Texas: Fighting for More Life for Tarrant County HIV Patients

A recent town-hall meeting in Fort Worth introduced an ambitious, multi-venue AIDS awareness campaign entitled "More Life: The Art & Science of AIDS."

The county's three main HIV/AIDS service agencies, who together comprise the group AIDS Service Organizations, are partnering with schools, community groups, health associations, and arts organizations for the effort, whose message is that AIDS continues to be a fact of life in Tarrant County. The number of new cases in the county last year, 300, was less than the number of AIDS deaths logged in 1992, 320. Yet one-third of those diagnosed last year with HIV had already progressed to AIDS, and 50 percent of the new cases were women.

Among the campaign's highlights:

• The Fort Worth Opera will present the Southwestern premiere of "Angels in America," which is based on Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Seven performances will be given at the Scott Theatre between May 16 and June 7.
• "Angels at My Door," a book for children affected by AIDS, will be introduced on May 17 with songs and readings by Fort Worth students and Kids Who Care. The Fort Worth Library Association funded the book.
• "You Better ASK Somebody," a play about the impact of AIDS on African Americans, will be performed on May 22 at the Scott Theatre.

Other events will include a worship service, a dance performance, and additional live musical events. For more information on More Life, visit www.morelifetexas.com/default.asp.

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