Rockland Community College (RCC) is hosting a section of the internationally renowned AIDS Memorial Quilt throughout the month of October as a part of LGBTQIA+ History Month. The quilt will be displayed in the Library on RCC’s main campus in Suffern.
The AIDS Memorial Quilt, the largest community arts project in the world, honors the lives of more than 110,000 individuals lost to AIDS. Each panel is hand-sewn by friends, family members and loved ones, creating a powerful visual reminder of the impact of the epidemic.
“We are honored to bring a section of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to RCC. This quilt is not just fabric, but memory, woven together in love, resilience and the hope that no life will ever be forgotten,” said Steven Marks, coordinator of the Connection Center/Chair of the LGBTQIA+ Commission at Rockland Community College. “It not only commemorates those we have lost but also raises awareness for the continuing fight against HIV/AIDS.”
Started by artist Cleve Jones in 1985, the Aids Memorial Quilt was first displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 1987 and has since traveled worldwide. The section on display at RCC will be available for public viewing during regular library hours throughout October. It was last displayed at RCC in 2013.
The display is sponsored by the Rockland Community College Connection Center, dedicated to providing nonacademic support to students and their families, and the LGBTQIA+ Commission at Rockland Community College.
Founded in 1959, Rockland Community College provides students with a high-quality education that is both affordable and accessible. The college offers 35 degree and three certificate programs, and a faculty that includes Fulbright scholars and SUNY Distinguished Professors. In addition to its main campus in Suffern, RCC operates a Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center in Nyack, and its Automotive Technology Center in Orangeburg.
