Remember My Name

A 1988 KPIX-TV documentary produced by Richard Saiz inspired by the historic, cross-country tour of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, dedicated to people who have died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which was displayed at 19 cities. Presented by actor Edward James Olmos, who states in his introduction: "Tonight you're going on a journey to meet these extraordinary people. A trip that reveals America in the midst of a painful crisis. It is a journey that goes to the very heart of this country." Includes scenes featuring: the starting point for the quilt's journey in San Francisco; the arrival of the quilt in St Louis, MO, where we see it unfolded in a ceremony; volunteer Trish Pfeiffer Hardwick helping people to personalize their panels at a quilt making workshop and working on a panel for Nicolas Perales; the controversy in Granite City IL surrounding 7 year old haemophiliac Jason Robertson (1980-2003), whose mother Tammie has just secured a Federal court ruling that he has the right to be taught in a classroom with other children (it should be noted that the family felt forced to leave before school started and relocated to South Roxanne IL); Rosie Gonzales remembering her daughter Melissa, who passed in 1987 in Houston TX; views of the Gospel Soul Children in New Orleans; an interview with Archbishop of New Orleans Philip M. Hannan (1913-2011), who argues that faith compels him to condemn homosexuality but support people who are dying from AIDS; an interview with Richard Sacher, who provides financial relief to people with AIDS by selling water lilies and feels that Archbishop Hannon's position is hypocritical; interviews with the Reverend E. Stanley Smathers and his wife Ruth Smathers, who contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion and have been accepted by their local community in Lake Providence LA; how Jim Hurley was embraced by his 3 sisters after revealing that he had AIDS but rejected by his parents, who refused to see him and moved away; interviews with John and Josie Politano, whose adopted son Johnny died from AIDS and who both supported him till he passed away and continue advocate for other parents to accept their children, if they are diagnosed with AIDS; the trial of Steven George Farmer who was sentenced to 7.5 years in jail by Judge Charles V. Johnson, for having sex with juvenile prostitutes whilst knowing that he carried the AIDS virus; an interview with Rebecca J. Roe who is one of the prosecuting attorneys in the case against Farmer and an interview with Ken Johnson, who is trying to maintain a relationship with his young daughter and keep his independence with support from friends, whilst living alone. This documentary was edited by Terry Kane Chin, with camerawork from Sheldon Fay, sound by William Corona and music by Mark Adler. At the end, Olmos stands by the quilt in Washington D.C. and reflects that: “Each unique panel, each name [is] a powerful symbol of people struggling with dignity against this fearsome disease. Each name calling to us: remember my name. This enormous cloth will not only memorialize them, it will always serve as a reminder of how we as Americans pulled together as one nation in the face of this epidemic.” Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.