Students for Diversity in Education through Service (SDES) is an LGBTQ student organization dedicated to providing sustainable service on campus and in the Columbus area. We regularly volunteer with local organizations such as Star House, Equitas Health, Equality Ohio, and BRAVO (Buckeye Regional Anti-Violence Organization), and also host biweekly meetings that we use to educate our members on a range of topics, from LGBTQ history to resources on campus and in the community.
Our organization hopes to bring the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt to campus for the second year in a row. The AIDS Memorial Quilt was started in 1987 in San Francisco to memorialize those lost to AIDS. Since its creation, over 48,000 panels have been dedicated to those lost during the pandemic. The Quilt is a visual reminder of our history, an incredibly powerful memorial, and a symbol to remind us of the gravity of the AIDS crisis in the past and present. Bringing the Quilt to Ohio State will bring the community together, help to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in the Columbus community, and emphasize the importance of getting tested.
Your contributions to our project will help bring the AIDS Memorial Quilt, free HIV/STI testing, free condoms, speakers, and more to Ohio State and bring the community together for this educational and awareness-focused event. This community-funded project only makes the event more meaningful, and we thank you for support!
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples.
On October 11, 1987, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June 28, 1969, resulting in the protests that became a catalyst for the LGBTQ civil rights movement in the United States.
AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by more than 56% since its peak in 2004.
This treatment target aims for 90% of all people living with HIV to know their status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression.
ACT UP's (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) first demonstration was on March 24, 1987 at Wall Street. 250 ACT UP members demanded greater access to experimental AIDS drugs and for a coordinated national policy to fight the disease.
The NAMES AIDS Memorial Quilt comprises over 48,000 panels (representing over 92,000 individuals).