Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Miami Herald - Sunday, December 4, 1994
Christina A. Samuels, Herald Staff Writer
"I thought that I would never be able to laugh again," Brito said. "I thought I would never be able to smile."
In September, Brito and a group of other women working through their grief decided to do something more to honor their loved ones. Thursday, s was born the Community Quilt, a 12-by-12 tapestry depicting the silkscreened faces of 63 AIDS victims. The quilt was featured prominently during World AIDS Day celebrations Thursday, rsday.
The women met each other during monthly meetings at St. Augustine Church. Other famous AIDS quilts are in San Francisco and Washington D.C., but "the idea was to make a quilt that would remain in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties," said Lilibet Warner, whose son Phillip died in 1991 at 30.
They wanted to show the faces of this community, Warner said. "Those are the things that remain in your mind. We wanted faces for people to face AIDS."
Brito, 43, of Coral Gables, lost her only siblings. "Anything I can do to bring them closer is nice," Brito said. Her brother, Wil, a jeweler, died when he was 42. Her brother Jon, an artist, was 36.
Ana Alonso Moller's sister, Elena, contracted HIV from her hemophiliac husband. They died within 10 months of each other.
Moller and Brito are cousins. Elena was the youngest of six children in Moller's family.
"We are hoping to reach people this way," said Moller, 40, who lives in Westchester. "This tells a story. These are people who are, in one way or another, associated with this community. We're trying to show that these are people who lived here."
The quilt took an intensive month and a half to make. The women met in a Key Biscayne condominium to sew the panels together.
During its creation, the women became so engrossed in the project they were surprised at the effect it had on others. Several who saw the work under construction cried.
"We were so busy trying to get it done for our deadline," said Brito. "But you know that something's happening when you see people and how they've reacted with it."
The next stop for the quilt is Fort Lauderdale. After that, the women hope it will be used as a teaching tool in the schools.
"We wanted to show there's a face behind a name," Moller said. "That makes a difference."
CUTLINES:NURI VALLBONA/Herald Staff
MESSAGE OF LOVE: Carlos Vargas looks at the AIDS quilt on the stage of Bayside's amphitheater.
CAPTION: PHOTO Carlos Vargas (a)
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