to determine the appropriate mix of vital medical and supportive social services in every jurisdiction that receives funding.
Since it's inception in 1990, the CARE Act has enjoyed strong bipartisan support because of its ability to reach those in greatest need in both urban and rural communities. We look to you to continue the CARE Act legacy by reauthorizing the program, appropriating sufficient funding, and ensuring geographic equity so that Americans with HIV/AIDS-wherever they may live-can receive the rational and cost-effective out-patient services they need to survive.

We then blew into the Windy City.

American Heritage caravan update # 8

2005-10-29T08:21:00.000-05:00

October 28 2005

2005-10-28T23:09:00.000-05:00

October 28, 2005

Dear Friends,

Today was an absolutely beautiful day.  Ok, it actually started out a little nerve-racking.  I woke at 5:00am and looked out the door to see our bonfire of the night before burning more fiercely than it had earlier.  Sitting beside the fire was Juan, at 71 years of age, our oldest walker.  He had gotten up at 3:00am, had rekindled the fire and gathered a huge pile of additional wood.  “We must keep the fire burning until Washington,” he said.

As sleepy as I was, I appreciated the sincerity and intensity of the sentiment, though not its practicality.  So what is practical about this whole venture?  Together we extinguished the fire, and I went back to bed for a few more winks.

Later, we woke up to a crisp autumn morning, and after hot showers and a hot breakfast, we set out marching again with our Cecil County friends.  The rolling hills, the beautiful color of the trees, and the warm sun all conspired to make it a perfect day for a march.  Too quickly, we had marched the four miles to the Susquehanna River Bridge.  We pulled of the road a block away for a break before being bused over.  There, Melissa, Kevin, Ed, Virginia and Susan surprised us with eight quarts of Maryland crab soup, which we promptly inhaled.

We were met at the break by our hosts for the next leg of our journey, and we entertained everyone with our new song, dedicated to the State of Maryland. (I have written the words below.  It is sung to the tune of Polly Woolly Doodle All Day.”)Then, with lots of hugs and kisses and promises to see each other in Washington, we bid farewell to our Cecil County friends and took our ride across the river.

On the other side, we quickly began our march again, putting miles behind us.  It was on this second leg, that we implemented a new feature to our caravan.  That is our new flag team.  My assistant, Douglas, who is affectionately known as Opie, as it turns out, has some skill in this area.  With a half hour of lessons, our flag bearers were twirling the state flags with the precision of a top notch marching band flag corps.

We are so proud of our flag team that we are challenging the other caravans to a competition in Washington, before the opening ceremonies.  We are also rehearsing to out sing and out chant you all.  So we hope you are ready.

This is day fourteen, and we have one more week to march to Washington.  It’s still all good.

Love,

Charles King

Down South for C2EA – (Sung to the tune of “Polly Waddle Doodle All the Day”)

Verse 1
Oh, I went down South for C2EA
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS
Treatment can end this awful plague
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS.

Fare thee well, Fare thee well
Fare thee well to this dread disease
Access to treatment, housing and care
This the Campaign can achieve

Verse 2
Oh, I went down South for C2EA
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS
Prevention can end this awful plague
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS.

Fare thee well, Fare thee well
Fare thee well to this dread disease
Condoms and needles, prevention works
This the Campaign can achieve

Verse 3
Oh, I went down South for C2EA
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS
Research can end this awful plague
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS.

Fare thee well, Fare thee well
Fare thee well to this dread disease
A vaccine, a cure, microbicides
This the Campaign can achieve

Verse 4
Oh, I went down South for C2EA
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS
No stigma can end this plague
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS.

Fare thee well, Fare thee well
Fare thee well to this dread disease
No more discrimination now
This the Campaign can achieve.

In Boston!

2005-10-27T22:52:00.000-05:00

I am sooo excited about this movement! I am sitting outside of Boston airport waiting for my ride; I am reuniting with an ex of mine who I have not seen in 4 years. I am just so excited to meet the people who step side by side me and so many other people in this fight. I can't wait till Saturday when I help to kick off our NOR'EASTER caravan!. DC BOUND!

Tom Donohue 26, HIV +
State College, PA

Day Thirteen

2005-10-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

October 27, 2005

Dear Friends,

It’s day thirteen.  We are spending the night at a Church of the Nazarene camp in Cecil County, Maryland, about 14 miles over the state line from Delaware.  Our day ended with a candle light vigil, after which we built a beautiful bonfire and roasted marshmallows.  It was everything one could want from a bonfire.

The wood was wet so getting the fire started was a challenge that required teamwork.  Then there was teaching those who had never roasted marshmallows before the ritual of trimming the right branch, spearing the marshmallow, and roasting it to a golden brown.  And there was the side splitting laughter, and even a squabble or two. As a write this, a handful of people are still sitting outside, enjoying the fire’s warmth and each other’s company.

We started out at 10:00 am this morning where we had left off yesterday, a couple of hundred yards from the state line.  Enhanced by a bus from New York City, we had about 40 marchers today.  So we were feeling quite enthusiastic.

We were met at the state line by Ed and Kevin and Virginia, the three members of the Cecil County AIDS Support Group.  Ed proudly accepted the Maryland flag, and took his place at the head of our process, right behind the American flag and right beside Susan, our Delaware host, who was carrying the Delaware flag.

The entire day consisted of marching up and down rolling hills, watching out for gravel trucks, and stopping every few miles for rest breaks scheduled by Susan, Ed, Kevin and Virginia, at various locations that offered friendly restrooms.  For lunch, Susan surprised us with fried chicken and potato salad.

We met few people along the way, but there were many friendly vehicles, honking support as they passed us.  Laverne flyered almost every business and home along the route.  I say “almost every” because her husband Cameron called her back went she started to go up to a store that had three confederate flags flying out front.  Laverne said she thought she could have gotten some money out of them for the Campaign.

We halted our march almost exactly four miles from the Susquehanna River, at about 5:00pm.  By 5:30, the folk who had come down for the day were safely headed back to New York, and we were being shown our rooms on the campground.  Not only do we have showers, but we are sleeping on beds. Most of us have not seen a bed since the morning of October 15, so this is a real treat.  Also, the rooms have heat, something we hadn’t been on our priority list when we were scheduling the caravan to travel through in September.

At dinner, we met Melissa, the only AIDS staffer with the County Health Department.  She did much of the work arranging our stay in Cecil County, and had enlisted the AIDS of the local support group.  Ed and Kevin talked with us about what it is like to be living as a gay, HIV-positive couple in a conservative rural community.  The talked about the difficulty they had experienced finding support, and of the isolation that most people living with AIDS in rural places experience.  Their story included harassment by others.  They had been proud to help get a story about C2EA in the county paper, but did not dare use their full names.  They have already had all of their tires slashed once.

After dinner, we unloaded the truck, and went back outside the main hall for the candle-light vigil.  We were joined by about a half dozen more local folk.  After lighting the candles, a couple of people offered prayers, and a few others offered thoughts and reflections.  I couldn’t help but think about what a motley crew we were standing their, and yet such a beautiful collection of friends and comrades in arms.

This pilgrimage hasn’t been without its tensions and craziness.  But the bond is so much deeper than any differences, even among people who have only just met.  I have to believe that movements that change the world are built on exactly this kind of love and loyalty, faithfulness to each other that transcends barriers or differences.

While I was helping to build the fire, I got a call from Larry Bryant, traveling with the Soul of the South Caravan.  He told me that he had picked up Gabriel and Gabriel’s mother in Biloxi and that the Caravan had been given a great reception in Mobile.   Gabriel is my buddy.  He is three years old, and he is coming to Washington to demand care for his mama.  I can’t wait to see Gabriel in D.C.

Love,

Charles King

Caravan update # 7

2005-10-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider

October 27, 2005
Omaha, Nebraska to Des Moines, Iowa, and Iowa City, Iowa.

Last night American Heritage Caravan rider Lowen visited a Omaha bookstore near where we were staying at the offices of the Nebraska AIDS Project to attend a Poetry reading by local author Matt Mason. By coincidence the book was a collection of poems called "When the Bough Breaks," the bones and blood of this book is about the author's experiences from loosing his own father to AIDS. After the reading many of the attendees there came up to Lowen to share their own personal experiences and losses from 25 years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Matt Mason at the end of the evening chose to donate all of the money that he had raised that evening to the American Heritage caravan to support our goals and journey to Washington, D.C.
Here's one of Matt's poems titled "Spring Break."
What do I remember clearest?
I remember running
the electric razor along his cheekbones,
his chin, throat, under his nose. Seeing the bright capillaries weave around his pores,
smelling the light
sweat as I erased a few days of stubble,
leaving the individual whiskers which refused cutting.
There aren't words for me
to remember. My plane landed in Omaha
after his last coughing syllables,
after he'd fallen into a kind of sleep.
My friends burned
marshmallows on a beach in Oregon as
I sat
in a hospital, nervous,
guilty over wanting to be somewhere else,
farther away, miles from this skin,
these hairs, the red lines ripe with virus,
the pain dripping slow and constant.
His one, open eye, reflected me,
blue, and I don't know if the reflection
went all the way through; if he
sensed my hand in his;
heard my stumbling biography;
wept somewhere
as his youngest son was at last
close enough to touch his face.

