Mr. Taurus Danced at World AIDS Day Memorial at Brooklyn Library

(Shot on my I-phone. Sorry. One time I forget my camera...)

In honor of people we've lost to the AIDS epidemic, Mr Taurus and others performed a memorial dance in the windows of the Brooklyn public library.

They danced to remind us of those lost. They danced to remind us of the struggles that went into the early days of AIDS when the president wouldn't even say its name on TV. They danced to remind us of activists groups that arose from this alienation and worked to combat the virus when no one else would.

It was very moving and Ava Jarden (from Shadow Lover) lamented over a jagged beat that made me think of the anguish people with AIDS felt in the 80's: Ostracized. Lethal. Alone. Helpless. So many people were dying and without explanation. Whole communities were wiped out, great artists and humanitarians were dead and people were scared to even hug victims.

We've come so far, but the disease is not gone. It's not cured. We are at the halfway mark, if even.

They danced to remind us.

Housing Works Joins Occupy Wall Street for World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day and Housing Works is ready to march with the merry men of Occupy Wall Street!

"Dozens of protesters will dress as Robin Hood, a reference to both the “Robin Hood” Financial Transaction Tax and the need for New York State millionaires to contribute their fair share to the fight against AIDS in New York, which disproportionately affects the poor and people of color."

What the H is the 'Robin Hood Tax'? I'll admit I had no idea. A quick Wikipedia moment and my "I don't have a finance degree so I'ma try and make sense of this" explanation is it's a tax for converting one type of currency into another. This is relevant to Occupy Wall Street since that's what hedge funders and stock brokers do and has been a slick trick of the 1%-ers forever to dodge taxes.



This is relevant to Housing Works because New York, like all of America (and now the world) is in a rough economy forced to cut social programs and funding due to limited resources. The Robin Hood tax proposes taxing people for actions that are direct sneaks to avoid paying taxes that pay for charitable organizations.



If you have the day off, won't you join in? And if not, make merry with the men if you see them today. They're working for an honorable goal.

***Lastly, all HW's will be closed today to set up for the annual Holiday event, but will be doing a clothing drive at each location. drop clothes or goods off for the homeless living with AIDS.



For more info: http://www.housingworks.org/advocate/detail/join-us-on-dec.-1-world-aids-day-to-schmear-bloomberg-and-demand-wall-st.-t


For donation drive info: http://www.housingworks.org/events/detail/in-memoriam-donation-drive