Fray, written by Julia Bryan-Wilson, is more than research or nonfiction text. It tells the story about a struggling time for the victims and families of the AIDS epidemic mainly through the AIDS Quilt. The text itself can be dense at times but using marginalia helps guide the reading and make connections that may have been previously overlooked. From the building of the Quilt to the commercialization of it, the Fray details quite a bit. At first, I wasn’t very interested in reading Bryan-Wilson’s work because of a family member’s struggle with AIDS. It’s a disease that many don’t talk about even though it is still prevalent in our society. After starting the text, however, I was engulfed in what I would soon realize was a movement that arose not just for a few years, but for decades. The Quilt represented something that wasn’t linear in nature. It was a weaving and snaking path through different emotions and forms of expression.

            Some Quilt squares were intricate while others were simply names painted on fabric. Regardless of the detail or simplicity, each square represented someone who was lost or soon to be a victim of AIDS. Bryan-Wilson states, “The early years of publicity about the Quilt underscored how the act of crafting itself might transform or alleviate the pain”. The pain itself could be expressed through many different emotions such as anger, sadness, or through lack of emotion altogether. Once the Quilt started to make headway, arguments arose. Bryan-Wilson mentions that some of the longest lasting arguments weren’t from people against the Quilt but rather from HIV/AIDS activists/organizers. Their arguments were focused on the commercialization of the Quilt in ways of “books, hats, buttons and pins” all the way to ornaments for Christmas trees. These kinds of products took away from the impact the Quilt was meant to have for those who had passed.

            With so much content in the Fray writing, it’s nearly impossible to reflect on everything it has to offer. What some may take away from it, others may not. It is important to keep in mind, however, that all the content is unique and connected which can make understanding the AIDS Quilt and the parts that played a role in it easier to absorb. If a person can look past the commercialization of the Quilt and at the things that really made it special, then the Fray did its job.

            Just like the AIDS Quilt had a purpose, so did the quilt our class made. Although the purposes are completely different, the idea of putting meaning into our quilt squares is the same. For my square, I used an old jersey and a thread/rope style material made from an old shirt. I created the words “No More Lies” and “Be The Change” by weaving the thread through the holes that are on the jersey. The words “No More Lies” was a key piece that many may not understand. It’s not just about the lies that the fashion industry can spew to the public, but it is also about the information that companies choose to leave out. Although they are not technically lying when facts aren’t represented, there is a sense of mistrust which lying can do. Aside from the lies in the fashion industry, it also is meant to be the lies that we tell ourselves about things we “need”. We need to stop lying to ourselves so we can “Be The Change” that the world needs.

            The manifesto was a perfect addition to our classes quilt. It gave us a way to express who we are, what we were attempting to do, and why we were doing it. Being an individual who worked primarily on the manifesto portion of this project rather than on the sewing and organizing of the quilt itself, I learned a great deal about my individual classmates and their progress in the future. Hearing students say that we are dreamers, diverse, and change makers really opened my eyes to things I never personally thought about. Although we were all had a consensus on what we were making the quilt for, why we were doing it was also interesting to hear. For myself, I was doing it for me and what I believed we needed, but for others it was about doing it for the planet and for future generations. Altogether the project was an enjoyable experience that I was glad to take part in.

(I SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE THAT THE PICTURE I TOOK ACTUALLY SAVED BECAUSE I CAN’T FIND IT ON MY PHONE.SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE IT HAS CAUSED.)

Although my volunteering time was brief, it was enjoyable and I plan to return to The Pasadena Playhouse when they begin their next play in February. As I have mentioned before, the volunteering itself can be lacking. All of the people I volunteered with were kind and I saw some of the same faces at each visit. It was nice to see some younger people my past few times volunteering. Being the only college student, the interactions between the ranging age group were conversational as we all had something to share that was completely different from one another. Weddings, international trips, and high school field trips were only some of the topics these conversations contained. I wish I had more to say about what I did but it was always the same. The experiences were fun, however short, and I will be returning in the Spring.

My experiences at the Pasadena Playhouse have been fun and knowledgeable. Although not directly involved in the play itself, I have learned a great deal about the production, acting, and background that makes this show so great. My tasks yesterday were very similar to what I have been doing but I had an additional task of taking guests to what the theater calls the “Green Room”. The “Green Room” is where the actors change and prepare for the show. If there is one thing I could change about my experience, it would be how my volunteer work ties into my current art class. Although I am engaging in a physical space, the experience can be lacking at times and I have a feeling it is missing something greater. Next time I go, I will see if I can take on a greater role of involvement in anyway I can to really make these experiences worth something.

