He had been to Manhattan only once before, as a child, and when Craig Miller returned years later as a man in his 20s, the California AIDS activist embarked on what he thought would be a simple mission.
Fresh on the heels of the first AIDS Walk in Los Angeles, a 1985 fundraiser he organized that collected $673,000, Miller wanted to hold a similar event in Central Park. He hoped to draw thousands of people and raise more money.
On Sunday, Miller looked on proudly at a crowd of more than 45,000 people in Central Park who had come for New York's 20th annual AIDS Walk. The event raised $5.8 million, a record, and was thought to be the world's largest AIDS fundraiser, sponsors said.
Miller, a quiet, dark-haired man with a perpetually pensive look, had every reason to gloat. But the anniversary — and passage of time — only made him worry.
"If you ask me what's changed in 20 years of fighting AIDS, I'd tell you not enough," he said. "Anybody who thinks this fight is over is deluding themselves."
The story of how Miller and others launched AIDS Walks in Los Angeles, New York and other cities reflects the growing influence of gay men and lesbians, along with others determined to fight the disease. But it also highlights the persistence of AIDS.
"We have a lot to be proud of in New York," said Miller, 45, as he watched the crowd assembling near Sheep's Meadow. The participants — who raised money from sponsors — walked about six miles through Manhattan's Upper West Side, ending back in the park.
They were young and old, gay and straight — a festive, diverse group.
"If you ask how we pulled off an event like this, when so many people said we couldn't, I'd answer with three words," Miller said. "Clout. Inevitability. Immensity."
All three were on display Sunday, as singer Norah Jones, actor John Spencer of TV's "The West Wing," actress and singer Rita Moreno and other celebrities congratulated the crowd for turning out on a muggy morning with dark clouds.
Speakers warned against complacency, reminding that the epidemic was not over. They said nearly 1 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in the United States; more than 40,000 new infections are reported in the nation each year, mostly among people younger than 25, the National Institutes of Health says.
"There's a lot of emotion in people here," said Shulin Wang, a Bristol-Myers Squibb research scientist who drove about two hours from her Plainsboro, N.J., home with her daughter, Vania, to attend the event. "I've never been in such a crowd."
Walking nearby, Grace Garland, a jazz and cabaret singer, said she was going to participate every year, as long as the disease persisted. "We all have friends, family members who died from this," she said. "There's no stopping until we find a cure." More...
Ed Note: AGAIN!!! I made a much longer post, giving you details about the walk and posting a series of pictures. There's no way for me to recreate it. It was too organic. Blogger lost it when I tried to publish. I'm not sure I can continue this blog. This is way too upsetting. It's intolerable. I started doing this to help organize my thoughts and practice writing. If everything I do gets lost what's the point? I'm sorry I might be done.
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