U students will show their true colors Saturday as they unite to “Walk Away AIDS.”
Joining in the global fight against the AIDS pandemic, students will gather at noon and march from Presidents’ Circle to the Gallivan Center Plaza.
Participants are asked to wear red to represent AIDS awareness.
The event-directed by U students William Hoang, sophomore behavioral science and health major; Melissa Styer, sophomore anthropology and international studies major and JuleeAnn Sudbury, junior chemistry major-began three weeks ago as a project in a service learning class.
While the event is not a fund-raiser, organizers said they hope to increase knowledge and a sense of empowerment among participants.
“You can donate your time rather than money,” Styer said.
The event’s organizers enlisted campus groups-such as the Associated Students of the University of Utah, the Bennion Community Service Center, the Student Health Advisory Committee, the Freshman Service Corps, Campus AIDS and the LDS Student Association-to help market the event and hope to involve as many U students as possible.
“We’re trying to unite students in the fight against AIDS through education, awareness and involvement,” Hoang said.
Campus AIDS, a student-directed organization within the Bennion Center, will be working closely with the event. The group holds events throughout the year to discuss HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases to educate students about risky behaviors.
For World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, Campus AIDS will be conducting free HIV tests on campus.
Campus AIDS Director Nicole Nguyen, a junior pre-pharmacy major who has worked with the program for two years, said, “A lot of people don’t think (AIDS education) is applicable to their lives. They have such a local perspective-we need to have a more global perspective. Although the numbers in Salt Lake City may not be huge, we still have numbers.”
Styer hopes “Walk Away AIDS” will make an impact in the November elections.
“We will be the generation making changes,” Styer said. “As students, we need to let candidates know what we care about and what we’re looking for in candidates.”
Event representatives will be on the Union Patio for the rest of this week. Volunteers can sign up online at www.walkawayaids.org.
