National AIDS Memorial Quilt on display in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — To commemorate the start of AIDS Awareness Month, the National AIDS Memorial’s Quilt made its way to Wilmington.

The exhibit, “The Quilt Comes to Wilmington”, was officially unveiled on Sunday with a red ribbon ceremony held at Hi-Wire Brewery.

Presented by SEEDS of Healing, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to HIV advocacy and awareness, this event is part of a national initiative to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and honor those who have been lost to the epidemic.

The quilts, which have traveled across the country, are displayed at two Wilmington locations this year: Hi-Wire Brewery and St. Jude’s Metropolitan Community Church. The exhibits will be available for public viewing through January.

As visitors gathered to witness the quilt panels, the significance of this exhibit was highlighted by Le Shonda Wallace, Executive Director of SEEDS of Healing, Inc. She emphasized the importance of community support and understanding for those impacted by HIV/AIDS:

“Letting people know that they are not alone. People impacted by the epidemic need support, they need compassion. We made sure that people understand that ‘you equals you’—undetectable is non-transmittable—and that ending this epidemic, no one can do it alone. We all come together to not only visit the quilts but to make new quilts and just to have a good time and enjoy each other.”

The National AIDS Memorial’s Quilt serves not only as a tribute to those lost but also as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic. The quilt’s message is particularly meaningful in the southern United States, the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses and HIV-related deaths are reported.

For those interested, there will be a quilt-making workshop at Hi-Wire Brewery on December 14th at 4 p.m. This free event is open to all,