Biden Hosts Historic Display of AIDS Memorial Quilt at White House on World AIDS Day
WASHINGTON, Dec 1 – For the first time in its decades-long history, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed at the White House, as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted AIDS survivors, advocates, and family members who lost loved ones to the disease.
The event, held on World AIDS Day, featured emotional remarks from the Bidens and Jeanne White-Ginder, whose teenage son, Ryan White, died of AIDS in 1990. Both Bidens grew visibly moved as they empathized with those who have suffered personal losses to the disease.
“I see it as a mom,” Mrs. Biden said, reflecting on the quilt’s vibrant patches and heartfelt tributes. “I think of the mothers who stitched their pain into a patchwork panel so the world would remember their child.”
President Biden honored the resilience of the AIDS advocacy movement and praised Dr. Anthony Fauci for his pivotal role in combating the epidemic. “This movement is fully woven into the fabric and history of America, shining a light on the memory and the legacy of all … we’ve lost to this terrible disease,” he said, emphasizing unity in the fight against AIDS.
Following their remarks, the president and first lady walked hand in hand past sections of the quilt, pausing to observe its intricate tributes before returning to the White House.
Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, 42.3 million people have died globally, according to the World Health Organization.