Copyright 2005 by Matt Mason
from "When the bough breaks"
published by Lone Willow Press
P.O.Box 31647, Omaha, Nebraska 68131

We next drove through fall-painted swaths of trees lining a rolling landscape of cornfields and small rural communities. We were received in Des Moines by a few local HIV/AIDS activists at St. John's Lutheran church, and were fed a lunch of cornbread and chili. (Our last three meals were of chili, although all good, hazardously incendiary during a long bumpity bus ride of people already burdened with health concerns.)
Iowa only began tracking HIV infection in 1998, an estimated 1,600 Iowans are today living with HIV/AIDS.
The Iowa AIDS Project here in Des Moines last year serviced over 250 clients.Iowa AIDS project is staffed by 11 people, 3 in case management and 5 in HIV prevention programs. Case manager loads are severely stretched to nearly the breaking point. Nearly all funds allocated go to case management over other needs such as housing and health care.Simple things like getting transportation to doctors appointments are a concern, along with the big ticket vital necessities such as drug and emergency assistance and access to medical care. A large percentage of local infections are from recent immigrant communities, compounded by a lack of interpreters and cultural barriers.
I spoke with Jay who is a client of Iowa AIDS Project, he got his HIV diagnosis in 1989, and today is battling just to receive the basic services which he needs to live. Out of gratitude he volunteers where he's needed when he is able to because of his health limitations.
David Vitiritto is the Fiscal Manager/ IT Specialist for Iowa AIDS Project, and has been working to save lives here for 13 years. Sitting in the Church basement David told me his message to take with us to Washington is " Don't let us down, the need is greater than ever, there are still people dieing of this disease. We've held at least one funeral each month here. People think that HIV is manageable,that the available drugs have curbed this epidemic, and that is bullshit!"

To learn more about HIV/AIDS in Iowa, contact:
david@aidsprojectci.org
To learn more about The Campaign To End AIDS, the American Heritage Caravan, and how you can help, contact www.c2ea.org

Maryland!

2005-10-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

Paving the Way caravan entered Maryland this morning. Yeah!
More later, walking now....
Robin Milim

Caravan update # 6

2005-10-27T00:04:00.000-05:00

Campaign To End AIDS
American Heritage Caravan Update #6
By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage Caravan rider

October 26, 2005
Rapid City, South Dakota to Omaha, Nebraska

This morning we arose early as today a very long ride was ahead for us. We had to be in Omaha by 5:30 p.m. to speak at a press conferance set up for our caravan.
Two of our hosts Glenda and Joan met us in the hotel parking lot bearing boxes of hot sticky buns, oatmeal, coffee, and juice. A brilliant red sun rose in the eastern sky as we began the long drive at 7:00 a.m.
In South Dakota HIV/AIDS is still hidden and those affected and in need of public services must tread a dangerous path to stay alive. At last evening's meet, eat, and greet in a city park only one individual stepped forward as being openly HIV positive. When we circled and each participant told of their experiences around HIV/AIDS, all had personal stories of family and friends lost to this pandemic. I remember Amy who ten years back lost her 26 year old son. We do not forget these loved ones of ours lost to this battle, their memories walk with us, their loss leaves only tears and a hope to end this pandemic, a goal we have every right to expect to win.
This battle will be won by the strength and courage of individuals such as had by another of our Rapid City hosts, Joan Goschke. At times nearly single-handedly through her organization Positive Approach she works to meet all of the diverse needs for the many in this area affected by HIV/AIDS. Joan is also a hospice nurse, and is caring for her own daughter who is dieing of cancer, a diagnosis she got within months of returning from China where she'd adopted a daughter. Armed with a determined, soft-spoken compassion, Joan's goal is to find homes for the 20 million orphans of AIDS in Africa alone. From a hand-out written by her grouo Positive Approach : " We see a gloomy future for these children. Al Qaeda is in Africa and would probably like to recruit children to become human missiles. What an incubator for terrorism. More important, these are children growing up in the streets. A teen-ager becomes head of the family if there are no grandparents available. Extended families are over extended and already impoverished."
Joan's message is one of many that we will take with us to Washington, D.C.
As this day's long journey progressed we passed from the Black Hills to grassland then the badlands, the plateus slimming down to the vastness of the Great Plains.
Our bus drove into Omaha about sunset, where we recieved a warm greeting from our Omaha hosts at the Nebraska AIDS Project. 1,200 Nebraskans are believed to be living with HIV/AIDS, as many as who have already died here. This past year the Nebraska AIDS Project seviced 822 clients.
Founded 21 years ago, Nebraska AIDS Project is among the oldest AIDS service agencies in the country and operates five offices throughout the the state, serving Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. It is a nonprofit organization providing social services and support for men, women, and children affected by HIV/AIDS, along with educational programs to reduce the transmission of HIV.
Nebraska AIDS Project remains true to it's stated mission of prevention of HIV and providing support to those who's lives are affected by HIV/AIDS. One of the few statewide AIDS service organizations in the country, Nebraska AIDS Project is the only community based HIV/AIDS service organization in Nebraska. And community is exactly what we found here when this evening at the NAP center we met many clients and their friends who have worked tirelessly to provide education, prevention imformation, testing, counseling, and client services to anyone in Nebraska impacted by HIV/AIDS.
All this aside, people still slip through the cracks of an imperfect system in an imperfect world. Donald Magnuson (whole name used at his own request) expressed frustration in his quest for medical treatment.
Donald was first diagnosed with HIV in '96. He has just this month been diagnosed with AIDS. On top of this he has had hepatitis C for over 15 years. Donald tells us that he has tried hard to get on 'the cocktail' for years now. But he keeps hitting brick walls. Donald believes that the problem is two fold.
The first problem is that of money...the money to pay for his scrips and overall care just isn't out there and on his $800 a month he certainly can't afford it. (Donald does get insurance at a cost of $78 per month, but that's only hospital coverage-not scrips or doctor's visits).
The second part is a very difficult hurdle indeed. He's functionally illiterate. Donald says that he requires much more intensive help from his case managers than he can typically get. When they help him to access resources he isn't always able to get the follow through that he needs.
To be fair, he says, the casemanagers do what they can, but they are not always able to do as much as he needs in his own case.
His social worker, Harry, at the university hospital shall be retiring next month. "(Harry ) helped me get Boost for protein. He just helped me to apply for Title XIX." Title XIX is a program to help him to get his lifesaving medications. With Harry leaving, Donald worries that he shall slip through the cracks once again. "I've been through Hell all of my life," says Donald. "I would like to be on medicine but I'll probably never get it."
This is a statement fom Galen, a Nebraska AIDS Project client that was published in a NAP fact sheet:
"Moving back to Nebraska in 1995 when the doctors predicted my imminent death, leaving my job and my friends behind was a very lonely, scary time in my life. I left my comfortable, safe niche in life to face repeated hospitalizations, fear, prejudice, ignorance and anger from a lot of people I came in contact with.
My salvation was my family and this quiet, pretty lady who came into my life one day saying she was from Nebraska AIDS Project. She was my Caseworker, I was told, but more importantly, she became my friend. With her support and care, my life started turning around. I was better able to receive the kind of care and respect I deserved. I made friends again through the support group in our area. She helped me become involved with Mebraska AIDS Project and with the State on various committees. I found a purpose for my life again, especially doing volunteer speaking around the state. She and her contacts made me feel worthwhile again.
Today I have someone special in my life. I have the will to start a business and dreams of a future. So thanks, Barb, for being there. Thanks for the wonderful people you have brought into my life. Thanks for my life."
-Galen, diagnosed in 1985, Central Nebraska

To learn more about the Nebraska AIDS Project, log onto: www.nap.org

To learn more about the Campaign To End AIDS and the American Heritage caravan,and how to help and donate the funds needed to keep this caravan rolling, or to access the other blogs in this series, log onto:
www.c2ea.org

October 26 2005 - Paving the Way

2005-10-26T22:58:00.000-05:00

October 26, 2005

Paving The Way Caravan

Day: Oh Jeez I’ve totally lost count….

Today we stopped 100 yards short of the Maryland border.  We’ve decided to savor the momentous occasion tomorrow after we’ve had our caffeine and can actually summon up the energy to continue marching on into the state.

We have become so adept at walking briskly that we are way ahead of schedule.  I had the opportunity to examine my legs last night at the YMCA in Wilmington, DE while taking a much needed shower and boy!  Let me tell you I’ve developed muscles on my thighs that I didn’t even know existed.  I and my fellow marchers don’t even break a sweat or puff and pant anymore.  We laugh at uphill slopes, “Ha, Ha and Ha!”  It looks like we are going to be able to get some much needed downtime in the days ahead and actually be able to advocate and talk to people as well as enjoy our surroundings.

