Life is made up of experiences of many types, strung together like Christmas lights linking one day to another to another, and so forth. Every now and again, we find ourselves in an experience that enlightens us, and propels us into a higher, more communal way of thinking. “Spotlight 2014: Out Loud” was that sort of experience for me.
I wasn’t aware that I was walking into the 20th Anniversary bonanza of the Spotlight event, and a celebratory spectacle it was! Coming in as a novice, with quite literally no knowledge about the event, its purpose, or producers, I was afforded the rare opportunity to be educated on all that and more in one fell swoop.
If you’re like me and don’t quite know much yourself, here’s what I learned:
- Spotlight is an annual event of special performances to benefit the Indiana AIDS Fund (AIF) and The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis (THFGI), the largest private funder of HIV/AIDS treatment as prevention programs in Indiana.
- This is no school talent show. Spotlight brings some of the biggest names in local performance art to a grand stage. From the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre to the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, around to Tasha Jones, over to No Exit, and so many others, there is a show to be seen here.
- You’ll learn at Spotlight. The aspect I was most appreciative of was the display board above the stage that was used not only during the show, but beforehand to broadcast both, upcoming acts and important facts. I left with a better understanding of HIV/AIDS itself, who is affected by it, and to what degree. These details could serve us all better if we knew what our community is up against. Raising funds to increase testing locations, speed, frequency, research, tracking, and awareness of its true effects is critical to collectively stemming this epidemic.
- There will be laughs. There will be surprises. There will be applause. No matter who you are and which side of sexual orientation, Spotlight can introduce you to people, their talents, their passions, and the idea that those same people can brighten a bleak, dark issue with a hopeful, helpful spotlight.
Like what you see? Follow Brent at @ProfessorLyle and Spotlight @spotlightindy. And if you’re passionate about HIV/AIDs prevention and care, check out the Damien Center.
