Collingwood Arts Center to show AIDS documentary

3/20/2013

Several local HIV supportive agencies and LGBT groups are co-sponsoring a free showing of the documentary How to Survive a Plague at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Collingwood Arts Center, 2413 Collingwood Blvd. The documentary “is the story of two coalitions — ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) — whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition,” according to the film’s Web site, surviveaplague.com.

“Our hope is that lots of other people will want to know this history and be inspired by the activists who are the stars of the film,” said Sue Carter, social worker at The Ryan White Program at University of Toledo’s medical school, the former Medical College of Ohio, who helped bring the documentary to Toledo.

She said UTMC has treated people with HIV since the mid-1980s, and that many caregivers, activists, and patients around in the early days of the pandemic are still in Toledo.

“We remember what it was like and we remember ACT UP and the protests that led to funding and medications that benefit patients today. We all want to see the movie and want others to enjoy it too.”

The co-sponsors of the events are University of Toledo Ryan White Program, Toledo-Lucas County Health Dept. HIV Prevention Program, AIDS Resource Center, Equality Toledo, Spectrum, Nuestra Gente Community Projects, and Holiday With Heart.

For more information call 419-383-3913.