We had a rally at the University of Delaware today in the school cafeteria; it was scheduled to be a youth rally with youth speakers, but once again, as on every rally, Charles King brought the house down with his C2EA speech.  I’ve told Charles that every time he delivers it, the words are more powerful, his tone is more forceful and his voice is louder and more convincing.  He delivers stats and facts with such conviction and with such artillery rapidness that you can see people’s mouths literally hanging open.  It’s like receiving AIDS 101 in 15 minutes flat and you are left with a feeling of indignation every single time.  His speech makes me feel as if he has just uncovered the wool over my eyes and I just cannot believe that I’ve been had.  Makes me wonder how others feel.  He receives compliments and accolades galore on his delivery and I honestly feel he should be giving this exact speech on the senate floor.  Love it.

We also picked up yet another stray today who marched with us the entire day.   This was a girl who clearly had emotional and mental issues (she spoke in tongues and said to one person she was from Trinidad and another, Britain) yet felt compelled to march with us, eat with us, share with us and work with us!  Yes, she actually marched AND handed out flyers and condoms!  So what if we always seem to attract strays with one issue or another; we are the defenders of the disenfranchised, the minority, the disabled, the homeless, the infected and affected.  She and the others that have gravitated towards us obviously sense the warmth and non-judgmental vibe we all convey.

So happy to be here; every day brings me closer and closer to different members of my group.  I feel like a hummingbird flitting from flower to flower, extracting just enough from each to keep me whole and healthy.  This group has become my family on the road because I have no choice in the matter and it feels incredible to surrender to that fact and know that by myself, I cannot do very much but together, we are changing our world as we know it.  It truly is what it is….and it is all good.

Dianalynn

Possibility, etc.

2005-10-26T22:48:00.000-05:00

Possibility, etc.

The last two days have been an exercise in sweet agony. We’ve marched through slums in pouring rain which makes these dismal environments even direr.

I expected to grow cold to this. After Trenton, I couldn’t imagine marching through more depressing communities, but we have. In Delaware the division between the haves and have-nots is as clear as any we’ve encountered. But in Wilmington (a decidedly wealthy community) there is a force acting to seek common solutions.

In Wilmington we attended a rally held in an austere Episcopalian church. Vaulted, gently curved white ceilings, pale pink walls, bright white light and the sound of rain dripping from beyond opaque panes of glass, prepared me to expect muted condemnations of an ineffective system. Instead, I found speakers raging with self-proclaimed anger: small, mousy bodies with big hearts and brave words. It was clear that they were not accustomed to expressing themselves to such a receptive audience, and our reception to their passion served to heighten their emotion.

On the road we’ve encountered many ad-hoc marchers. Most of them have been troubled individuals, seeking a refuge from isolation and disenfranchisement: an obviously stoned crack addict hobbled with us, an inebriated homeless man sang and cheered with us for four miles, an unstable, 18 year old woman, whose illness was the remembrance of sexual violation seemed to commit herself to our entire walk before we put her on a bus home.

She was compelled her to use each of us as a confessional and we each responded to her with our own brand of patience and guidance. For some, that expression was more traditional: kind words and a sympathetic ear. For others, compassion was a wake-up call to stop using pills and alcohol and to rediscover her self-control.

With no exception, we are a band of people united by our histories of isolation and self-defeat; but there is no defeat here and for the men and woman who walk among us, there is no defeat.

AIDS is a force of nature. To combat it, we too must use our nature to affect the minds and hearts of those in our wake. We’ve said time and again that we have the solutions; all we need is the heart. We’ve laid claim to possibility as a theory, but until we truly commit ourselves to a practice of possibility, we are no closer to envisioning a world without AIDS and we are no closer to living in a world without AIDS.

This vision is alive: the wider spread the vision, the greater chance of action. The members of our host committees operate outposts of possibility in otherwise voided zones. They work tirelessly against this abominable enemy and our prescience confirms that they are not as alone as they feel and their efforts are not in vain.

Our march should remind every individual we encounter that they are bastions of possibility. Our act is physically grueling and mentally challenging, but we’re not Leather men and marathoners, we’re practitioners of possibility.

Daniel Solon
10.26.2005

Day Twelve

2005-10-26T22:03:00.000-05:00

October 26, 2005

Dear Friends,

Most people know that I am not a native New Yorker.  In fact, almost everyone knows that I am from Texas.  But the truth is that I am not a native Texan either.  I was actually born in Wilmington, Delaware.  I don’t even know the name of the hospital.  All I know is that I left Delaware for good two weeks after my second birthday, and moved to Texas.  The last few days are the only time I have spent in my birth state since then (not counting passing through on Amtrak).

As a child, I had a sentimental attachment to the “First State” that surfaced while watching political conventions and the like, but as an adult, the view from the train did not make it seem like a particularly attractive place unless one was forming a for-profit corporation.  Delaware became this “fact” in my life, mentioned only when giving vital statistics.

If I had stopped yesterday, cold rain would have been the chief reinforcing fact about my birth state.  But today was another story.  This morning we got up again at 5:00am, with a goal of being on the road by 7:30am.  But everyone was too cranky to move at that pace.  We ended up setting out an hour late.  The good news was that the forecasted rain had passed.  The morning was sunny, crisp and windy.

Who knows whether it was the lack of rain, freedom from rain gear, the chill in the air or the wind pushing us along, but we marched at a surprisingly fast pace, clocking a minimum of three miles an hour.  Our first break was made brief by the manager of the MacDonald’s at which we had stopped.  She became indignant when she caught Laverne distributing C2EA flyers and condoms to people going through the drive-thru.  We did a mini-demonstration for the fun of it, but moved quickly on.

There’s nothing like a spontaneous demonstration to lift Paving the Way’s spirits.  We had horns honking all up and down the highway.  At our next break, a shopkeeper, hearing of our pilgrimage, donated a whole case of goldfish crackers.  The van from New York was full of fresh blood, folk who were eager to carry the flags and banner and who raced to keep up with our now seasoned pace.

By noon, we had marched over a mile passed our rally site.  We bused back to the University of Delaware.  We piled out and got into formation a block away so we could make an appropriately grand and loud entrance into the student center.  Because the podium was set up right in front of the food court, we had hundreds of college students attending the rally, whether they intended to attend or not.

For the second time in two days, we had a mayor speak at our rally.  The general student response was mixed, but the participants were clearly enthusiastic.  And a young man introduced me as a fraternity president, wanting to get his fraternity involved in C2EA.

After the rally ended, we led a march out of the Student Center, bused back to our stopping point and put in another mile just for kicks.  We stopped in sight of the Maryland border, savoring tomorrow’s crossing to our fifth state.

Not to disavow New York or Texas, but Delaware has proved to be something else.  For a small state, it has got some amazing AIDS activists.  Again, my hat is off to Susan Tanner and the other members of the host committee for their hard work and wonderful hospitality.  They have made me proud to claim Delaware as my native state.

Love,

Charles King

P.S.:  We perfected a new song in the rain yesterday, written just for my native state.  (Sung to the tune “Those Caissons Go Rolling Along”):

Over here, over there,
We are marching Delaware
And the Campaign to End AIDS goes on

Over here, over there,
We are marching cause we care
And the Campaign to End AIDS goes on

And it’s hi ho hey
We’re Paving the Way
New York to Washington, D.C.

And it’s hi ho hey
We’re Paving the Way
We’re the Campaign to End AIDS, you see

Soul of the South: Day 7, 8 and part of 9

2005-10-26T14:31:00.000-05:00

We got to Baton Rouge and met with an awesome agency headed by Joyce Keller. She has been an activist for 5 years now, and has presented to the US Congress. She is very outspoken, inspiring, and lots of fun. Asia says "that girl has got it going on. She's acts like she's 18 and she is so determined." Yolanda and Rhonda, two women from Joyce's agency brought us to family services of Baton Rouge, BRASS, and one other organization. (I don't have the business cards in front of me, and we've been so many places I can't remember the names of the agencies). Everyone on our journey has been so friendly. It's nice to feel like I'm part of something big. We slept at Joyce's agency and went and had breakfast the next morning at volunteers of America. I'm starting to memorize Larry's speech. After breakfast we left BR, and headed to New Orleans. We stopped in LaPlace to see my mom and aunt. I hadn't seen her since before Katrina. We looked at pictures of her house in Chalmette and watched the video they took. Everyone was so amazed. I think it didn't affect me as much, because I've seen alot of the destruction already. I had been back to New Orleans twice since Katrina. I missed my mom though. We chatted for awhile, then we left and headed to New Orleans. We are staying at my old agency NO/AIDS taskforce (specifically the CAN office). We don't have many things planned for New Orleans, as it's basically a ghost town. I did notice that alot is being rebuilt. The superdome was patched up. I noticed much of the debris in Kenner and Metairie had been cleared out. I saw alot of roofs being rebuilt. The galleria had almost all of its windows back. We took a nap at the CAN office, and then headed to Metairie to meet my friend Joe for dinner. We ate dinner, then went to Bourbon street for awhile. I saw a couple of friends that I hadn't seen/heard from pre-Katrina. It was nice to see familiar faces, but it seemed very different. The energy of the quarter has changed. It "feels" different. We had a couple of drinks, then went back to CAN to sleep. I shaved today with cold water and a hand held mirror. That wasn't too fun. I need a shower too. Asia, Chuck, and I went to Clover Grill for lunch today and we met the ED of Belle Reve. She said that she knew of C2EA, because she got an e-mail the week prior to Katrina. I told her that I sent that e-mail. How random. We are getting ready to go to ASO/CBO locations in the area, to leave posters and signs, saying that we were there.

