{"id":204,"date":"2012-09-30T13:46:55","date_gmt":"2012-09-30T20:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=204"},"modified":"2012-10-01T08:19:50","modified_gmt":"2012-10-01T15:19:50","slug":"204","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=204","title":{"rendered":"Articulating Legacy – Moving a Disparate Audience – Untouched Mobile Devices"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The goal was to tell a substantive, compelling story in an engaging way, keep people interested and entertained, receptive and off<\/em> their mobile devices through the program, while hoping there would be minimal early departures from this event.<\/p>\n

The occasion was last night\u2019s 30th Anniversary Recognition event for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. The guarantee was \u201cno speeches\u201d and, other than an enthusiastically-received set of remarks by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi at the very start of the evening, that assurance was respected. All messaging was done theatrically, in four, six-to-eight minute vignettes that were spread over the first two hours of the three-hour event.<\/p>\n

The concept was to articulate the chronological, socio-political and emotional arcs of the AIDS Epidemic of the past 30 years through these Vignettes. Action took place on the proscenium stage, on two platform-stages juxtaposed among the cocktail-sized tables in the room and from the encircling balcony, overhead.<\/p>\n

The room was set up as a club; heavy on small tables of varying shapes and heights, light on seating, heavy on a wide variety of easily-eaten food on small plates; all to keep people moving and comfortable and not stuck with nine other people at a static dinner table for the entire night.<\/p>\n

My strategy was to communicate through the first vignette that these would be short, intense, impactful; such that mobile devices and mouths would be pretty-much closed-down during the performances and the talking and texting would be done in the 20 – 25 minutes between Acts.<\/p>\n

It worked.<\/p>\n

The first act, \u201cDiscovery,\u201d was so powerfully delivered that not one screen was lifted from a pocket. Watching from the rear, as I was calling the show, I could see no devices raised. We had \u2018em; and this dynamic was repeated in each of the ensuing three Acts, \u201cTriage,\u201d \u201cDefiance\u201d and \u201cEmpowerment.\u201d<\/p>\n

This continued, all the way to the end.<\/p>\n

Attrition was more minimal than I\u2019d even hoped. We may have lost only 5% of the audience between the 7:00pm Opening to the Closing notes of Act IV at about 9:05. After the first Vignette; as the lights faded before successive ones, the audience would simply fall silent and turn to the stage. Taught and trusting.<\/p>\n

Excelsior!<\/p>\n

Here, then, are the scripts for the Experience. Performed by actors on loan from ACT on the stage, platforms and balcony and framed with Video Codas, attention-grabbing musical performance and a soloist; the story was compellingly told and received with everything from tears to thunderous applause.<\/p>\n

Here, then, is the script.<\/p>\n

ACT I – Discovery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just as the guests are settling into the party, first drinks in hand and buffet stations inspected and selected; suddenly, disco music from the 70\u2019s (Donna Summer\u2019s \u201cI Feel Love\u201d) bursts from the speakers, the lighting goes to Fabulous, spotlights ballyhoo and colors flash everywhere as the encircling balcony and free-standing platforms are filled with flaggers. We are at The Saint or Trocadero, and the year is 1981 or 1982\u2026<\/p>\n

For a full minute, the audience is immersed in fantastic, frenetic, kinetic nostalgia; smiling at the blurred memories of dancing \u2018til dawn in self-actualized celebration of liberation and freedom…<\/p>\n

The music suddenly comes to a stop. The upper reaches of the ballroom go dark as the lights move across the audience to focus on the stage. There, standing in a column of light is the Boy, quiet. We hear the ringing of a telephone through the receiver of a landline phone of the late \u201970\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

Hello\u2026?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

Hello, Mom? It\u2019s me.<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

So I see. Where are you? Are you coming home?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not coming home, Mom; I live in San Francisco. For now, anyway…<\/p>\n

Would you put Dad on the extension, please? I have something I want to tell you both.<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

I think we already know anything you could tell us, by now\u2026<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

Actually, Mom, I don\u2019t think you know this. Please get dad on the line\u2026<\/p>\n

Mom (hollers to Dad):<\/p>\n

Pappa, Honey, get on the extension. Our son has something he wants to tell us.<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

