TEMECULA: Teens observe World AIDS Day

High school students raise funds, honor AIDS victims

By JENNIFER KABBANY - For The Californian | Monday, December 1, 2008 10:42 PM PST ∞

TEMECULA ---- High school students converged at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church on Monday night to observe World AIDS Day, illustrating by their very presence the theme of the night: "Unity Through Diversity."

Clubs such as the Gay Straight Alliance and Black Student Union and others from Murrieta Valley High School joined forces with chamber choirs from Temecula high schools and elsewhere to put on the annual event, now in its fourth year.

To mark the observance, the teens combined statistics, poems and passionate speeches about the AIDS pandemic with the harmonious hymns of the high school choirs and the graceful steps of the Murrieta Valley High ballet folklorico group.

The event doubled as a fundraiser that benefits HIV/AIDS charities, culminating weeks of campus fundraising.

It also offered high school students a chance to be involved and work together to create change, said Mary Byun-Kallevig, an adviser to Murrieta Valley High's Gay Straight Alliance and a facilitator of Monday's event.

But more than that, she said, it's a chance to educate Southwest County residents.

"In this valley, there is the assumption that only gays are affected by the disease," Byun-Kallevig said. "We are really trying hard to get rid of that myth ..."

The Rev. Benita Ramsey of Riverside reminded the audience of about 250 people that people with HIV/AIDS often have been treated unfairly or with prejudice.

"As we celebrate Unity Through Diversity, we must respect the diversity of the community affected by HIV," she said. "All these communities need our help."

Speakers at the event provided powerful reminders of why the need to support HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention is still necessary.

"There are 33.2 million people living with HIV," said Murrieta Valley High School student Nikki Salazar, reading statistics from the World Health Organization.

As she read the figures, the soft melody of a piano solo echoed through the church.

"Of these, 2.5 million are children," Nikki said. "One half of people with HIV are infected before they are 25 years old. It must be stopped."

Throughout the event, the chamber choirs from Temecula Valley, Great Oak and Murrieta Valley high schools and Riverside City College filled the church and its high ceilings with emotional and solemn melodies and harmonies.

For the Crawford family, the observance was especially poignant.

Lowona Crawford and her daughter, 16-year-old Murrieta Valley High School junior Rikayah Crawford, are mourning a family member who died of AIDS two years ago, Lowona Crawford said.

Rikayah, who is also Teen Miss Murrieta, sang "You Are Loved" by Whitney Houston.

She dedicated the song to her deceased great-aunt.

"AIDS affects everybody," Lowona Crawford said. "Especially with the youth. It's running rampant."

Several teens urged audience members to get tested for the virus, noting that neither HIV nor AIDS discriminates by age, race, gender or sexual orientation.

Maryann Johnson, president of the local chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, concluded the evening with a speech that called for an end to discrimination and for "legal equality" for all.

"This is the time to recommit ourselves to saving lives and making a difference," she said. "We want to work (to) create a society in which all persons can safely pursue the path of their choice, and be valued and encouraged to grow to their potential."

The observance was capped with a silent candlelight vigil, in which the audience quietly filed out of the church.

"This is an excellent way to bring awareness to the community," said Juanita Robledo, whose 17-year-old daughter, Erica, sings with the chamber choir at Temecula Valley High and is also Miss Temecula.

"Temecula is a very family-friendly community," she said. "This gives (the students) a chance to do something on a more global scale."