In recent months, the fight to alleviate the HIV/AIDS struggle in Africa has gained increasing recognition thanks to Bono's RED campaign and proceeds from the sale of everything from red Gap T-shirts to Motorola Razor phones and red iPods benefiting the Global Fund.
But tonight, the effort to combat HIV/AIDS comes home when a group of UW students present the Project Redlight Music Festival at the Orpheum Theatre.
The fundraising and awareness-raising event put on by the students of Medical Genetics 677 will feature exciting music performances by local talents and an informative lecture from an active figure in the Madison AIDS Network. Madison-based Celtic rock outfit the Kissers and singer-guitarist Mike Droho, formerly of the Profits, will brighten up the stage with live tunes.
UW senior Norah Lewin, one of the students involved in the second annual Project Redlight event, initially became involved with the cause last semester as a member of the introductory HIV/AIDS course. Over the span of the past few months, she and her classmates have been touched by the information they've learned and the stories they've heard via teleconference with students in South Africa.
"I've been really moved by the cause and combating the stereotypes about HIV/AIDS around the U.S. and the campus," UW senior Norah Lewin said.
One especially moving story was that of a South African child named Nkosi, who lost his battle with the virus. Following his death, the young boy's stepmother founded Nkosi's Haven, an orphanage in Johannesburg, South Africa, that offers care for both mothers and children infected with HIV/AIDS.
In response to the true-life tale, the students decided to send contributions from their festival to Nkosi's Haven as well as the Madison AIDS Network, where a number of the students have volunteered and established connections with area members of the AIDS community.
"It means a lot for us to be able to give money to an organization that is local, people we're friends with," Lewin said.
For Marge Sutinen, lead instructor of Contemporary Issues on HIV/AIDS, this "local and global outreach" to prevent the spread of the virus is an ongoing process. The educator has been teaching the course for more than 10 years, during which time she has traveled to Africa to gain additional perspective on the problem and played an active part in educating the African people about effective prevention measures.
Since Sutinen first started teaching the course, she continues to be impressed by the products of the "student-driven" efforts. Participants in the class have hosted AIDS testing days around campus, published informational materials and hosted multiple guest lecturers. The class, which employs a small, in-depth discussion setup, has grown in popularity to such a degree that Sutinen has even had to turn away students.
Next semester, the instructor hopes to employ weekly teleconferences with students across the globe, among other changes, but although the class is constantly evolving, the core goals in mind remain the same.
Students learn to assess the risks in their own lives, and they learn about the stark differences in the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States and Africa, as well as the availability treatment — the U.S. has close to 30 HIV drugs available, while many places in Africa have only three.
"The students learn throughout the semester that it's much different there than in this country," Sutinen said. "They've been moved to do something to change that."
"At the same time, students have learned the first person they have to protect is themselves," she said.
Tickets to the Project Redlight Music Festival are available at the Orpheum Theatre for $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and will feature prizes from Madison-area shops and restaurants.