Chris Rothermel

Host Committee Organizer: Soul of the South, Houston
Campaign to End AIDS
rothermel.c@gmail.com

Down to the wire...

2005-10-26T09:51:00.000-05:00

We are down to the wire, this is going to be an amazing trip and I can't wait to meet so many people throughout the Northeast in this fight and fighting as hard as we can to end this epidemic!

I'm flying to Boston tomorrow to start my journey with the rest!

Tom Donohue
Who's Positive
State College, PA

Day Eleven

2005-10-26T06:12:00.000-05:00

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 forty year-old 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.  He said he had six kids.  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

Caravan update : 5

2005-10-25T22:38:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider

October 25, 2005
Casper, Wyoming to Rapid City South Dakota.

This morning I awoke nestled next to my boyfriend on a floor of a church along with my fellow caravan riders. The local media gave us very good coverage, both in the local newspaper and the evening news. We were fed a full breakfast prepared for us by an amazing group of church women who got up early to see us off. We all feel such gratitude for our reception here, and special thanks go to Pastor Charlene Hinkley and Pamela Reamer Williams of the Wyoming AIDS project.
The weather here this season we've been told has been warmer and milder than usual,showcasing the natural beauty of this wide and open land of such diverse range and topography.
Not long after crossing the border into South Dakota we stopped at a small rurally colorful diner called the "Fresh Stop" for a quick lunch, and encountered our first incident of open hostility. Portland caravan rider Paul who is African American and needs a walker due to a broken hip went to use the restroom, where two local yokels told him " There are three clan members here, and only two of you, and you better watch your back." Chris, our other African-American rider, returned to the bus fearing a conflict. We talked with the owner, and were assured that those who threatened us would be banned from that establishment. Back on the bus this was an opportunity to discuss how to handle threats and violence as we get closer to the home town of Fred Phelps, famous for disrupting funerals of those who died from AIDS by yelling through bullhorns "God hates queers" and far more ugly epitaphs. One of our caravan riders experienced Fred Phelps and his congregation disrupt the funeral of his partner when he passed in 1989. Some wounds cut so deep that we never are over them, so I held my friend as he wept as the grief from this trauma washed over him again. He told me how the Reverend Phelps tried to steal the memories of his beloved partner who's passing is still so close to the surface so many years later.
We stopped briefly to view the giant Crazy Horse sculpture that's still under construction after over 50 years of work, a massive project carved into a whole hill visible for miles. We also paid a brief stop at Mt. Rushmore, that strange cultural icon with nearly biblical overtones.
Upon arrival in Rapid City we quickly set up in the hotels arranged here by our hosts, then left for a dinner and informal meeting with local people in a city park.This event was hosted by Positive Approach, the local source for support, re feral, information, assistance, and hospice training for the needs of the local HIV/AIDS community. There are an estimated 400 people living with HIV/AIDS in South Dakota, roughly a hundred live here in Rapid City.
I spoke with Marnee Morris, HIV positive now 17 years, struggling back from a severe stroke. Marnee showed up before today's event began to wash the picnic tables. She had been a ballerina, a soloist for the New York city Ballet company and had performed this art worldwide that she had dreamed of since a child. Today she still experiences those little cuts of discrimination that can bleed one to death such as being told that she should eat off of paper plates.
Marnee gets the medications that she needs to live through Rapid City Community health, one of the many small, rural agencies that will go under if the Ryan White Care act does not get reauthorized, as is the wish of the Bush administration.
Another local activist Tom told me that today he believes finally ending AIDS is a war that we can win, a sentiment he says that he would not have believed last year.

For more information about this caravan, the Campaign To End AIDS, and what you can do to help win this war, log onto:
www.c2ea.org.

American Heritage caravan update: 4

2005-10-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider

October 24, 2005
Laramie to Cheyenne to Casper Wyoming

Last night all 13 of our caravan riders slept upon sleeping pads and air mattresses in one large room donated to us by the University apartments community center across the street from the University of Wyoming. Before dawn I walked the campus grounds under the immense star-shot sky, the ground was covered in twinkling ice crystals mirroring the lights of the universe far above. A sky as wide as this land in middle America that our caravan is transversing on our journey to Washington D.C. Wyoming is still a frontier state today, where coal and bone turned to stone are dug out of the hills and bedrock eroded by Millenia.
We ate breakfast in the student cafeteria and showered in the gym before leaving on our next stop at Cheyenne. We thank the generosity of John Wiggins and the Albany county AIDS project for donating the funds for our meals while we stayed in Laramie, and to Travis who as host met all of our needs, and who also looks very lovely dressed in his "I got candy" t-shirt.
We arrived in Cheyenne at their local CBS affiliate KGWN newschanel 5 where we were interviewed for the evening news about who we are and our message of hope and life that we are taking to Washington, D.C.
This was a very bittersweet stop for us, as we had planned on several events here organized by a tireless volunteer for this caravan named Jeff Palmer who had suddenly stopped communicating with us days before we set off from Portland. Jeff was one of the founders of an AIDS advocacy group called Positive for Positive,and in the end even though his illness was severe,he would spend hours on the phone organizing this caravan and action, inspiring many with his passion to make the Campaign To End AIDS a reality.
A few days ago we finally learned that Jeff had died.
Since he was the life for this caravan stop in Cheyenne, so also were the events here snuffed out prematurely. As we were filmed for the evening news we held hands and circled there in Jeff's town that he loved and remembered him. People are dieing needlessly from AIDS again, new people are still getting infected with the HIV virus. Tragically both of these grim statistics are so easily preventable by what we already know works.
Our final stop for today was at Casper where we were greeted by members of a local church shared by two denominations, the First Congregational Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalists. A banner in their chapel reads: "We care more about rights than rites,"and this church has worked much to bring diversity and tolerance to the Faith based community of Casper.
A pizza and pinata party, press conference, and candlelight memorial were organized here, all put together by a 17 year old 11th grade student named Caitlyn Metcalf. Caitlyn is the leader for the Youth Empowerment Council of Casper, and worked to see this event happen for the past two months, pulling together Wyoming AIDS project, the Matthew Shepard Foundation,and all the dedicated local people who came to this event. Last summer she attended a training by the Wyoming AIDS project, and was shocked by the prior misinformation she had been told about HIV. Before this she had never known anyone who had been infected by HIV. Based on her belief that she needed to do what was right, Caitlyn has become one of the leading AIDS activists for this whole area.
American Heritage caravan rider Levi Ferns spoke to the media about his personal experiences living with HIV. In his own words " My Late husband Charles Morton Krayerdied of AIDS on June 5, 2005. His death was hastened due to a lack of access to adequate health care and medications. In 1990 Congress established the Ryan White Care Act to provide funding for vital services including health care. But now in 2005, the Care Act remains depleted in funds. People are on waiting lists for vital medications in several states. There is an across-the-board squeeze on vital services. Let's demand that Congress and Mike Enzi reauthorize and fully fund the Ryan White Care Act. Let's give it the 2.5 billion dollars it needs.
For the candlelight vigil, 43 people circled in the dusk in front of the church, lighting each candle in a circle as each participant remembered a friend or family member lost to AIDS, or sharing a hope. One young boy said "I light this candle in hope that a cure is found."
Wyoming. It's people proud of their land and community, a people very kind and generous to us. I met many wonderful individuals here who had left then moved back because in their hearts they love this place. A people dedicated to prevent another Matthew Shepard from dieing beaten and bloodied tied to a fence alone on a cold northern night.
At around 7:30 the organizer for tonight's events had to go home to finish her homework for school tomorrow.

For more information on how you can help with HIV/AIDS in Wyoming, please contact Pamela Reamer Williams at the Wyoming AIDS Project: wyaidsproj@wyoming.com

To learn more about the Campaign To End AIDS and the American Heritage caravan, please log onto www.c2ea.org

Hi I want to say h

2005-10-25T20:50:00.000-05:00

Hi I want to say hello to my family, friends, my sponsors Yogi Pharmacy, Brothers Communications from Wilmington Delaware. Today is the eleventh day and I am going to the end. I am doing well and have lots of energy. I walk for a few hours and then I rest, until the next time. I love everybody. Juan Santos (The Condom Man)

High School Friend Supports Walk

2005-10-25T12:01:00.000-05:00

I received the following email with a check of support from a high school friend who lives in Leawood, KS – just outside of Kansas City.

“Hello Marie,

Your name is certainly one from a long time ago as is mine to you. I was very impressed at what you are doing and would like to help. I am sending you a check by mail to help this cause.

