https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8vK2I3Y7cbjUkFielRBd1l4M0E/edit?usp=sharing
This is a recording of Charles King’s talk-in with the grade on December 5, 2012.
On December 5th, 2012, Charles King the CEO and cofounder of Housing Works came to the eighth grade. He had talked about his experiences growing up, how HIV/AIDS has an effect on his life, about Housing Works, and how LGBTQ affects his life. From Charles King’s visit I learned more about HIV in general. Towards the end of Charles King’s talk-in with us he had stated, “I guarantee you, there will be a cure for AIDS, and it’s probably gonna happen in my own life time. Uh, already I’m HIV positive, I’ve been HIV positive for over a decade… I’m not going to die of AIDS… I’m going to die of something else… Here’s the problem: there will always be another virus; another disease that takes advantage of our own inhumanity… It’s our own inhumanity where we cannot accept other people who are different…” I think that if I had to choose one part of his talk to remember all of this project, it would be this part. When I first heard about HIV/AIDS I didn’t understand that if you had HIV it wasn’t over, and that you could still fight back and stay strong and healthy.
What he had to say also made me think: what makes stereotypes? What makes people hate others for the slightest differences? Why is it easier to say stop using stereotypes and stop being hateful, than it to actually happen? I learned that some parents who fear that they can tell from an early age their child is going to be a homosexual, feel like the only way to help would be to beat it out of them. I wonder what it was like to be one of Charles King’s siblings.
I found what he had to say very meaningful, he had explained more about some topics than one of the social justice groups last year. I think that he explained it very clearly what Housing Works’ goal was, what the problem was, and why it was going to stay in many different forms, if taken away in one way. I also think that labeling people as a “shopping activist” is a fun way call that form of help.
Reflecting on the theme of eighth grade, “Choosing to Participate,” I think that Charles King has chosen to participate a lot, physically and mentally. He chooses to educate people about AIDS/HIV and how there is going to be a cure soon. He has done more that what some people do in lifetimes. He also gave suggestions on how anyone can help: buy clothes. Charles King even gave it a nice name, shopping activist. Plenty of people like to shop, so that was just a nice way to inspire some people to help, plus it is just a nice way to recycle.
