The evening had one message: AIDS doesn’t discriminate among its victims — everyone is at risk.
Two members of Better Existence with HIV, an HIV outreach group for the Evanston and Chicago areas, presented facts about the virus to Northwestern students Thursday night at the Dittmar Gallery. Sponsored by NU’s HIV/AIDS awareness group, the speakers advocated the practice of safer sex and the spread of AIDS awareness.
“I’m not what people think of, what the media tells you about a person with HIV,” said Lee Bohen, one of the speakers and a former Evanston resident who contracted HIV from an infected blood transfusion. “I had a house not far from here, a husband with a good job, two cars, four kids — and soon all of that was gone.”
With fellow presenter Luciano Medellin, education coordinator for BEHIV, Bohen presented the more than 30 audience members with information on disease transmission, medication, HIV symptoms, the lack of AIDS education and how to stay “HIV negative.”
The speakers said they hoped the night’s message will leave a lasting impact on the audience’s lives.
“(I want students to) think before they act,” Medellin said. “Don’t let it stop with me yapping here. Take it back to family and friends. Education is infectious like the disease. Let them infect others.”
At the event NU’s HIV/AIDS awareness club also showed a documentary about a student on campus with AIDS.
“It hit home that AIDS doesn’t discriminate where you’re from, the color of your skin, or how much money you have,” said Weinberg sophomore Tamika Bailey, founder of the awareness group. “We’re all susceptible. We’re all at risk.”
The BEHIV fireside coincided with a Dittmar exhibit showcasing the global impact of the epidemic. “Pandemic: Imaging AIDS,” which runs until Feb. 10, contains photograph portraits of AIDS victims by award-winning photographers such as Annie Leibovitz.
Like Thursday’s speakers, the exhibit presents the facts about AIDS through stories and statistics, leaving the viewer to ponder the disease and its effects.
“I appreciate that (the exhibit) doesn’t go at AIDS awareness from the cynical standpoint,” said Weinberg senior Hadley Bentgen, a member of the NU HIV/AIDS awareness group. “I’ve seen a lot exhibits use scare tactics to present the reality of AIDS. Artistic expression is more effective than saying, ‘This is how scary AIDS is.’ You got to stay with the facts.”
Gavin Myers, a Medill sophomore and member of the awareness group, said the event helped bring the severity of the epidemic to light.
“It helped give out in-depth information and a lot of important statistics,” Myers said.
Some students said they were inspired by Medellin and Bohen’s testimony that a single lapse in judgement or lack of communication in practicing safer sex is all it takes to contract the disease.
“After hearing them speak, I don’t see why everyone doesn’t get tested (for HIV),” said McCormick junior Josh Cherner.