The protest project that spoke to me would have to be Mass Consumption. The reason I related to Mass Consumption the most is because of my own personal history of over-consuming. My over-consumption wasn’t necessarily in the fashion industry but rather when I first started buying my own groceries after moving out. I wouldn’t consider my over-consumption to be determined by eating to much, but rather buying too much that would go to waste. Ten years from now I would like to believe that the points Mass Consumption brought up will continue to drive me to be smart and logical about my purchases. “My Name is Not” and Stand Together were also great projects that I believe will have a lasting affect. Stand Together reminded me of an English class I took on campus a few semesters ago. One of the central topics of my English class was rape culture which directly correlates to what Stand Together is against. Included in the topic of rape culture was the different forms it can take like cat calling which “My Name is Not” focused on.

As I mentioned before, Mass Consumption was a project that really spoke to me. Although I mentioned my over-consumption of food products, I could put this into the kind of clothing I purchase. Purchasing products that are more Eco-friendly and biodegradable rather than over-purchasing products made from materials that are harmful to the planet would be a start. This ties into what Fornever21 was focused on. In all honesty, I have been known to purchase apparel that could be considered fast fashion. I like Nike, Adidas, Levis, Under Armour, and many more companies that could be classified to the fast fashion industry.

Applying what I have learned from these projects into my work in school and after graduation may not be as simple as it sounds, but it is not impossible. For instance, I could use the information learned from “My Name is Not” and Stand Together to make smart, educated choices about how I treat and communicate with others in class and at work. It is known that women face large obstacles, especially sexual harassment, in the workplace. The knowledge I have gained from these groups can help me not commit such acts as well as determine if the acts of others are appropriate. Mass Consumption and Fornever21 will be a little more difficult to implement in the type of major I am pursuing and the career path I wish to take. One thing I determined is sustainable comfortability. Sustainable, comfortable socks, underwear, undershirts, and so forth could not only reduce my consumption, but also create a more positive carbon footprint through the purchase of sustainable clothing. Since my career path will be more demanding than others, comfort will be something that will help get me through the day.

All the projects were amazingly put together and each was unique to their own design, implementation, and focus. Each one spoke to me in its own way and I enjoyed the fact that some of them interconnected with one another. It will be interesting to see what happens from here with all these projects. Whether or not they continue to develop and grow will be exciting to see unfold.

The movie about the AIDS Quilt made me feel several different emotions. These feelings arose because a member in my family died of AIDS several years ago. As far as the history, I did not realize the magnitude of the movement. Although saddening to see the number of people who died from AIDS, it was also relieving to realize that those people weren’t abandoned but rather embraced by the ones who loved them. Some of the pieces were extravagant while others were simply a way for someone to grieve. Items/materials that were put on the quilt were symbolic to that individual and sometimes represented a connection to that person. Overall, the documentary was an eye opener that should be respected and maintained do to its large impact on American history.

The Pasadena Playhouse was honestly the best choice for me. Since today was my first day, it was nice to see how welcoming everyone was to student volunteers especially with everyone being very much out of my age range. Everyone was a volunteer veteran except myself and one other person. The volunteering itself, I was an usher and will most likely continue to be one for the duration of my hours this semester, was pretty straight forward. I answered questions, guided individuals/groups who needed assistance to their seats, passed out playbills, and interacted with guests and fellow volunteers. I was also given a tour of the theater during the second act. The play was extremely hilarious and even though I was allowed to watch it, my job as an usher was always ongoing anytime someone needed me. I look forward to my next visit.

Material Art is the idea about how a material conveys a message through its history, context, origin, and so forth. All the parts, tangible and intangible, that make up a material are what makes that material art. Personally, I wear my grandfather’s dog tag. Before his passing, it was simply a piece of his past that didn’t hold any meaning to me other than it was a part of his story. Now, it is a part of my story that means love, courage, resilience, and much more. I could go on and on because the meaning isn’t singular.

PPP is meant to get people involved in what they believe in by allowing people to share their stories. What we still need to know is how to best implement our idea. This will be worked on further in our next workday. The greatest resources we can use right now are our time and connections among our classmates. Participation from our classmates will help greatly in jumpstarting our idea.

A movement that really caught my eye was #HeForShe. This movement is a gender equality campaign designed to bring men into the fold by encouraging them to stick up for women’s rights. On the website it states, “Men like you are not just part of the gender equality conversation, you are part of the solution.” This movement believes that a unified front of men and women is the best way for gender equality to truly succeed. The more men that stand up for equality the higher chance equality stands a chance.

What really struck me about this was that it hit home in a way. When I look at hard working women (especially mothers), who sometimes work exponentially harder than their male coworkers, I believe they should be paid the same if not more (this is only one form of equality too). My mom is the one I think of when it comes to this. When the company would do employment cuts, the women were usually the first to be let go. When the company was doing mass interviews, the men were usually the first to be hired. When the company would hire, it would take twice as long to move up in positions, and more times than not, a man would get the promotion even though they had been there half the time.

It is nice to see, however, that their is a movement out there – getting people involved. The greatest thing I learned from this is that I’m not alone in my views of gender equality. The world can change, it’s just up to us to change it.

Link: https://www.heforshe.org/en