Project Kengikat

The Living Quilt

// July 10th, 2010 // HIV and AIDS, Me Time

From the time I was told I was HIV positive I’ve always wanted to do more to raise awareness and bring a better understanding to HIV and AIDS. Not long after being diagnosed I did my very first HIV and AIDS outreach in Long Beach California. In 2009, one year after my diagnoses I created Unpluggin’ HIV~empowering a positive life which offers peer support, new and gently used shoes and clothes, cell phone, meals hygiene items and other items to people battling HIV and AIDS who are either homeless or low income.

Even with the creation of my second outreach, I still felt like I could do so much  more then what I am currently doing. I had this idea in my head about what I wanted to do and how I would do it, but never did anything to make the idea a reality. However after my trip to Washington DC for AIDSWatch I knew my idea needed to be more just a thought in my head, so I began to think it through and work it all out. I knew I could do it, I knew it would be lots of work and I knew people would say I was being foolish and there would be no way this would help anyone. I’ve heard all this and so much more when I first started Do Something Saturday~that empowers people way back in 2007 when I was homeless.

I knew my friends would be very supportive of my idea, they are always very supportive, but for this idea I wanted to see if there were some other people who might want to be involved with me. My first call was to my friend Travis and just like I thought, he was very supportive. At this point it was full steam ahead. I mentioned it my my friend Brian and right away her was so excited. Later the next week we met at my place and talked about my idea.

I know you’re reading this and you’re saying “what is the idea already” Ok, ok, so my idea is to create a quilt for people who are LIVING with HIV or AIDS here in the United States. If you’re thinking that the AIDS Quilt is for people living with HIV or AIDS, then let me be the first to tell you that the AIDS Quilt is for people who have died. The AIDS Quilt is a very good tool to pay honor and tribute the men, women and children who have died due to AIDS, but I wanted to pay honor, restore dignity, respect, pride and encourage people LIVING with HIV and AIDS.

The Living Quilt is the name of my new project and already it is gaining support from people throughout the United States. You might be wondering why my idea only addresses HIV and AIDS here in the United States, well the reason is because here in the United States there are over a million people living with HIV and as of July 8th, 2010 there are over 2,200 people in 12 states on waiting list for ADAP. (AIDS Drug Assistance Program)

By focusing in on the HIV and AIDS crisis right here in the United States, I believe this will raise awareness for the over a million people who are battling HIV and AIDS, moreover it will create is visible marker for our leaders to look to and see how many lives they are affecting when they flat fund Ryna White programs, refuse to address the ADAP crisis and allow AMERICANS to die because of their inability to act in the best interest of this nations people.

Furthermore AIDS is the number 1 killer of Blacks in this nation and as a Black man I refuse to sit by and do nothing. Blacks have always been disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS and in my opinion, education, prevention and access to care have also always been either lacking or non-existent for Blacks. Again I refuse to sit by and allow this to go unchecked. I also refuse to make this about “community” and “gay” I think the two things that promote most of the stigma around HIV and AIDS and that it has been made into the “gay” disease or a “community” issue. HIV and AIDS is a HUMAN condition and as HUMANS we need to address it as such.

Thursday my friends Brian, Glen, Robert and I headed to Downtown Los Angeles to Michael Levine to get our supplies for our panels for the quilt. We had such a blast shopping and the conversation we shared over lunch was awesome. I so looking forward to seeing how my new project will unfold and how many people will get involved. In April of 2011 the four of us plan to travel to Washington DC to attend AIDSWatch, speak with our leaders to share this project and maybe even meet with others from around the country who might be willing to join us.

So it’s off to a great start and I am very happy to see that the idea that was in my head is now a reality and moving forward to bring awesome change for people living with HIV or AIDS here in the United States. If you or someone you know is HIV positive and would like to be part of this project, then please feel free to contact me for information on the project at thelivingquilt@gmail.com

You can follow the progress of The Living Quilt on YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/user/TheLivingQuilt

So today I spent the better part of my day working on my panel for the quilt and I must say I am very happy with how things are turning out. While my sewing skills are very primitive and my design skills are even worse, my passion for making things better for homeless people and people battling HIV and AIDS is priceless. My willingness to do all that I possible can to help others has always been a huge part of who I am, so as I embark on another journey with another huge project I am embracing it and asking God to bless it, because I know that it is only because of God, his grace, mercy and favor for my life that I am still here. It is the same grace, mercy and favor that has allowed me to grow in the midst of all the adversity in my own life.

I am so looking forward to the awesome journey that is about to unfold before me with this project and working with these three very talented and gifted men.

There are over a million people battling HIV or AIDS in the United States and  many of them suffer in silence, guilt, shame and alone. I am hoping that with this quilt many people with HIV will see that there is no reason to be alone, no reason for them to hide in the HIV closet, no reason for any guilt or shame. I hoping that through the effort of making a panel for the quilt this will encourage someone living with HIV to speak about, share their experience and start the healing process.

I am hoping that this quilt will bring a new understanding of just how many people in this country are infected with HIV or AIDS. I am hoping that the panels which are made by people living with HIV or AIDS all of us will begin to see and understand just how HIV and AIDS affects people in this nation.

Just the other day I was speaking to someone who HIV positive and she had no idea that there were over a million people with HIV or AIDS in America. Just in taking the time to speak with her and offer her peer support and friendship over the last four months she has been able to speak to her family about having HIV. The coolest thing was when she called me in tears to tell me that her family didn’t react the way she thought they would. She told me how very supportive they were, how they want to make sure she has all that she needs to fight HIV and live a long happy life. When I first met her, she had the outlook that she would not live a long life with HIV, but when I told her that there are studies that show people with HIV are living just as long and many even longer then people who are not infected with HIV or AIDS, the look on her face was one of amazement and great joy. Right away she asked if this was true.

I am so hoping that victories and many awesome stories will come from people who make panels for The Living Quilt. I am hoping that people will find support that works for them and truly inspires, empowers, respects, restores their dignity and love for self and life. I know this sounds like a lot to get from simply sewing a panel for a quilt, but I see first hand how the eyes of Brian, Glen and Robert have lit up when we speak about the quilt. My own personal experience with bringing this idea to life has been one of great joy. I am going to use the shirt and pants I had on the night I was diagnosed as patches on my quilt. In addition I am also using some items from my friends to help create my quilt.

For me, my panel represents healing some old scars, moving forward with the work I currently do as well as celebrating my awesome, rich, full, abundant and blessed life that I have. It will also celebrate my amazing friends who have stood by me. My panel will represent my courage, strength and of course my FAITH.