Friends Of Dorothy House

Another World AIDS day has arrived and upon us but this time we are in a pandemic. I wonder what we have learned and acknowledge how these two viruses parallel ...each other. I personally in all my imperfection am trying to use my knowledge and experience to help me navigate covid. For many of us it's not our first rodeo. For many these times and corona virus are very triggering for those who survived HIV /AIDS. I wonder what all the people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are thinking. I wonder what those beautiful souls lost would think. In what ways do we continue to repeat mistakes of the past. For many of us who were in the trenches all those years and for some of us have never left those trenches these times and this pandemic are so triggering and sad and the feeling of helplessness can be so real .Instead of reminding people to wear condoms it is masks. People are dying alone and the hopes of treatment, prevention a vaccine or a cure are what we wake up to everyday again. Did the nightmare ever really end before this one started. Yes we have come a long way in treatment for HIV and AIDS but on a human level have we grown? How do the ills of our culture continue to hold us back from progressing. The ills of hate, racism ,transphobia ,hetrosxism agism , violence,poverty ,greed and injustice all continue to permeate our society and have left us vulnerable once again to mishandling this new virus. Once again it is time to mobilize our love and lives to confront head on all the ills that are continuing to hinder the lives of all people. Please wear a mask and do the things we know work, we all will stumble and fail but all we can do is once again our best. We once again will try to put this behind us when it becomes less of a threat but I hope we come out of it better people for it. All the activism that turned around HIV /AIDS in some ways was lost. Instead of continuing and looking at those still left behind after the meds came out we became complacent. Once we had more hope and less fears many were too exhausted to fight another fight but as long as injustice to the level we see in our culture today exists we will never be prepared to deal with this pandemic or the next pandemic or virus with much success. I send out love and hopes of peace to all who mourn both viruses. All those struggling with the long term of affects form both viruses and are afraid. I pray and hope for a day when we as a species learn to care and give the respect and dignity to every human and also the planet we live on and awaken to the possibilities of a justice based world. Please be well See more

Hi. As you might guess, the Friends of Dorothy Dinners are canceled for the rest of the season. Once the pandemic is passed we will be scheduling a much needed fundraiser, so look for that! Thanks, everyone. Stay safe, wash your hands and take are of each other!

A reminder that there will not be a Friends of Dorothy Dinner this month!

Hi Everyone! Mark you calendars for this wonderful event!

(Hi! This is a reflection that Nick wrote for the Friends of Dorothy newsletter in December of 2013. We are sharing it here, and plan to share some other things for our past newsletters in the coming months.) This time of year is meaningful in so many ways, and each of us have our own memories and meanings that this season invokes. At Friends of Dorothy House we are reminded of our beginnings. Twenty one years ago, Michael and I were at a Jail Ministry liturgy for Advent, a...Continue reading

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