Thank you for the work you are doing. I volunteer at a home for men with AIDS bringing them meals and company and conversation. I know how much your work is needed.”

-Denise Diamond Pakula

Marie S. Nahikian

Marie is Walking to DC

2005-10-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

Dear Family - Thank you for your wonderful support - 7 days ago I
walked thru the Lincoln Tunnel + today the Campaign to End Aids arrived
in Phila. I have over $3000 in sponsorship.
We've walked down rural roads with no shoulders - neighborhoods of
small houses, mansions + shacks.
We've been to Weewakhen, Jersey City, Elizabeth, HOBOKEN, Rahway, New
Brunswick, Princeton, Metuchen, Trenton + now Phila - why am I walking
to Washington DC?
*For the friends + family we have loved + lost
*for the 8,500 people who die each day
*to insure that our children + grandchildren can live long + healthy
lives but are never faced with not being able to afford medication to
keep them alive
*for the young blond woman' a clerk in the WaWa deli store in bensalem
PA who began crying when she asked why we were walking + told me about
her brother who is Hiv+ is dying simply because he can not pay for his
drugs
*for the mothers infected by spouses who did not know or did not tell
them they had aids + lost a child
*for those who cannot control their addictions + share dirty needles
*to oppose "faith-based" organizations who use our tax dollars to oppose
scientifically proven prevention such as clean needle exchanges or safe
sex practices but spend millions on "moral" alternatives
Love,
Marie

Paving the Way--Days 9 & 10

2005-10-24T21:26:00.000-05:00

October 24, 2005

Dear Friends,

No excuses for not writing yesterday.  We set out marching about 9:30 – 10:00am on the outskirts of Philadelphia.  Eight miles and three hours later, we were circling City Hall in Center City, done for the day.  Instead of blogging, I found a sports bar and got in two football games.  “Fight back; fight AIDS; go Eagles!”  It was a gay sports bar, so there were green pompoms at each seat.

Exhaustion had finally caught up with me when I returned to our urban campsite.  Appropriate for a church basement, I slept the sleep of the righteous.  (I have noticed that our snorers have settled down.  Some of them seem to have stopped snoring all together.  The others have synchronized, snoring in four-part harmony.)

We had a slow start this morning.  It was all of a two block march to our rally site.  Our host, Charlene, who had marched with us for the last two days, spoke powerfully, for the first time in public about her experience of invisibility as a transgendered person living with AIDS.  When she finished speaking, we chanted, “trans people count; end AIDS now!”  Charlene was followed by her boss, Yoshiaki Yamasaki.  He had tears in his eyes as he talked about the transformation his organization had experienced participating in the Campaign.

While the rally was small in numbers, we left feeling a powerful sense of purpose.  Marching the Baltimore Pike to Chester, we encountered lots of young people wanting to know what we were doing. Honks of recognition made it clear that word of our journey had spread.  The rain threatened but held back all day as we marched the twelve miles to Chester.  Only when we got into the town limits did the rain start to fall, gentle, and then heavier for the last half our, marching through bleak neighborhoods, in the dark and in the rain.

Bethany Baptist Church was a welcome beacon.  The children’s choir was rehearsing in the sanctuary.  Downstairs was a hearty spread of roast chicken, roast potatoes, green beans, several varieties of cake, and sweet tea and lemonade.  A dozen men and women hung around late to make sure we were satiated and comfortable.  Each one blessed us as he or she parted, promising continued prayers for our journey.

Increasingly as this journey has unfolded, I have become less concerned with numbers and more concerned with how deeply people’s hearts are touched.  I know that those of us who are making this journey are already experiencing changed lives.  I pray the people we encounter along the way are experiencing changed lives as well.

I have thrilled to see each of the other caravans starting out their journeys.  I pray that each of your pilgrimages is as filled with adventure and reason for gratitude as we have found with Paving the Way.

Much love,

Charles King

Day 6 cont.

2005-10-24T10:22:00.000-05:00

Day 6 cont.

We went out to a bar with our host committee last night. I met up with my dad and one of my best friends Godfrey. I missed them so much! We talked about pre-Katrina home. Memories :( It was so nice to be around them. We watched a drag show, and I got supremely drunk. Dad and Godfrey made sure of that! lol! My dad said he was so proud of me for being a part of C2EA. I tried to convince Godfrey to get on the caravan, but he wouldn't. We took a bunch of pictures this morning with the people living here. I feel honored to be a part of the caravans. I will never get a chance to do this again. Well we're headed to Baton Rouge now. Maybe New Orleans tomorrow, I don't know yet.

-C

Chris Rothermel

Host Committee Organizer: Soul of the South, Houston
Campaign to End AIDS
rothermel.c@gmail.com

American Heritage caravan update # 3

2005-10-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider
October 23, 2005
Laramie, Wyoming

This morning I awoke to the bustle of rush hour traffic around 6:30 a.m.
Traffic so early on a Sunday morning?
Oh. Still in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Last night our field representative Katee who had flown out to Portland to help get us started for our first two days flew back home to Washington, D.C. to further prepare on-site for the days of action once all of the caravans arrive in Washington, D.C. on November the 4th. We all loved having Katee on board, her tireless organizing and dedication, overcoming many obstacles from this nationwide series of actions and events to raise awareness of the critical state of HIV/AIDS services in this country and beyond.
We traded in our two cramped mini-vans for a delux Trailways tour bus, upholstered in a rainbow pattern and equiped with television, dvd player and a toilet.
We all found Salt Lake City to be a friendly and welcoming place; a liberal blue bubble popping up in the reddest of states. Our caravan is thankful for all of the dedicated work by our Salt Lake City support crew. Special thanks to Stuart Merril, David Ward, Missy Larsen, Jennifer Nuttall, Carl Bateman, Toni Johnson, Heather Bush, Becky Porter, Juan Lopez, and a big hippy hug for Aaron Garrett. In Salt Lake City our caravan was joined by Lonnie from Chicago, and Darrell, Glenn, Bruce, and Jef from Salt Lake city, bringing our caravan number of riders up to 13. As waves of smartly dressed Mormons filed into Temple Square, our bus departed for the long road to Laramie, Wyoming.
Hunting season also began this weekend. Alongside the freeway we saw dots of day-glo orange vests stalking the red-ochre hillsides hunting for game. More wide open grasslands spread out in all directions, stretches of sculpted hills and ranges mostly far away in the distance. Cows, Antelopes, and year-round fireworks markets.
Oh yes, we were quite nervous entering the land where seven years back Matthew Shepard had his body broken by monsters who left his bleeding remains to die in the cold tied to a fence. When we stopped in a Wal-Mart (so sorry) to buy sleeping bags for several of our riders, empty shotgun shells layed in the parking lot like old bones.
At about sunset we arrived at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where we were greeted by our host Travis. Since January of this year, eight students here have tested positive for HIV, a spike that has kicked up old ghosts of fear.
There are only two doctors dealing specifically with infectious diseases in the whole state of Wyoming. There are about two hundred HIV positive people living in this stae, but considering the dodgy way these statistics are collected, the numbers very well may be much higher. Wyoming and South Dakota recieve the lowest amounts of HIV/AIDS funding in all of the United States. Wyoming has the lowest rate of new infections in the nation at 15% of the national rate.
Part of the purpose of these caravans is to pick up new people and new perspectives from all across the land. Unfortunately the people dealing with HIV/AIDS in Wyoming are spread so thin that they couldn't spare the time to come on the caravan with us without neglecting those who depend upon them. But they did teach us some valuable lessons about the different needs of the rural communities as opposed to the urban ones which most of us come from. While Travis did point out one of his concerns was "Not letting people forget the differences between urban and rural (needs)" Bob also pointed out that "(an) advantage of being a small state is that we don't have a large bureaucracy to weigh us down." Considerations are thins like the distance between poz individuals (which inhibits networking and peer support) to lack of confidentiality when there's only one or two doctors in your town. And so many other similar issues we rarely think about except when thinking of sub-Saharan Africa or South America with their isolated populations.
Wyoming, due to it's population being so spread out and lacking in needed medical providers must send new HIV/AIDS cases to neighboring states for basic care! This is outrageous! Can you imagine a pandemic as AIDS has become and there are whole counties and even states which are not able to take care of their ill for lack of medical providers with the basic needed skills for ending so much needless and preventable death. And we are over twenty years into this pandemic now.
Last night in Laramie was held the first "Homegrown Drag Show" in a bona-fide cowboy bar (THE redneck cowboy hick bar in town, we were told) to benefit the Rainbow Resource Center. $1,150 dollars was raised, with a standing room only crowd. Only one crusty patron complained to the bartender, who told him to go sit back down, as the drag queens and their friends were far better tippers!

American Heritage caravan update # 2

2005-10-24T08:31:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn Frick
American Heritage caravan rider
October 22, 2005
Boise, Idaho to Salt Lake city.

