The SF Effort To Bring The Quilt Online

Even in an era where funding for AIDS housing, research, and support services are afforded the same low priority given education for the 21st century, school lunches, and elder care, Greg Lugliani makes a strong case for raising money to put the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the Internet.

"First, I wouldn't say it competes," said Lugliani, Director of Communications for The NAMES Project. "It is a way for people to learn (about HIV/AIDS) that isn't threatening or confusing. I don't think it competes for other essential services."

He told the Bay Area Reporter the new project, which will debut on World AIDS Day (Friday, December 1), will be a gateway to information and education services, and a powerful tool in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. The NAMES Project receives requests from individuals and groups throughout the world every day to have the quilt displayed in their area, he said. Putting it online will increase the number of people who can see it a million-fold, and expand the demographic pool of viewers.

Accessibility on home computers will also make it easier for people in smaller cities and rural areas, and those living in foreign countries where AIDS is stigmatized even more than in the United States, to view the panes and the accompanying HIV/AIDS educational materials. "We're trying to challenge the complacency that exists now," he told the B.A.R.

Moreover, he said, the quilt provides a loving, larger-than-life tribute and morale booster for people still living with HIV/AIDS, and generates cash donations from people who wouldn't normally understand the enormous amount of capital it takes to keep HIV/ AIDS service agencies going. "AIDS still has the stigma attached," he observed.

Lugliani said the project was made possible by San Francisco based vivid studios, which donated time, staff, and materials to create the interactive web pages through which the images can be accessed. Multimedia expert AnnD Canavan, vice president of production at vivid studios, spearheaded the project, which will continue through the next year.

"We all agreed it was a worthwhile cause," vivid spokeswoman Anita Corona told the B.A.R. "(Canavan) felt strongly enough about it, and the management agreed."

In addition to everything else the company is doing to bring the project to fruition, vivid will conduct all the fundraising, including a party scheduled for Thursday, December 7.

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