Hey, Kid; how\u2019s it going, out there in…California?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

Hey, Dad. Mom.<\/p>\n

So, Listen. How are you guys doing, out there? Has it snowed, yet? The weather, here, is always so mild…well, except in the summer, when it gets cold and foggy…<weak laugh>\u2026 I miss you guys; mom, I miss your cooking. I\u2019ve lost some weight, <takes a breath> recently, and sure could go for some of your mashed potatoes and gravy\u2026<\/p>\n

<uncomfortable silence><\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

Son, we haven\u2019t heard from you in months, and this is what you call to talk about? Weather and food?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

No. No, that\u2019s not what I wanted to talk about. I just think about you a lot, recently, and I wanted\u2026 Well, I need to tell you some things; some stuff I\u2019ve been keeping to myself for a long time, some stuff that\u2019s a little newer\u2026<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

Did you lose your job, Son? Are you okay? Do you need money?<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a big boy, Pappa, he can take care of himself. After all, he moved clear to California to be on his own, didn\u2019t he\u2026?<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

Mamma\u2026<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

Dad, it\u2019s all right. I still have a job.<\/p>\n

So, here\u2019s the thing. I know how upset you were when I didn\u2019t propose to Susie; and that you\u2019ve never been happy about me moving away. I just had to get to a bigger place.<\/p>\n

I never felt right in our town, I never fit, and I knew if I came someplace like San Francisco, I might fit in better; meet more people\u2026.like…me\u2026<\/p>\n

Mom\/Dad:<\/p>\n

<quietly> like you\u2026?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

So, the first thing I need to tell you is that I\u2019m Gay. I\u2019ve known it forever, it feels like. I kept hoping that maybe I\u2019d grow\u2026 that I\u2019d\u2026 But it never\u2026<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

We know, Son. We knew, didn\u2019t we, Momma\u2026?<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

<silence><\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

I thought you might; but I was afraid to bring it up. I didn\u2019t want to disappoint you. I know you had plans\u2026<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

You didn\u2019t dis\u2026<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

<interrupting> There\u2019s more, Dad. Mom.<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

<almost coldly, stoic> What is it?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

Well, I mentioned I\u2019ve lost some weight. Actually, I\u2019ve lost a lot of weight, sorta fast. I\u2019m sick.<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

<very stoically, with bitterness> What is it? A flu? Pneumonia? I knew all that fog\u2026<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the flu, Mom. I don\u2019t know what it is. There\u2019s a lot of confusion about what\u2019s going on, and a lot of guys are getting sick…very sick…very fast. No one is sure where it\u2019s coming from; but other guys like me are getting it, all over the place…guys like me…It\u2019s scary…I\u2019m scared, a little\u2026<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

<bravely> What are your symptoms, Son? Are you coughing? What\u2026?<\/p>\n

Mom<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Do you have a fever?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what\u2019s so scary. At first, I was just so tired…just climbing stairs was wearing me out for no reason. Then, about two weeks ago, these spots started showing up on my legs; then, last week, there were a couple on my chest\u2026.<\/p>\n

<silence><\/p>\n

Then, this morning as I was shaving, I found one on my cheek. <he chokes a little> …on my face, Mom!<\/p>\n

My face\u2026<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

<quietly> What does your doctor say? Are you taking anything? What\u2019s your treatment?<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

What do these spots look like. What\u2019s on your face?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

That\u2019s just it; nobody knows what to do about it. There seems to be no medicine for this. These spots…they look like big brown amoebas made of the same stuff as a mole or a dark freckle\u2026 They\u2019re ugly\u2026<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

Are you in pain, Honey? How did you get this?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

No one seems to really know where it comes from; but it\u2019s hitting all my friends, lots of guys I know or used to see around just seem to be disappearing. First they get tired like I did, then they lose a lot of weight, then you just don\u2019t see them, anymore\u2026<\/p>\n

<silence><\/p>\n

They just\u2026.disappear\u2026 My friends\u2026 Disappearing\u2026<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

Well. Perhaps if you hadn\u2019t\u2026<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

<cuts her off> We\u2019re coming out there, Son.<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

