Where Was the HIV
In This HIV Fundraiser?
I was excited when I learned that AIDS Research Alliance's ArtSeen 3 2008 would be held downtown at local art galleries. AIDS Research Alliance (ARA) conducts clinical trials, does scientific research and works with HIV education and outreach.
I was a bit puzzled, though, about finding out about the event only one day prior to it by reading a post at Yahoo group newdowntown.
After all, I've been registered with ARA for at least 15 years and I have even participated in their clinical trials. I receive their publication Searchlight in the mail and they always send me birthday and holiday cards. I'm notified of all of their medical studies.
Why didn't I receive an invitation to the party? Why didn't they send notification of the event to the POZ people they work with?
I visited each participating gallery and the event was notable for the absense of POZ women and men. You can trust me on this; I've been POZ for over 23 years and I have an acute sense of what my community looks and feels like. Relatively few POZ people were in attendance.
I asked one ARA staffer why the POZ people registered with the group were not invited. "We try to keep our donor list and patient list separate," he told me. Why, I asked him. His only answer was an offer to add me to the donor list.
It does not make sense. Isn't it just logical that people who care about those living with HIV would want to be around the people they are helping? Maybe it's not fair to the benefactors to not include the POZ people registered with the organization.
Also, ARA can help people with HIV in more ways than filling them full of experimental medication and poking them with syringe needles.
Surely POZ people too would have enjoyed and benefited from "this high-profile event (with) a chance to view, and bid on, an eye-popping selection of contemporary art (and) enjoy the cuisine from some of the city's hottest restaurants and chefs." We POZ people would have appreciated being invited to enjoy the DJ's, the live music, the food, the art.
We would have loved being invited to mingle with good and generous people who care about us.
Alas, AIDS Research Alliance segregates their donors from the people registered for their medical experiments and other POZ programs. That turns out to be nothing more than a loss for everyone involved.
Of course, in one glaring way the event was not considerate of the limitations of people living with HIV. The evening featured open bars serving Absolut 100 proof vodka drinks to "keep the proceedings lubricated," according to event publicity.
Alas, AIDS Research Alliance segregates their donors from the people registered for their medical experiments and other POZ programs. That turns out to be nothing more than a loss for everyone involved.
Of course, in one glaring way the event was not considerate of the limitations of people living with HIV. The evening featured open bars serving Absolut 100 proof vodka drinks to "keep the proceedings lubricated," according to event publicity.
HIV medications and 100 proof vodka are contraindicated.
Plus, one of the venues for the evening was LAMP, an organization existing to ending homelessness, improving health, and building self-sufficiency among homeless men and women living with severe mental illness. How sensitive is 100 proof alcohol to the community served by LAMP?
There is no questioning the good that AIDS Research Alliance does; the fundraisers it throws are necessary to continue this good.
Hopefully in the future, however, ARA will include their HIV patients in their fundraising events. These fundraisers will ideally be sensitive to the POZ community and to the community the fundraisers are held in.
These changes will benefit everyone involved.
8 comments:
Hey Hi Joe,
It is kind of ironic and a weird way of the lengths and things they have to do to "raise funds".
I think that there are better ways of doing so. The trade offs don't have to be so cut and dry.
The alcohol part does make you think a bit deeper (why not wine instead of hard liquor). They are a "health organization". Do they really need to have or get their "contributors/benefactors" sauced and loaded? come on?
Seriously,really.
:)
this just in- the california state supreme court over turned the same-sex marriage ban (prop.22)- yeah!
You know, Love and Hate, it might actually be a good fundraising angle to let the donors know that the people they are helping will be there for them to meet. It would put a human face on where their money goes.
Also, many POZ people registered with ARA actually do have money and buy art.
I realize that the event was open to the public, but in order to attend one first had to know about it. I'd much rather receive an invitation to something like this than a holiday card signed by the entire ARA staff.
.....and 100 proof at an HIV fundraiser?
Yes, the overturn is great news. What a sweet day!
One of the reasons Gay Downtown stopped the funding of a West Hollywood based HIV/AIDS organization, and kicked them off our site and discussion group was after our investigation we found that the money was being mainly (77%) was being used by/for the organizations management. Know the FACTS before donating to any cause.
Thomas Johnson
Director
GayDowntown
http://gaydowntown.com
****
Thomas, AID Research Alliance is located in West Hollywood. Could this be the organization you're referring to? I do know that they are big on fancy, extravagant fund raisers. I've always wondered why they are always out for donations when drug companies fund much of their research.
.....and I know now that they treat their patients like old-school lepers.
How about naming names?
Yes, I also think it would have been in their best interest to invite their patients to the event to, as you say, "put a human face" on where the money is going. However, you have to also keep in mind that these events are primarily tuned towards eliciting funds from donors - poz or negative, straight or gay, ARA patient or "civilian." It's not just a party to thank the patients who participate in their studies. And to that end, yes, they have an open bar with vodka (and wine, juice, soda, etc.). I'm sure there were a lot of vegans/vegetarians in attendance. Does that make them "insensitive" to have meat dishes at their closing night event at Smashbox?
As far as the percentage of money going to management & overhead: I've seen the admin (non-clinic) side of their office. If you think they're wasting money on fancy digs, you're mistaken. Most of their money goes into their research. So, yes, they could have done things better (and the unnamed staff member certainly could have phrased things better), but I concur that ARA does a lot of good and, from what I've seen, treats their patients with respect & dignity. Just my 2 cents...
Thank you for writing and sharing your opinion,
vamphyr.
I do realize that it was a fund raiser, and I wonder if it ever occurred to ARA that many of their registered patients are willing to support the organization. Many of us have money and we buy art. Inviting us may mean more than thanking us; it could increase the fundraising revenue.
Your comparison of 100 proof alcohol to sushi is a little shaky. One is a food and the other is a controlled substance (in other words, a drug).
Many of the clients of LAMP have alcohol addiction problems. Just that alone makes the vodka an insensitive choice.
I woke up some years ago and realized that alcohol does not have to be a part of everything or even anything. Why is alcohol placed on such a pedestal in our society? ARA is about health. It should throw healthy fundraisers.
I doubt that the lack of alcohol will keep the good people who donate to ARA away. People with HIV should not be drinking 100 proof vodka. ARA should not be serving it at any function. It's just not necessary.
POZ people don't usually get invited as they are after fund raising, they do not want to hit up the people they are trying to help.
HIV positive (like me) & looking to talk to other POZ?
www.AIDSchat.org has live HIV chat rooms or post a free ad on www.HIVdate.com.
I'm talking about the party, fool. I'm also questioning what "they" want or don't want.
......and don't spam me again or I'll spam you right back again, poz or not.
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