AIDS Ribbon Tucson & All Souls Procession this Sunday evening

[Guest guest]

Contact: Brown

520.207.0902

tucsonpozrunner@...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Southern Arizona's newest expression in the fight against AIDS to be

unfurled this Sunday at 19th annual All Souls Procession

TUCSON, AZ Nov. 4, 2008 --

AIDS Ribbon Tucson, a 120-foot long red ribbon banner covered with

names of some of the millions of people worldwide lost to the disease

will be carried symbolically by local HIV-positive (poz) members of

our community. A Blessing Ceremony at 5:30pm on 4th Avenue in front

of IBT's will be held by local faith-based and spiritual leaders to

send the memorial on it's journey with positive energy and love for

the lost lives it represents. Spectators and participants of the 19th

annual event honoring the dead are invited to add names, messages and

pictures of men, women and children that have passed on due to

HIV/AIDS. The ever-growing memorial will also be on display for

Tucson's 20th annual observance of World AIDS Day, December 1st, at

Hotel Congress.

The red ribbon is the international symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness. It

was brought to life in 1991 by a group of New York City artists called

Visual AIDS. The artists chose to create a red ribbon to symbolize

support and solidarity for people living with HIV and to remember

those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. The tails of the

ribbon pointing down was chosen to symbolize life flowing away. The

color red was chosen for its, " connection to blood and the idea of

passion -- not only anger, but love, like a valentine, " the Project

founders say. The concept was to become known as the Red Ribbon

Project. In the years since it's public debut at the 1992 Tony Awards

in New York City, the red ribbon has become synonymous with the fight

against HIV/AIDS. Monies raised through the sale of red ribbons has

gone towards providing support services for people living with

HIV/AIDS, including medical and counseling services, support and peer

education as well as prevention. The tremendous success of the red

ribbon has seen the concept borrowed by many other causes and

organizations -- from breast cancer awareness (pink) to suicide

prevention (yellow) and global warming (green).

AIDS Ribbon Tucson is designed to be experienced in a linear way,

resembling a bloodline, " connecting the spirits of the past to the

survivors in the present, " the designer says. Created by

celebrity-event guy and local artist, Brown, the

interactive community art installation is one very close to his heart.

He encourages anyone living with HIV/AIDS to get involved and says,

" I tested positive in 1991 and I hid it because of the stigma and

fears of rejection. However, a few years ago I was speaking to a

large crowd in LA and I had the opportunity to change their lives and

my own by revealing my HIV status. It was empowering! " He adds, " I

no longer hide in shame or fear and invite other poz folks to empower

themselves, too. " Brown is an active member of a local group of

HIV-positive individuals, BePositiveTucson, and invites anyone in

Southern Arizona affected by HIV to join the social support group.

Contact Carl Stoeckel at

Bepositivetucson

or 520.298.0809 for more information.

The 2008 All Souls Procession begins celebrating our ancestors at 6pm

this Sunday, November 9th, starting at the intersection of University

Boulevard and Fourth Avenue. It winds down 4th Avenue towards

downtown, passing historic landmarks along the way, finishing with a

pyrotechnic spectacle and aerial fantasy dance which concludes with

the burning of the Urn. This event is free and open to the public and

receives no government funding. Donations to help defray costs of the

event will be accepted. For information regarding Tucson's 19th

annual All Souls Procession, go to: http://www.allsoulsprocession.org

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Thank you in advance for your support in getting the word out about

this important community outreach project. Please feel free to

contact me for any additional information, interviews, photo ops,

becoming a Standard Bearer or to schedule a private signing of AIDS

Ribbon Tucson.

jsb