THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 1, 1995 TAG: 9511290118
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
A free Coffee House and Poetry Reading will be held in observance of the eighth annual World AIDS Day from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Art Atrium, 629 High St.
The local event is one of many planned around the state in conjunction with the international observance.
The Poetry Reading will feature readings by H. Nanette Blaine, Loretta Milam and Jerome L. Williams, all performers from the Obsidian Ensemble, a group of African and African-American performing artists.
Ruth Varner, a storyweaver, also will be on the program.
WAVY-TV 10 anchor Don Roberts, poet and author of ``Raps to Live By,'' and Lemlem Tsegaw, author of ``The Unheard Voice,'' a collection of poems and essays, will be available to sign their books.
The coffee house will serve pastries, coffees and teas donated by Brutti's Cafe, The Professional Club in Virginia Beach, Cleo's Jazz Super Club, and other local businesses.
The local World AIDS Day is sponsored by the Portsmouth HIV/AIDS Taskforce, Portsmouth Red Cross, the Virginia HIV/AIDS Network and Project Hair.
The theme for this year's World AIDS Day is ``Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities,'' which emphasizes personal, community, government and international responses to the AIDS epidemic, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Communities throughout the country will take part in a symbolic observance of the day by dimming lights. In Washington, the White House will dim its lights from 7:45 to 8 p.m. as a visual demonstration of the commitment to the fight against AIDS.
In keeping with the theme of light, several Hampton Roads communities will hold candlelight ceremonies. The Art Atrium will conclude their evening of poetry and storytelling with a candlelight libation ceremony.
For more information, call Carletta Mann, HIV/AIDS health educator at the Portsmouth Health Department, at 396-6826. by CNB