This morning we awoke in Boise, Idaho and dined from a wonderful breakfast spread prepared for us by our hosts Duane and Kevin and their support crew created for this caravan. All of the caravan riders felt energized and enthused for the road ahead of us leading to Washington, D.C., thankful for all of the love and support given us by our supporters in Boise. We drove through the vast expanse of the Snake river plain, a lot more flatness than this Oregon boy is used to seeing. Marches of rolling pastel hued hills and canyons ringed the horizon, from desert earth tones of tans and reds leading to deep purple/blue ridgelines hazing out far in the distance away from us. These hills took on an almost sensuous mode smoothed by millinia of erosion, great sleeping forms curled into themselves.
We drove through this plain at speeds of up to 90 miles an hour, as other vehicles sped past probably doing 100.
Welcome to Utah, the reddest of the red states so colored from this last election. We got curious looks from other drivers on the road, no doubt reading the large "END AIDS NOW" magnetic signs on the sides of both the caravan vehicles. No honks or yells, pro or con. The strength of the Portland caravan I feel is it's diversity of background and experience. Though mostly gay and male, our caravan riders all come from a diverse cultural background: Black, white, Native American, HIV positive and negative, full onset AIDS, newly diagnosed and long-term survivors, new and seasoned activists, and three of our riders have worked directly with the very social service agencies that provide the vital safety nets that those living with HIV/AIDS need to survive, so we do not drop dead in the streets from neglect as were the victims of hurricane Katrina in George Bush's America.
In the next couple of weeks during the life of these blogs I'll tell each of the American Heritage caravan's riders stories.
We arrived in Salt Lake City to a memorial and rally in the plaza at Library Square in the historic part of town. As was on the steps of the Boise capitol building the day before, thousands of empty shoes were lined up in rows covering a sizeable chunk of courtyard to remind everyone there of just how many people in Utah have died of AIDS. Since 1985, an estemated 4,000 people have been infected with the HIV virus in Utah. Over 1,000 of these people have died. One in four people infected with the HIV virus don't even know that they are infected, exposing yet more people to the grave risk of contracting this disease through unknown exposure.
I spoke with Seanna who is one of the many volunteers who stepped forward to work on this action. The volunteers would engage people passing by in dialogue about the Campaign To End AIDS and it's goals in finally ending this global pandemic that each day kills over 8,500 men, women, and children. Where Seanna was stationed were dozens of pairs of children's shoes neatly laid out to symbolize that it's not just adults engaging in high-risk behaviors that contract and die from this disease as is the common stereotype. When a baby is born infected with HIV, it's chances to reach adulthood are slim at best. She told of young children with hearts aged as if they were fifty from the constant medications needed to keep them alive, but rob them of their childhoods. She told of grandmothers who would start to weep when she told them what all of those little empty shoes represent. "These are not adults, they are children, and they are dieing every single day because our elected officials refuse to keep the funds desperately needed for research and services."
At the rally Salt lake city Mayor Caroon spoke about how breakthroughs can also come through education and anonymous testing, that in America over one million people are estemated to have HIV/AIDS, of these 250-300 thousand can not afford healthcare or medicine.
HIV/AIDS advocate Stuart Merril spoke that if the Ryan White care act is not re-authorized, the only thing that will be left to cut will be people's lives.
Ricky, Chris, and Lowen spoke from the American Heritage caravan.
Openly gay Utah state Senator Scott McCoy promised to bring the message to the legislators on capitol hill and educate them that these vital services need continued funding to keep those affected alive, and to end this pandemic.
Several hundred people walked through the Library Plaza today and saw this message, and many filled out cards supporting the goals and mission of this caravan, cards that we will deliver to their elected officials in Washington, D.C. during the first week of November.
After the rally the American Heritage caravan riders and their local support crew were treated to a catered feast at the Jubilee Center by Lavendar Catering and Construction. Dinner was Chicken En Croute, Caprese Bruschetta, Fall Pear and Gorganzola Salad, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, and Sauteed Fall Vegetables.
And you don't have to be over 21 to drink coffee in Utah.

For more information log onto: www.c2ea.org

To learn more about HIV/AIDS in Utah please contact Stuart Merrill,HIV/AIDSadvocateat:
stuartamerrill@hotmail.com

HI EVERYONE

2005-10-23T20:29:00.000-05:00

HI EVERYONE,

        I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO’S BEEN NICE TO ME, I AM ENJOYING MARCHING WITH THEM AS SISTERS AND BROTHERS….. THEY THINK I DON’T HEAR THE DRUM OR LOUD SPEAKER, BECAUSE I AM DEAF.. BUT I DO HEAR IT, ENOUGH TO EVEN SHUT OFF MY HEARING AID AND I STILL HEAR IT.. IT MAKES ME PROUD AND KEEP MARCHING, TOWN TO TOWN…IT NEVER BOTHERS ME,
.. I AM HAPPY TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND GET KNOW EVERYONE. MY KNEES HAD BEEN STIFF AND I NEED OIL ON THEM, LIKE I AM THE TIN WOMAN!
I MISS MY BUNCH OF KIDS AND PARTNER,ALSO MY GRANDSON,I CALLED THEM AND SPOKE EACH OF MY 6 KIDS ON MY WIRELESS SIDEKICK,  IT TOOK ME HALF HOUR ON THE PHONE. IT IS MY FIRST TIME WITHOUT MY KIDS, I AM SURE THEY WILL BE ALRIGHT…. THEY ARE ALWAYS IN MY THOUGHTS AND ALSO MY BIG HEART…..I MISS HUGGING EACH KID AND ALSO MY PETS AND PARTNER..
  I ENJOYED HOLDING THE FLAG VERY MUCH, IT NEVER BOTHERS ME, IT MAKES ME PROUD….
  I REALIZED MY UNDER ARM REALLY SMELL BAD B.O…. I AM WAITING FOR MY TURN TO TAKE A SHOWER….IT’S VERY EMBRASSING TO ME.I HOPE NO ONE COMPLAINS ABOUT IT.
   WE CAN DO MARCHES TO WASHINGTON D.C. , WE WON’T GIVE UP  OUR HOPE… I AM A VERY BIG SUPPORTER …
I AM ALSO VERY PROUD MARCHER,TOO

GOD BLESS MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS…

CINDY APONTE, PEER EDUCATION, DEAF SERVICE, HOUSING WORKS,

Day 8 in Philly - Paving the Way

2005-10-23T19:51:00.000-05:00

So……my day started with a humongous mug of coffee spilling onto the van seat while I was cleaning and organizing the interior and since it was warm coffee, it not only spilled onto the hem of my pants and the floor, but I sat on it without even noticing.  I marched all day with half white, half beige panties, smelling like Dunkin Donuts with feet.  Yuck.  We marched 8 miles in three hours, what a record!  We also picked up this totally stoned stray who did the entire march with us!  What a cutie, he even played the tambourine, tried to chant along when he could understand a word here and there and didn’t complain once.  We brought him into the church when we were done and gave him a Betty bag.  Nice to see that happen; I wish more people would join us like that every day.

Some of us girls just got back from the Hard Rock Café here in Philly where we went to have some downtime and the busboy asked us where we got our shirts from.  When we asked why, he told us his Mom had passed away from AIDS and he wanted to show his support.  Valerie engaged him in more conversation and it turns out he moved from 7th & Ave D, I believe he said, 5 years ago.  What a small world.

We had such a great time today and because we finished the day early we had a lot of downtime.  Today was the very first day I felt homesick, I suppose because I had a lot of time on my hands and I started to think about home and my family.  I spoke to my 5 year old yesterday for the first time since I’ve been on the march and you’d think it were 8 months rather than 8 days from the way I reacted when I heard his voice.  Thank goodness, he heard the frantic tone in my voice and immediately informed me that not only was he taking care of the house, Grandma and his 13 year old sister, but that he was also in the middle of a very engrossing video game and hereallyhadtogoyeahiloveyoutoomommygoodbye!!!

Shoot, so much for being a role model.

Dianalynn

Diane Williams

2005-10-23T18:56:00.000-05:00

Diane Williams

Today was a good day. To see Ms.linney carry the flag was a beautiful site to see. Ms. Linney and Monica gave me a lot of love. I was real tired this today. I rest a lot today. My baby brothers call me today and that made me so happy. Just being here is just a dream come true for me.
Good night

WHAT A WALK

2005-10-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

So this is day nine on the road. I think yesterday was my first real day of getting some rest. I’ve been walking for eight days straight with no relief for the legs. The first night at the Boys and Girls set a little pace for what was to come. The sleep on the floor campout style. Wasn’t as bad as I expected. Went to church I think it was communion Sunday. Dianne ask if it was safe to drink of the cup. Couldn’t think of anything to tell her except that what we’re out her for to stop some of the stigmas and myths of HIV/AIDS. Can you believe how they even has us still thinking. I’m not going to place everything in one day the book is coming soon. As they also say about the chants on the road, buy the CD and the Charles King’s single coming to a town near you soon. It’s interesting just talking to some of the people who have this virus they look healthy and strong , come from various backgrounds. There was this family we stay with who works with children who have HIV/AIDS the day. If any one out there happens to read this find out how you can come and join us even if it’s for a day. Don’t forget we are still taking donations. Today we had some time to enjoy some of the sights in Philadelphia. It is a beautiful town. I’m sure it has its ups and down too. We are having a rally tomorrow, hope the weather holds up. For the last two to three days we were hit by a touch of Hurricane Wilma. The walking was bad the wind kind of strong thank GOD we made it. I would apologize for this back and forth dialogue but that ‘s the way it is coming. It does get a little crazy on the road fatigue and comfort sets in and you don’t want to go any further. I guess you will have to find out how much further I go on the next bog. PEACE OUT!

