The AIDS Memorial Quilt may be the most poignant expression of the theme "Remembering Lives ... Educating Minds," but it is only one of the events for AIDS Awareness Week, which begins tomorrow.
"We hope to increase awareness about the epidemic of AIDS and to support individuals living with the disease," said Polly Paulson, sexual health education coordinator at University Health Service. "We hope to get the message to the student population in terms of prevention and transmission of HIV/AIDS."
Paulson said she expects student turnout at the events to be high.
"We have a lot of student organizations that have pulled together to plan all of the events," Paulson said. "We expect a great deal of participation across the board. We are feeling very positively about it."
While the week's message is global, its emphasis is also local. According to the Ann Arbor Jaycees Foundation, a leadership training organization for young men and women, Washtenaw County has the second highest rate of AIDS in the state after Detroit.
Dave Lieber, a member of the Jaycees Foundation, which is co-sponsoring the quilt display, said women and children are the fastest growing groups to contract HIV/AIDS, and that one-quarter of all new infections occur in youths between the ages of 13 and 20.
"A major focus is youth, from middle school on up through college, since not only are they a risk category, but they are the next generation with whom we need to break down the barriers of discrimination, misinformation, fear and bigotry," Lieber said.
Erin Heisenbert, Engineering first-year student, said that while it is good for the University to promote AIDS education and awareness, some students will not be influenced by the message.
"I think the events are a good idea because anybody helped by them is a good thing," Heisenbert said. "But the people that take the time to go to the events probably already have safe behavior."
Lieber said the AIDS Memorial Quilt will influence visitors because of its intimacy.
"The quilt puts a name on the endless statistics," he said. "It gives the students a feeling like they know someone who has died from AIDS because of the life stories that the quilt possesses."
But LSA junior Nina Uppal remained skeptical about the degree of the quilt's impact.
"I think it will touch people, but I don't know if they will think that they could be one of those people."
JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily
Firstyear students Willard Carte (front) and Antonio Paz view an AIDS exhibit.