"First we grieve, then we celebrate."
(June/July 1993)

Patrick Moriarty, Co-Chair of the Chapter's AIDS Task Force, summed up this year's Diego Lopez Memorial AIDS Recognition Awards in six words. The June 6 event, which was co-sponsored by the Hunter School of Social Work and the Tamarand Foundation, had ample room for both grieving and celebrating, as social workers who have died from AIDS were remembered by their colleagues, and social workers who have labored nobly in the field were honored.

The event's awards are named for Diego Lopez, a social worker who was one of the first people to conceptualize the psychosocial needs of people with AIDS and their loved ones and to develop a volunteer program to provide direct service to people with AIDS.

Reminiscences of Mr. Lopez, who died in 1986, and of Luis Palacios-Jimenez, a social worker and AIDS activist who died in 1989 were offered by Sandra Feinblum of Gay Men's Health Crisis and Michael Schernoff of Chelsea Psychotherapy Associates, respectively. The evening also honored other exceptional social workers who have died from AIDS, most particularly Brian Calia, a founder of the Chapter's Task Force, who died on May 29, 1993.

George Getzel, a professor at Hunter, spoke of Mr. Calia as "...an extraordinary human being...a bright and shiny friend..." who helped develop the Chapter's first standards on social work practice for people affected by HIV infection.

Mr. Calia, who was Director of Social Work at Methodist Hospital, was instrumental in establishing the Brooklyn AIDS Task Force and did pioneer work in forming bereavement groups for parents whose children have died of AIDS.

Those receiving Recognition Awards this year included: Laura Beer, Bellevue Hospital AIDS Program; Pinchas Berger, Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services; Dawn Cavrell-Epstein, Bronx Lebanon Hospital; Elizabeth Cox Avedon, Mayer-Avedon Women's Support Group; Barbara Draimin, HRA Division of AIDS Services; James R. Dumpson, Health and Hospitals Corporation and Fordham University; Sandra Feinblum, Human Services Consultant; Arnold H. Grossman, NYU HIV/AIDS Mental Health Project; Elise M. Ingram, DAS Family Demonstration Project; Benay Lindenauer, Samaritan Village; Dee Livingston, Rutgers University and GMHC; Constance Silver, private practitioner and NYU; Alvaro Simmons, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital; and Eric Stamm, Actor's Fund of America.

Task Force Co-Chair Susan Rosenthal called the evening a "...remembrance of incredible people...a recognition of incredible service...and a renewal, reflecting the remarkable love of life of the people who have clung to life with a passion...It was a privilege to be with them."

Anyone interested in joining the Chapter's AIDS Task Force should call Ms. Rosenthal at (212) 595-0859.