Sheila Peeples
JTP

Day 6

2005-10-23T17:54:00.000-05:00

Day 6 5:50

So we are in Lafayette now. We just went to Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center. They cooked us some gumbo, potato salad, pecan pie, and some other really good pie. We sat around a table, and had great discussions. They presented us with their prevention programs and we presented them with the Campaign to End AIDS. They were so wonderful to us. They gave us T-shirts and gifts to go home with. It was really great community building and networking. It was nice to have gumbo again. I’m getting closer to home. We may stay in New Orleans for a night. I’m trying to find someone to host us. It’d be really nice to stay in nola for the night. We’ll see. Now we are at Acadiana C.A.R.E.S. Its’s great to see Alan and Isaiah again. They’re BBQ-ing for us. I’ve been eating so well!

Chris Rothermel

Host Committee Organizer: Soul of the South, Houston
Campaign to End AIDS
rothermel.c@gmail.com

Day 5 and 6

2005-10-23T10:12:00.000-05:00

I think my days are getting confused…

Day 5

Yesterday Larry and I went to a State of Emergency meeting to present C2EA. They received us warmly, but gave us no response. They said they would put up fliers for us at their respective agencies. So we left and went to a Ryan White Title 4 Community Advisory Board meeting. We talked for a bit with them. Asia, someone I met at the Youth Action Institute was there. She said she had been trying to contact Larry to get on the caravan, but she had the wrong number. So I talked to her about getting on anyway. We came up with a plan together to get $ so she could go. Larry and I went to Center for AIDS and advocacy to see if they could sponsor her. One of the employees, Marjorie, said she couldn’t donate any $ because she didn’t have any, but instead she filled up the van with gas, and said use that money to help Asia out. While we were at the gas station, some random guy came up and gave us 2 dollars, and said “Put this in your tank to get to DC”. People left and right are showing support in any way they can. We went back to the center for AIDS, and Larry called a bunch of agencies and got a lot of sponsorship for Asia to ride. It was so heartwarming to see everyone donating and helping Asia. We ended up going to Larry’s apartment to get Chuck, and we went back to my house, because Larry had his electricity shut off. Larry went to pack some stuff at his house, Chuck took a nap, and I just relaxed and got ready for the rest of our adventure. Chuck cooked an awesome meal last night and we just relaxed with some wine and beer. My friend Nick came over and we hung out for a bit and we said good-bye.

Day 6

5:30 PM

I woke up early this morning, and Larry went to pick up the money that was raised for Asia. Cleaned up the house a bit, before Larry came back then we headed over to pick up Asia. Her sister was so cute; she hugged us and told us to take care of her sister. It was really sweet. So we headed out to Key West, TX to see one of Chuck’s friends to see if she could get some donations for us. She had an amazing garden all around her house. We took some pictures with her, and now we are headed to Port Arthur. Larry is serenading us. :) I’m having such a great time. It took us forever to find a hotel in Lafayette, and we were all complaining and cranky, but once we found a hotel it was all OK.

Chris Rothermel

Host Committee Organizer: Soul of the South, Houston
Campaign to End AIDS
rothermel.c@gmail.com

Paving the Way Days Seven and Eight

2005-10-23T00:25:00.000-05:00

October 22, 2005

Dear friends,

Real Texas chili, that’s what I’m talk’n about!

Friday started with a spirited to the Trenton Masonic Temple, where we were served a hot catered breakfast before marching in what had become a steady rain to the Statehouse with several dozen local AIDS activists.  Several dozen more activists met us at the rally site.  The rally had participation from a variety of organizations in south Jersey, including folk from Trenton and Camden.  U.S. Rep. Frank Palone spoke knowledgeably about AIDS in New Jersey and endorsed C2EA and its goals.  But, as usual, the most powerful speakers were people living with AIDS and HIV.

After the rally, we went back to the Masonic Temple for a quick lunch. Armed with all-white rain gear that looked like hazmat suits, we then set out for the bridge crossing the Delaware River, accompanied by many of our new friends and the same friendly police escort that had brought us into Trenton the day before.  After lots of goodbye hugs, we set out across the bridge into Pennsylvania.

We had only marched a few miles when we were met by the Millville police, who claimed no knowledge of our caravan.  They were adamant that we could not march through their town, though we were on the sidewalk.  Valerie and terri completely charmed them, explaining our purpose even while getting them to help us devise a route that would meet their satisfaction.  At the end of the conversation, as the police were facilitating our crossing the street, one of them said, “Your suits make you look like marching condoms.  This is great!”

With that, the police left us to our own devises, as we made our way on narrow shoulders and grassy roadside paths, with a steady rain and accompanying chants and patter to keep us moving.

At about 1:30 in the afternoon, I had to peel of to catch a flight to Austin, Texas.  I had promised folk at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church last spring that I would come and speak at their annual AIDS commemoration.  Even in the rain, it was hard to leave the march.

My flight arrived late, and I arrived at my motel early in the morning.  As tired as I was, sleeping on a mattress after a week of urban camping left me fitful.  Then came the panic of the morning.  I had only an hour and a half to iron my suit, shower and find my way to the church.  Confusion about which luggage in what vehicle had left me without my phone charger, my laptop and my medications.  No one at the motel knew the street where the church was located, and none of the Austin contacts were answering their phones.

A couple of quick phone calls with my Assistant, Douglas Sanders got me to the church five minutes before 9:00am, my scheduled speaking time.  The lawn in front of the church was covered with white crosses, stars of David, and crescents, representing people who had died of AIDS in the Austin area.  Many had names that passers by written on them.  But the church parking lot was empty.  I wandered into the church, again feeling a surge of panic.  Had I gotten the day wrong or perhaps gone to the wrong place?

Finally another car arrived, and I learned that I had been given the wrong time.  The service was to start at 10:00am.  I was an hour early.  Only then did I remember my promise for the march.  “It is what it is, and it is all good.”

When Douglas was making my travel arrangements, he had told me that my rental car would only cost $22 dollars.  He asked if he could upgrade me from an economy car to something a little nicer.  It would only cost $5 more.  He suggested a Trans Am, but I thought that was a little ostentatious.  Instead, he had reserved a convertible.  I went out to the church parking lot and put the top down.  With the morning sun shining warm and bright, I drove off to find a real cup of coffee and a newspaper.  “It is what it is and it is all good.”

The commemorative service was small and brief but sweet.  It was an unusual crowd for me.  All white, middle class, almost all straight, and no one, so far as I could tell, who was living with AIDS or HIV, gathered to remember those who had died.  I challenged folk not just to care, but to care enough to work to bring the epidemic to an end.

One of the participants had been at the Soul of the South rally and vigil at the Texas Statehouse and Governor’s Mansion earlier in the week.  He shared his experience being there in the early morning hours, holding a sign that said, “Wake Up, Governor Perry!”  He said that at about 3 in the morning, a State Trooper came out of the Governor’s Mansion and ordered the demonstrators to quiet down.  The Governor, he said, had been awakened by the noise and had complained.

I had written Keith’s name on a cross before the service started.  After the service, I asked a man with a camera if he would take a photo of Keith’s cross and send it to me.  As we walked through the filed of crosses to find Keith’s, the man shared with me that he did not know anyone who had HIV or AIDS, or at least he didn’t think he did.  But, he said, the year before, he had been photographic the crosses when he saw the name of someone who had been his best friend in elementary school.  He still didn’t know if it was the same person, but it was enough for him to know that AIDS had touched his life.  He asked what he could do to help the Campaign.

I am learning that C2EA is more important for the little ways it is touching people’s lives in small but transformative ways.  I am starting to believe that those little changes, added up can turn into a stream that grows into a mighty river of people captivated by a vision of a world without AIDS.

Leaving the service with a couple of hours to kill before my flight, I decided to have a bowl of real Texas chili, at the Texas Chili Parlor, an institution I haven’t visited in over 25 years.  Today was the big game, UT vs. Texas Tech, and downtown Austin was swarming with people dressed in Long Horn orange.  I found a seat at the bar, and ordered a beer and a large bowl of the real thing.

(For those of you who don’t know better, real Texas chili has no beans, no tomatoes, and no ground beef.  It’s made with chunks of brisket or other tough cuts of beef, simmered for days in water, beer and secret spices, served up with saltines and huge helpings of raw onions and sliced jalapeño peppers.)

Once I had eaten my full, I made my way outside through the crowd.  A woman dressed in Long Horn orange from head to toe, stopped me on my way out the door.  “What’s the red ribbon stand for?” she asked.

