The mental interconnectivity of humans lie between the mutual understanding of individualized human experience. Understanding a human does not necessarily account to statistics or numbers, but the empathy that lies in analyzing ethics. This is especially present within the AIDS epidemic, due to the sterilization and censorship that the LGBTQ+ community were forced into. While the death count exponentially increased, the sole statistics did nothing but instill fear and homophobia in the American public. The lack of acknowledgement–that people were dying–from former President Ronald Reagan further intensified the fear of being HIV positive. However, in the small fraction of people who chose to show compassion, did growth really appear. Princess Diana of Wales was unafraid to shake hands with an AIDS patient out of lover for her people and did not let ignorance cloud her understanding of human experience. Only when people get in touch with their human selves do they come to empathize with others, even others who are not like the others.

For my project, I want to create 16 photocards that contain photographs of AIDS victims with a small biography. I want to personalize each patient to the student in order to evoke emotional attachment out of the student. I also want to cut out 16 hearts that are pasted onto the wall; with the front side containing the students’ names, and the backside that quotes, “And rain will make the flowers grow”.