Honoring the victims of AIDS on World AIDS Day

Today December 1, 2013 marks the 25th Anniversary of World AIDS Day. We have lived with the reality of AIDS for so long, that there are many people who don't even remember a time without the devastation of AIDS. As a child who came of age in the 60's & 70's – this was the era of experimentation and "anything goes." As a result many, many people experimented with some aspect of the "goodies" of the era. This runs the gamut from both legal mind-altering substances like wine and "hard liquor" to illegal drugs, such as: weed, hash, angel dust, psychedelic drugs - (including mescaline, LSD-25 or acid in all its forms {blotter, black acid, orange sunshine, etc.}, THC, cocaine, and the MONSTER of them all King Heroin! 

Growing up in Englewood, NJ, (in Bergen County), 5 minutes from NYC - presented an exciting opportunity as well as a sad negative reality for my generation. At a young age folks started hanging in NYC - often in Harlem. All of the exciting places and happenings of NYC were readily available to us (only a bus away); but on the negative side so were the drugs. Heroin distribution was targeted in the Black community, so Harlem was a heroin dealer’s playpen. You could easily "cop" a bag of "dope"- (heroin) all over the area; and "shooting galleries" - spots where people got high were plentiful. Additionally, Bergen County was an area targeted for heroin distribution, and this was even mentioned in the film- American Gangster.

So many people of my generation started out experimenting for fun and wound up paying the ultimate price.  It hit home for me and my family at an early stage - when I was 15 years old, my beloved brother Billy Tinsley, a nationally recognized, star basketball player, died tragically from a heroin overdose at the tender age of 17 years old. A video remembering and honoring his legacy by a former basketball coach was created by Sam Lee and can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR2OR_yw-bo 
 

Although his death deeply shocked and affected our family and community, and may have deterred some people; others were already to deep into the drug addiction path to stop. Some thought it was still was a "party" and unfortunately, they stayed at the party too long. I am so thankful because there but for the grace of God goes I. In high school I remember reciting the poem/rap King Heroin by James Brown from memory. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07SWjWaOxc4&list=RDowJGSyhMT0U  

(King Heroin for those unfamiliar with it)

Then along comes AIDS. Whew!!! It devastated our little community - and many of our former classmates and peers died from this deadly "man-made disease" - (which in my humble opinion, I believe without a shadow of a doubt, was man-made from the start). We have lost so many people in my community, throughout our country and throughout the world to this disease. Entire major cities and surrounding suburban towns throughout the US, and countries throughout the world have been devastated, and many countries in Africa have been wiped out. We have lost some of the best, brightest, talented, intelligent, insightful, artistic, funny, good people to this disease! On a national and international level, we have also lost some of the most talented, creative, artistic geniuses to this disease. I have attended many funerals over the last 30 years of people who died from this horrible disease.  I even remember attending funerals before the name "AIDS" was even coined - and folks said the person died from a problem with their immune system. (We barely knew what an immune system was at that time). 

Well, here we are 25 years after World AIDS Day was started. I have been deeply touched by the lives of those who perished in this disease.  I first saw the AIDS Memorial Quilt almost 20 years ago and I was moved to tears. For more info on the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the Names Project:
 http://www.aidsquilt.org/about/the-aids-memorial-quilt 

Fortunately, people are now "living with AIDS" instead of dying with AIDS. I am thankful for the friends I know and people I have met who are living with the disease and are comfortable sharing their story to enlighten others. As an educator, I have worked with many students over the years that have lost their parents, and some even grandparents to this disease. In many communities, both in NJ and throughout the country, it is unfortunately common for young children to no longer have a mother or father alive. As an educator I was fortunate to serve on a panel several years ago on World AIDS Day at Bank Street Graduate School of Education in NYC (my Alma mater) as an educator who has created curricula material to teach about AIDS. As an educator, when I see a need, I feel a personal responsibility to address it. This was the inspiration and motivation that led me to write: Me and My Grandma – A story for children about AIDS. Copies are available at: www.htinsley.com/publications

I acknowledge those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives to drug and AIDS. I give the highest honor and respect to those who have carried on the job of raising the children who lost their parents. I also honor those who are HIV positive or have AIDS who have suffered the shame, embarrassment, fear and abandonment of your friends and loved ones (especially in the early days of his disease). What affects one of us, affects all of us! 

 Know your status, make wise choices and always protect yourself!