aids-write: la-area mmj clinics hold world AIDS day tributes

[rk@aids-write.org]

chers---

sorry i haven't caught up in a while. this is a current project. we are holding world AIDS day tributes in la-county medical cannabis clinics. wrote a poem and am publishing a postcard for it. the postcard is entered in 3 postcard art shows: visual aids in new york, the lab in san francisco and outpost for contemporary art in los angeles.

here's the poem

---lyr

    for the too too many on world aids day, 2006

    i am alive with AIDS
    i am wise with it
    i am arisen & aroused &
    a red red rose with it
    i remember too too many
    who are not not not no more

    we struggle to grow
    livable lives unnumbered &
    link-chain’d & unbroken
    inhaled unhailed &
    breathed free, you & me
    i am the medicine, the damp
    herb, the blush’d street sweet
    petal-scented taste of my tale

    we must know
    we will die
    we must know
    we are alive
    we must know
    we are the cure
    know it now
    make all our suns inside
    arise to start this day
    & burn away our pale &
    blossom-emptied nights
    with rosebright my-sights

    —by richard kearns

text from back of postcard

what can i do on world AIDS day 2006? remember with us. remember those who have gone before. remember those on whose shoulders we stand. remember what it takes to stay alive every day. remember what it takes to own control of my body, to not be colonized by government or big business. remember today i am the center of that struggle. remember we are stakeholders in each other’s lives. remember who. remember.

mmj-ers: find out when your dispensary is holding its observance during the weekend of december 1-3. be a part of it.

everyone: find a world AIDS day commemoration at your own commnity center. be a part of it. go with a friend. or take a moment for a private tribute. remember. ask yourself: what else could i do? what new action might i take?

write or call kearns at rk@aids-write.org to tell us about your world AIDS day 2006 tribute or for information on how to write your senators and congressional reps about ryan white funding & to urge them to reschedule medical cannabis. 310-488-1328.

[rk@aids-write.org]

MMJ Activists Eastman, Kearns, Duncan, Announce
World AIDS Day 2006 Tributes in
LA County Medical Cannabis Dispensaries December 1-3

Los Angeles, November 14, 2006

“Medical marijuana is an AIDS issue,” said Richard Eastman, former LA County HIV Commissioner and co-founder of the first medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensary in Los Angeles in 1996, during today’s announcement of plans for World AIDS Day 2006 tributes December 1-3 in southland cannabis dispensaries. “I have AIDS. Medical marijuana has kept me alive just like my antivirals. That’s something everyone who uses medical marijuana understands — the struggle it takes to stay alive. Medical and political. We salute each others’ efforts. We honor them. We draw strength from one another. World AIDS Day is a significant event for all of us.”

Three prominent LA-area MMJ activists --- Americans for Safe Access (ASA) advocate Don Duncan and the “Two Richards,”  MMJ pioneer Richard Eastman and blogger – journalist - poet Richard Kearns --- rolled out plans for county-wide World AIDS Day observances in the estimated 100 southland medical cannabis dispensaries during World AIDS Day weekend, December 1-3. “It’s a great idea,” said Duncan, ASA’s Southern California Field Coordinator.”I’m glad we have the opportunity to support and acknowledge the heroic, life-affirming, daily struggles of pwas and hiv-ers that also typify medical cannabis patients. AIDS/HIV activists have always been leaders and role models in the medical cannabis movement. They are part of our heritage, our community’s culture. We are stakeholders in each other’s communities.”

Eastman praised poet-blogger Kearns’ efforts at what he called “aids-write.org’s (AWO’s) community ambassadorship” during a recent beingALIVE-LA board meeting. “This is what I have done. This is what Kearns wants to do,” he said. “We are ambassadors to different advocacy communities. Kearns specializes in using the internet and citizen journalism, which he says is an essential new tool for advocacy. I say: whatever it takes. It takes everything. We’re in this together.”

AWO founder Kearns’ poem, “for the too too many on world AIDS day 2006,” will appear on original post card art at the Visual AIDS World AIDS Day Fundraising Exhibition in New York City, and in printed versions at Outpost for Contemporary Art exhibitions in Los Angeles (December 8-10) and The Lab in San Francisco (December 1-3). Kearns  will visit as many LA-area MMJ clinics as he can during the weekend of December 1-3 to read from his poetry. His post card art and poetry will be available to read aloud at all clinics. “It’s a simple effort,” he said. “It takes five minutes to honor the people who have gone before us, as well as those travel with us. But we can draw years of strength from that five minutes,” he said, adding: “Our arms are stronger when we all row together.”

“We are one community,” Kearns said. “We need each other. We understand and support each other’s struggles to create livable lives. We are living and sick and dying together. We share stigma and oppression together. We are stakeholders together — in each others’ lives and communities. We hang tougher together.”

---end---

[rk@aids-write.org]

from the road: my quick report from 5 mmj dispensary visits to promote world AIDS day tributes december 1-3, 2006 (504)

http://aids-write.org/?p=394

chers—

exciting things are happening with the clinic visits i’ve been making to promote world AIDS day 2006 tributes in la-area cannabis clinics. here’s a brief report:

    alternative herbal healthcare services (ahhs) is supporting the effort by distributing flyers listing clinic observances. ahhs also sponsors the “medical marijuana 4 dummies” column in the online weho news

california patients group (cpg) is creating 3-dimensional decoupage artwork to be displayed the entire weekend and has scheduled an observance at 2pm on saturday, december 2.

los angeles patients and caregivers group (lapcg) will set up an incense-burner and display and has scheduled a poetry reading for 1pm on sunday, december 3.

mid valley compassionate caregivers (mvcc) is sponsoring a 2-hour community meeting to discuss “what it takes to stay alive.” the clinic has invited two psychotherapists and one dentist neighbor, as well as neighboring dispensaries from 5-7pm on friday, december 1.

pure life alternative wellness center (plawc) will be opening its new vapor lounge, and patients are encouraged to bring cut flowers to the dispensary to commemorate the occasion. take cut flowers home, too. poetry reading sunday, december 3 at 3pm.