The Last One

Gr 7 Up—This documentary covers the history of the AIDS Quilt and Names Project, while providing a revealing look at the effects of ignorance, stigma, and discrimination, which cause the disease to spread. Conceived by San Francisco gay rights activist Cleve Jones, the AIDS Quilt began in 1985 with a single panel dedicated to Jones's lover, Marvin Feldman. The quilt now numbers more than 48,000 panels and would spread out over 50 miles in length. In 1987, the Project received a stark panel with white lettering on a black background. It simply said, "The Last One." The panel is being saved to be sewn onto the quilt when AIDS has finally been conquered. The tie-in to a teen audience comes late in the film, as students are shown viewing panels brought to middle and high schools. Students state that seeing the quilt makes a strong point that they otherwise hadn't understood about the AIDS epidemic. Statistics here are important for young adults to understand: 80 percent of those now being diagnosed with the disease are heterosexual, while only 15 percent are gay. The disease is affecting the black community disproportionately, with black women bearing the brunt of the illness, and many young gay men aren't practicing safe sex, perhaps attributable to the lack of sex education in schools. Furthermore, with annual costs of treatment for one person running $100,000, only 64 percent of Americans with AIDS are being treated.