The Quilts Are Still AIDing

The solemn figures, some alone and some in pairs or small groups made their way slowly and silently across the National Mall grounds, trying to take in the poignancy, power, and history of the row upon row of quilts carefully laid out at their feet. As they strolled, pausing from time to time for a closer look, they heard the roll call of names at their back: the names of the 94,000 victims of AIDS the quilts represent.

The display marks the 6th time the quilts have been unfurled in Washington since the project began in the late 1980s as a way to both visually illustrate the numbers lost to AIDS and humanize the devastation of the worldwide pandemic.

This display is serving as the central focus of the Crisis and Community portion of this year's annual Smithsonian Folklife, which is running until July 6.

The year 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of The AIDS Memorial Quilt and 30 years of life with AIDS. With the introduction of The Quilt in 1987, The NAMES Project Foundation redefined the tradition of quilt making in response to contemporary circumstances. Through hands-on panel-making activities, individuals and communities come together to remember loved ones, grieve, find support and strength, and engage in dialogues for change. The Quilt contains nearly 48,000 panels, and it has been viewed by more than 18 million people.

The quilts, each of which represents an AIDS vicitm, vary greatly. Some are simple - just a name, an age, and maybe a heartfelt message. Others are more ornate with pictures, slogans, and artifacts capturing the essence of a life. Still others are strikingly colorful creative masterpieces of folk art. But each serves its purpose.

Creativity and Crisis: Unfolding The AIDS Memorial Quilt is the first Festival program to focus exclusively on community craft and performance that were directly developed in response to crisis and grief. With The AIDS Memorial Quilt as the anchor and through craft demonstrations, dance and musical performances, interactive discussions, and other activities, this program commemorates the innovative and resourceful ways through which communities have endeavored to educate people and to cope with one of the most complex pandemics in modern history.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips

It would be virtually impossible not to be moved by the massive display of quilts. Becoming more actively involved makes the experience even more moving. Each day as visitors stroll, volunteers are reading the names of AIDS victims, many of them represented in the quilts. I volunteered to be a reader. I read 2 pages of names, hoping in some small way to do my part so victims could be remembered. At 4 p.m. each day, the quilts must be put away and stored. Judy and I joined other volunteers in that hour-long process. To borrow from the lyrics of Elton John, we know it's not much, but (on this day at least) it's the best we could do.