We are\u2026?<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

Yes, we are. We\u2019ll make arrangements to get out there, next week. You sure you don\u2019t need any money?<\/p>\n

Mom:<\/p>\n

Can you get the time off, Pappa?<\/p>\n

Dad:<\/p>\n

I can get the time off. We\u2019ll come out there. Anything you want us to bring\u2026?<\/p>\n

Boy:<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t need anything, Dad; I\u2019d just like to see you\u2026 Mom, would you make some Mashed Potatoes while you\u2019re here\u2026?<\/p>\n

<fade out><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Act I Coda<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHis parents may have made it to San Francisco in time to say \u201cgoodbye\u201d to their son; or perhaps not. In those dark and confusing, early years it was often a matter of only a few, short weeks between Discovery, Diagnosis and Death. By the time one realized weight was dropping too fast, that the bruise was more than a bruise, the disease was often in advanced stages. It was as though a brutal, Autumn wind swept through this City, taking\u00a0 with it hundreds of young men and women, like so many brittle leaves, week after month after year.<\/p>\n

Many parents, brothers and sisters, friends, relatives rushed to San Francisco only to arrive too late. Our Community seeking and finding no help from elsewhere, was going to have to address this Thing by ourselves. And that, we did\u2026<\/p>\n

Over those first, few years; San Francisco\u2019s response…for Triage and Caregiving, for succor and sustenance, set the bar and became what the rest of the country and now the world see as the Model for communities to deal with the myriad needs that appeared.<\/p>\n

Concurrently, we had to face and aggressively enlighten a nation; striving to protect ourselves from and eliminate an instantly-inherent, blaming prejudice coming even from government agencies and leadership.<\/p>\n

What was happening was unprecedented, unfathomable, inexplicable; a swift-moving, deadly mystery that was pulling our lives out from under us. A Vale of Tears through which most all of us passed; perhaps not at the same time, nor the same place, and all too often, alone..\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Act II – Triage<\/strong><\/p>\n

<phone rings> <another phone rings, overlapping> <then, another…><\/p>\n

<louder ring as House Lights begin to fade><\/p>\n

<then, two phones…then more, and more, until there is a cacophony of phones ringing, louder and louder until conversation can\u2019t compete. Concurrently and in counterpoint, House lights fade to black.><\/p>\n

<phones stop, suddenly. Concurrent with this, Volunteer, in position on stage, is lit.><\/p>\n

Volunteer:<\/p>\n

Hello. California AIDS Hotline. How can I help you?<\/p>\n

Caller:Roger<\/p>\n

Is this an anonymous hotline?<\/p>\n

Volunteer:<\/p>\n

Yes. We are completely anonymous. we don’t record calls, we don’t ask names\u2026<\/p>\n

In Rapid Succession:<\/em><\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I think I\u2019m sick. I think I have this thing…what is it even called? GRID?<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve lost so much weight in the last two weeks\u2026<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know how to say this\u2026<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

I think I need to get tested\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

There\u2019s this mark on my arm<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a mark on my leg<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a mark on my stomach<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a mark on my face<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want my doctor to know<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want my parents to know<\/p>\n

Alex<\/strong><\/p>\n

I can\u2019t tell my roommates<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

How can I tell my Lover?<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

What about my kids?<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

If anyone in my Church finds out…<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Is there someone I can talk to\u2026?<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

I hear there\u2019s a test to see if one has it. Is there a test? Do I have to give my name?<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want to give my name to anyone.<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

How long til I get my results\u2026?<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

My boss saw the lesions on my arm, and now I don\u2019t have a job\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been denied my Social Security…they just don\u2019t seem to know what\u2019s going on\u2026<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I went to the Red Cross Blood Drive at work\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

They asked me how much sex I\u2019ve had!<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Then, they told me they couldn\u2019t take my blood; they sent me away.<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

I was \u2026 embarrassed.<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

Fired from my job…I can still work…is there a way to find work?<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

…I came home and all my stuff was on the street; my roommates have locked me out\u2026<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I need help to keep my electricity<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Where can I live? Is there someplace I can call to get help?<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I\u2019m running out of money\u2026<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I have no health insurance\u2026<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t pay my rent…<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I have a baby\u2026what about nursing?<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I just read that the Mayor has declared a State of Emergency and endorsed Needle Exchange\u2026<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

