INDIANAPOLIS — Among the rustling leaves on the ground here at Crown Hill Cemetery, stands a tribute to those lost during the AIDS epidemic.
354 names are engraved on limestone tablets.
The inscriptions represent loved ones who’ve passed away from or those who’ve fought against the AIDS epidemic.
Many people, 57-year-old Todd Fuqua called “friend.”
“Humbling. And also just a reminder of why I’m in the fight. What my passion is for. It’s to really stand on their shoulders and stand on their legacy," Fuqua said. “The AIDS memorial keeps HIV in people’s mindset. Reminds them that it is an illness. It is out there. We need to keep fighting to end the epidemic.
That’s a fight Erica Flores’ father Coby Palmer faced much of his life, until his passing last year.
Palmer, known by many as the Queen Mother Blossom, was a trailblazer for LGBTQ activism and co-founder of the Indy Bag Ladies.
Since 1981, the organization has dedicated itself to: raising funds for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS; raising awareness of safer sex practices to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs); raising the visibility and promoting the equality of LGBTQ Hoosiers through advocacy and education; and raising the community morale through comedy, fun and inclusion.
“He created what’s called the Bag Ladies, they are a group that has been raising money, actually the oldest AIDS fundraiser in the country," Flores said. “It means the world to us to know that his name is here forever and his legacy. I got four girls that he was grandpa. He was Blossom. They knew him all. For him, he was out with them.”
The Indiana AIDS Memorial turns 25 this year.
It was dedicated on October 29, 2000.
Program Director for the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis Ryan McConnell encourages folks to come and reflect on the lives of those we’ve lost.
“You learn so many lessons from those who’ve fought and who fought stigma and against the most difficult times. It gives us that energy we need to carry the work forward," McConnell said.
The cost to have a name inscribed on a tablet is $100 for individuals. Fifty percent of the cost of the inscription is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
To purchase an inscription, download and complete the order form which can then be mailed to the Health Foundation office. Or, complete an online form or contact The Health Foundation at (317) 630-1805 or rmcconnell@thfgi.org.
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Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
