It hasn’t gone away.
I hadn’t visited the AIDS Memorial in Barbara Hall Park for quite a while. After last week’s brief and beautiful snowfall, I went out to capture some shots and ended up spending some time in the Memorial. It is remarkable, and saddening, to look at all the names of those who have died of AIDS over the years. The late 80s and early 90s, especially, took the worst toll; there are several pillars dedicated to 1988-90 alone. As you scan chronologically through the plaques in the memorial, it’s indicative of the distance we’ve come in fighting this disease: there is only a solitary name on the 2021 plaque.
AIDS is still with us; it’s just more manageable now thanks to the variety of life-saving meds out there.