I went to visit my friend in the hospital, and they made me put on a Hazmat Suit!<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

My lover is in the hospital, they won\u2019t let me see him; I\u2019m not Family!<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

I\u2019m afraid to leave my house!<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I\u2019m pregnant\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t stand for people to see me.<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Can you get it from kissing?<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

Can you get it from shaking hands?<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Can you get it from a sneeze?<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Hello, I\u2019m a Physician, calling from Kentucky…I don\u2019t know where to get the information I need…Where might I learn about your Needle Exchange Program?<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

My lover is sick, I wake up every morning, afraid of what I might find. I need to talk to someone\u2026<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

Is there someone?<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I think my husband might be Gay\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have the energy to walk my dog, I feel sorry for her\u2026<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I\u2019m too tired to cook; besides, there\u2019s no food in the house, really\u2026<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

I hear there\u2019s someone who delivers meals? Can I know who that is\u2026?<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

What can you tell me about Hospice Care? I have a friend\u2026<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

My friend died<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

My friend died<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

My friend died<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

My Lover has died<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

My Brother has died<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

So many funerals.<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

I want to scatter his ashes here in San Francisco\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Is there someplace I can do that?<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

He just loved it, here\u2026<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

He\u2019s our President; he won\u2019t even say the word<\/em>!<\/p>\n

In Rapid Succession:<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I live in the Castro<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Sunset<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Richmond<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

The Mission<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Potrero<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

The Marina<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Pacific Heights<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

The Haight<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

Daly City<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Pacifica<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

Oakland<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Sacramento<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

West Hollywood<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

Yreka<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Fresno<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

Redding<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Ukiah<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Palm Springs<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

San Jose<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Mill Valley<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

Davis<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Napa<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Tracy<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

Modesto<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Turlock<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

San Diego<\/p>\n

All:<\/p>\n

Am I going to Die?<\/p>\n

Act II Coda<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c…it was out of the ashes, turmoil, confusion and fear that the Gay and Lesbian Community of San Francisco actually became<\/em> Community. As thousands of men became ill and died, thousands of women stepped in to care for them; where there had been schism grew a powerful bond.<\/p>\n

Dealing with a formless and formidable foe; we gathered to shelter, feed and offer succor to those whose lives were disappearing before their own eyes and before ours.<\/p>\n

None of us had time to grieve…Responding: racing and reaching to catch and care for the fallen, one after another. Breathlessly poised and responsive to one another, we took care of one another.<\/p>\n

In taking care of ourselves, before this vicious and aggressive virus even had a name, we created a critical network of Service Organizations that grew and evolved, split and merged, addressing the needs as the needs grew and changed. Hospice to care for dying with no homes to embrace them, Project Open Hand to feed them, A Quilt to Remember even as we continued to die; alliances of men and women, friend and former foe, doctors and nurses, artists, therapists, brothers, sisters\u2026<\/p>\n

A network of sustenance and advocacy that has continued to evolve to meet the needs of our Community, led by what is now the San Francisco AIDS Foundation\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

<Spotlight up on House Right Platform><\/p>\n

Tim Hockenberry at Keyboard, sings \u201cJust Breathe\u201d (Pearl Jam \/ Vedder)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Act III – Defiance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Act Up Chants from the encircling balcony:<\/p>\n

ACT UP! FIGHT BACK! FIGHT AIDS!<\/p>\n

PEOPLE WITH AIDS ARE UNDER ATTACK!\u00a0WHAT DO WE DO?\u00a0ACT UP! FIGHT BACK!<\/p>\n

GEORGE BUSH, YOU CAN\u2019T HIDE.\u00a0WE CHARGE YOU WITH GENOCIDE!<\/p>\n

TAIKO (three drums in the balcony) joins the cacophony<\/p>\n

One, full minute. Then \u2026<\/p>\n

Act III Video:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blindsided by HIV, decimated by AIDS, obstructed and blocked by a bureaucracy that could neither comprehend nor respond to what was happening, ignored by our government and dismissed as expendable\u2026 We had finally had enough.<\/p>\n