“It represents a call for an end to AIDS,” I responded.

“AIDS?” she replied.  “That’s nice.”

As I write this, I am in the basement of the First United Methodist Church in center city Philadelphia.  The symphony of snores has begun.  I am eager to get up and march tomorrow morning in the rain with all of my friends and comrades from Paving the Way.

Love,

Charles King

Other world

2005-10-22T23:39:00.000-05:00

Leaving the daily routine of my life in seattle and joining the caravan is a bit surreal. Time seems to have shifted into a completely different perception. What the hell am I doing??? The life outside the caravan already seems like a distant shore.
A blur of days and towns and shifting faces looms ahead. Outside the obvious political goals of fully funding the Ryan White act and the audaciousness of the goal, can AIDS really be overcome by us driving to D.C. across towns like Coeur deLane Idaho and Missoula Montana. Well no but that doesn't seem to be the overall point of the event anyway. I'm just coming to grips with what the implications of this journey really are. Connecting with the others dealing with HIV has definately been a big plus. The youthfull energy and idealism of our drivers has been really affirming as well. So maybe this one act this long journey across America will not end the AIDS pandemic but it will bring me much closer to others dealing with this virus and learning to live with all of it's complications. Perhaps I'll learn more than I had bargained for but in the end I think it'll be an experience that changes my perceptions of activism and politics and my individual struggle with the virus.

American Heritage Update 1

2005-10-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

By Vaughn FrickAmerican Heritage caravan rider for C2EA.

This morning began with the caravan riders and their Portland support crew converging at the HIV day center for a send-off breakfast before the nine of us fit ourselves and our gear snugly into two vans to drive to our first stop in Boise Idaho. Our field coordinator Kaytee had joined us after flying to Portland from Washington, D.C. to help get us started.The caravan riders are Chris, Dan, Jack, Levi, Lowen, Paul, Ricky,and Vaughn. Through a breaking morning fog we drove east as the wooded cliffs of the gorge smoothed into rolling hillscapes, arid summer-burnt desert dotted with color-ripened trees turning towards winter. Late season rains washed the hillsides with a light green velvet before winter's snow. We arrived in Boise at 5:00 p.m. in time for the start of a rally to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS in Idaho held on the front steps of the state capitol building; a grand, white marble domed wedding cake edifice built in the old federal style. Laid in rows across the wide steps leading up to the main entrance were 1,245 pairs of empty shoes to represent each person in Idaho living with HIV and AIDS. This event called "Walk in Our Shoes" was created and hosted by Allies Linked for the Prevention of HIV and AIDS {A.L.P.H.A.}to address the financial crises facing those living with HIV and AIDS, of our government's obligation in assisting a vulnerable part of our community, and the day to day reality and necessities that those living with HIV and AIDS need to survive. Postcards were available for event attendees to write a message to their congressional leaders about their concerns for continued funding for HIV and AIDS support services and research to finally end the pandemic. These cards will be sent along with the caravan to present to these leaders in the House and Senate: To demand full re-authorization of the Ryan White care act; To ensure that Medicaid programs continue to meet the vital needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and all other Americans who need this safety net to live; To strengthen the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS by fully funding the the global HIV/AIDS prevention fund; To back debt relief for nations severely gripped by the ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic; And to restore and enhance effective HIV/AIDS prevention worldwide based on the best science, instead of fear and regressive ideologies. After several passionate speeches by local officials and activists, each of the American Heritage caravan riders spoke of their personal experiences of living with or assisting in the care of those whose lives are challenged by HIV/AIDS. We told our stories, our hopes, and goals: all spoken from the heart. After the rally ended we all had a lot of empty shoes to collect off the state capitol steps. Around sixty five people attended this rally. We then enjoyed dinner donated by Red Robin across the street in the state capitol park, entertained by two local fire-dancing troupes: Almaen Fuego and Kitty Club Burlesque. The group Drum Central played out a background beat as these talented fire dancers spun flame and carved symbols of fire into evenings approach. Special thanks to our host Duane Quintana, Patricia Kempthorne, wife of the Governor of Idaho, and State Representative Nicole LeFavour.

where's unka charlie?

2005-10-22T21:42:00.000-05:00

rain rain won’t go away.
still paving the way through Pa!

my blisters went away and then the moisture in the air screwed with my knee (compacted it years ago and now it sometime acts up – like my ankles, or shoulder, or wrist that i broke or fractured or sprained). tried walking it off a bit but the pain was too much. a kind cute girl (nameless for liability – ha ha) gave me a pill to ease the pain. was told it was over the counter so i guess it was okay. pain kept me from asking any questions. can’t remember what it was: neosporin, nepraxin, negravin, noodlin, whatever. seemed to work so i started walking. a bit too early for it to really kick in so i waited another twenty minutes or so before i really joined in. no rallies today but we made some quick time and did fifteen miles. all in the rain! ended up being a really great day all in all. the only thing was while getting shuttled to the church (we are staying at) i had ten minutes of excruciating pain in my knee. don’t know why the intense skull crushing eye bleeding bone popping heart stabbing hallucinatory experience. i just used my hidden zen powers of mind over nothing and it floated off to the white house and into some soulless brainless bone sack that supposedly resides there. not that i would ever meaningfully harm or even wish harm upon, say, even satan. but you know sometimes shit happens and sometimes shit happens to people who are killing people all over the planet and making innocent americans help in that evil master plan. . .unless it’s vacation time.
again.
then he lucked out and it went into the sky and turned into rainbows and sunshine for all the caravans trekking to DC!
Fatigue Induced Delirium (infamously coined by Michael Hickey) has obviously set in so i must say

the
sun

has gone

to bed and so must i

lobs of lub,
eddie fukui

Goodbye and Safe Travels from Boise!!!!!

2005-10-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

Woo! Hoo!

I just wanted to thank The caravan riders Jack, Lowan, Kaytee, Paul, Vaughn,
Dan, Christopher, Ricky, & Levi from Portland and wish them safe journeys.

I am excited to be part of such an amazing movement. We had a visully stunning
event - thanks to the beautiful people who worked so hard on our Rally I would
like to thank Wendy Morgan & Idaho Womens Network, Ellie Merrick and the
Organization for Gender Equality and Education (OGEE) @ Boise State University,
Rachel Olson & Planned Parenthood of Idaho, Christopher Elijah (our Poster
Artist), Mariah Malcolm & HIV Service Clinic, Jusy Thorne @ Northwest AIDS
Educaiton Training Center, Anne Williamson & Lisa Kramer of the STD/AIDS
Program, Kara Hartman & Kelly O'rourke form the Boise State Service Learning
Program, Autumn Hayned and the BSU Women's Center, Brett Berning & the Central
District Health Department, Angela Schonders @ Boise Parks & Rec's, Fran
Matthews & El Ada, Christoprher & his fellow FIRE Dancers, Red Robin In
Meridian, the downtown Chicago Connection, Representive Nicole LeFavour,
Channel 6 news, the first lady of Idaho Patricia Kempthorne, and all the
a.l.p.h.a folks Randi Messer C2EA Rally Coordinator, Travis, Jewel, Jeri,
Shevaun, Trish, Richard, Geno, Alan, Brenda, Brady, Harry, Matthew, Javier,
Ryan, Jenessa, Tiffany, Larkin, Stephanie, and everyone else who attended and
help with the event.

I am happy for our community the C2EA was able to get us mobilized in such a
fashion. I promise this is just the first step in much better direction for
Idaho and for our entire country. We will begin meeting with legislators and
other folks to get our state to step up to our ADAP crisis and then will will
do what we can to ensure the Fedeal governments steps up as well.

I am excited for the partnerships that are beginning, with folks we would not
expect. I want to do whatever I can to make Idaho. my home & my community a
safe and aware place for HIV & AIDS, a compassion that will seep out of our
borders and into neghboring state and through out the country.

HIV & AIDS is something that cannot not be ignored. We need to address it. This
experience has got me to start looking at more then just HIV issues and I think
that is good.

I wish I could be in D.C. to see everyone there, but I know that we have some
great folks who can carry on the my message and the hundreds and probably even
thousands of the silent voices from Idaho to the steps of congrees in D.C.
Remember Caravan Riders the stories, the faces, the spirits you meet along the
way, because we will not forget you. You are hope for so many. I wish you all
the best and thank you, thank you, thank you.

Take care and be safe,
Duane Quintana Executive Director. a.l.p.h.a. Boise

Day 8

2005-10-22T09:28:00.000-05:00

Today I woke up and went straight to starbucks with my running buddy derick. I have to leave today because of other commitments I have back at the office. I will be back marching and chanting oct 31. I am feeling a bit emotional now while going home because of the community that has been built since last week. While I am in new york I will continue to advocate to other people and programs about c2ea and the importance of this march. Until next week I love you all and may God bless you

Andrew Ross
Sent via BlackBerry - a service from AT&T Wireless.

AMAZING Boise event on first day of American Heritage Caravan

2005-10-22T01:34:00.000-05:00

Reflections will hopefully be posted soon. In the meantime, enjoy these inspiring photos.