After gathering to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, after creating Community out of virulent chaos and from that, creating the San Francisco Model of Care; we looked about us with the realization that our dying by the thousands wasn\u2019t dramatic enough to capture the attention of and elicit action from our own governments.<\/p>\n

So, we took to the streets.<\/p>\n

Taking a lesson from our own recent history; we gathered in force to get in the face of our inactive leaders and a general population choosing to look the other way. From Die-In\u2019s at the Centers for Disease Control and in the streets of cities from New York to San Francisco, to closing rush-hour traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge; we got their attention and caused the release of medicines, the focus of resources, the movement of those bureaucracies such that the help our communities needed on myriad fronts began finally to materialize…<\/p>\n

BOYKIN:<\/p>\n

Sixteen years into this war with no end in sight. The Death Toll mounts.<\/p>\n

Evolving from bewildered victims to angry and aggressive activists, refusing to simply die and disappear; we became a Voice, a Presence, a Force with which to be Reckoned. By the early \u201990\u2019s, over Eighteen Thousand had died in San Francisco, alone; yet even our President had yet to utter a word on AIDS. This nation needed awakening, and awaken it, we did.<\/p>\n

Marches, Demonstrations at the Seats of our governments, Die-In\u2019s at the Centers for Disease Control and in the streets of our home Cities\u2026 If our nation won\u2019t respond to our perishing, we will force our leaders to pay attention, and to lead: we will make our country pay attention to us, and we will get our medicines released to us.<\/p>\n

And we succeeded.<\/p>\n

We continue to succeed.<\/p>\n

Now, it has been 30 years since the war started, and over 25 million people have perished. Last\u00a0year, more than 3 million people died of AIDS. That\u2019s three million coffins, three million\u00a0eulogies, three million families.<\/p>\n

And this war is far from over. Every 10 seconds, someone on the planet dies of AIDS.\u00a0More than 8,000 people will die today from this disease. Nearly 1000 of them will die\u00a0before we leave this room, tonight.<\/p>\n

Many of us here tonight know all too well the toll that AIDS has taken. We have been\u00a0fighting this war, battle by battle, deep in the trenches, out on the front lines for\u00a0decades. And many of us are tired. When we go to the AIDS Grove, when we simply remember what we have lost, when we visit the Quilt; we are understandably heartbroken, for we see more than names and patches sewn into a fabric; we see the faces of our friends, lovers, brothers, sisters, parents and children.<\/p>\n

We have fought the good fight, but we are a weary army in desperate need of comfort\u00a0and assurance. So as we gather tonight, we have come to a turning point in this conflict.\u00a0The poet Essex Hemphill tells us that he conquered his sorrow after the loss of a good\u00a0friend by taking up the cause of his friend. \u201cWhen my brother fell, I picked up his weapons,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As did Hemphill: so we must pick up the weapons left behind by our sisters and brothers in\u00a0the struggle. To those who have gone before us, we honor them not by erecting new\u00a0statues on pedestals, but by finishing the work that they began.<\/p>\n

Our gathering tonight is not only an acknowledgement, a memorial; but this is our call for a rededication. Tonight we commit ourselves not just to the legacy of the dead, but also to the hopes of the living. We pledge to be vigilant in this fight until victory is won.<\/p>\n

As long as 40 million people on this planet are living with AIDS, we cannot give up. As\u00a0long as 5 million people are infected with HIV every year, we cannot give up. As long as\u00a0there is one person living with this virus, we cannot give up. Until there is a cure, there\u00a0must be a fight.<\/p>\n

Make no mistake about it, the cavalry will not come to save us. But this is not the time\u00a0to wave the white flag of surrender. This is the time to fight back. You see, we are the\u00a0cavalry. We are the ones we\u2019ve been waiting for. This is our moment in history. We are\u00a0closer to victory than we may realize, and we have come too far to turn back now. So let\u00a0us move forward.<\/p>\n

We are morally bound to Answer This Call.<\/p>\n

Battle fatigued and war weary, we march on.<\/p>\n

Sometimes beaten but never defeated, we march on.<\/p>\n

Down but not out, we march on.<\/p>\n

In memory of yesterday, we march on.<\/p>\n

With courage for today, we march on.<\/p>\n

With hope for tomorrow, we march on.<\/p>\n

Will you answer\u2026?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Act IV – Empowerment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Performers are lined up, as at a bus stop, across the front of the Stage\u2026<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

WTF! We did it.\u00a0 Can you believe we did it?!?\u00a0 And Congress actually named the Act after him.<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

Rest in peace, Ryan.<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

Have you seen that cute Latino guy on \u201cReal World,\u201d Pedro Zamora. He has HIV.<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

That\u2019s amazing that they\u2019d put him on TV.<\/p>\n

Cindy<\/p>\n

IMHO; It\u2019s amazing he\u2019d go on TV.<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I hear the FDA is working on some fast track process for AIDS drugs\u2026 maybe we can get meds before we die!<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

They\u2019re calling it a \u201ccocktail,\u201d some sort of triple combination\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t fool yourself.\u00a0 It\u2019s no party.\u00a0 The drugs feel just as brutal as the disease.<\/p>\n

Cindy<\/p>\n

There are no obituaries in the BAR, today; NO OBITUARIES.<\/p>\n

Patrick<\/p>\n

Jesus. Pedro Zamora just died.<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

I just read that they\u2019re giving AZT to pregnant women with HIV and it seems to be protecting the infants from infection.<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t even know it was possible to ride your bike from here to LA.\u00a0 Their making it a fundraiser! Hey, let\u2019s do it!<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

Are you crazy?!?!<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Tom Hanks playing gay, with AIDS!? Antonio Banderas is his lover? I don\u2019t even know where to start with that…<\/p>\n

Cindy<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got to do something about the travel ban.\u00a0 It\u2019s absurd.\u00a0 This is the United States!<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know how many more die-in\u2019s I have in me\u2026 Probably only a thousand or so!<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

It\u2019s called \u201cRent,\u201d and it just opened on Broadway.<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

A musical about AIDS!? This I have to see\u2026<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

It won the TONY?!<\/p>\n

Cindy<\/p>\n

It\u2019s called Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation – we can\u2019t ignore what it\u2019s doing to the rest of the world!<\/p>\n

Pam<\/p>\n

The Ryan White Care Act was just reauthorized!<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

PEPFAR. If stands for the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. It\u2019s about time this happened.<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

A single pill.\u00a0 I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m still alive to see my entire regimen in a single pill.<\/p>\n

Cindy<\/p>\n

It\u2019s amazing how receptive the new administration is to our input.<\/p>\n

Rick<\/p>\n

You\u2019re not kidding.\u00a0 He\u2019s already targeting the needle exchange restrictions and the travel ban.<\/p>\n

Josh<\/p>\n

Wow.\u00a0 First Magnet and Stonewall became part of the foundation, now STOP AIDS\u2026and opening up in the Castro; very cool.<\/p>\n

Roger<\/p>\n

I really feel hopeful, sometimes\u2026 Like, we\u2019re gonna get through this.<\/p>\n

… what followed this was a 3\u201d video on opportunities for engagement with and for the SFAIDS Foundation; then a sudden, fully encircling appearance by the San Francisco Gay Men\u2019s Chorus in the balcony, overhead, singing \u201cGive \u2018Em Hope,\u201d introducing the CEO and Board to the audience. A quick thank-you-for-coming, and the chorus burst into the rousing Chorus of \u201cDefying Gravity\u201d from \u201cWicked,\u201d as the audience cheered and clapped\u2026<\/p>\n

Then, it was liquor and dessert \u2018til ten.<\/p>\n

The important thing, here, is that we captured and kept the attention of a partying audience through adept, intense storytelling. Rather than compete with mobile devices, we kept the storytelling focused and pithy; thus effectively engaging the audience long enough to communicate, then relinquishing our hold on them for long enough to decompress and express, then doing it, again.<\/p>\n

When the audience again fell to silence as the lights faded for Act IV, I knew we\u2019d done it right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The goal was to tell a substantive, compelling story in an engaging way, keep people interested and entertained, receptive and off their mobile devices through the program, while hoping there would be minimal early departures from this event. The occasion … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s2oSuI-204","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=204"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":223,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204\/revisions\/223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}