1 20 3 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/e0d9822a3b0c3fe642a7bd1370cfd359.mp4 23c5fb4ac876f8aa1f3cd6c4f2150900 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/bf801acb870eabb3456af5bad0e8a015.pdf 60b339d8fd9b78d08a569347020151b2 PDF Text Text Oklahomans for Equality About the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt with Val Bode and Doug Hartson Interview Conducted by Dennis Neill and Toby Jenkins Date: February 12, 2026 Edited By: Dennis Neill using Riverside Studio AI, March 28th, 2026 Restrictions: N/A Oklahomans for Equality History Project 621 E. 4th Street Tulsa, OK. 74120 918.743.4297 historyproject@okeq.org 1 �About the Names Project: The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, conceived in 1985 by activist Cleve Jones in San Francisco, is a massive community art project honoring those lost to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Officially founded in 1987, it features over 50,000 handmade panels, serving as a powerful memorial and educational tool against stigma. Key Historical Moments:  1985 Concept: During a candlelight march for Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones learned over 1,000 San Franciscans had died of AIDS. He had marchers write names on placards and tape them to the Federal Building, creating a patchwork look.  1987 Formation: The NAMES Project Foundation was established to create a lasting, traveling memorial, as many victims had no funerals.  1987 Debut: The Quilt was first displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, featuring 1,920 panels.  1988 Tour: A 20-city national tour added thousands of new panels, highlighting the nationwide impact of the epidemic.  Growth and Legacy: By 2012, it was too large to be displayed in one place, with over 48,000 panels.  2019 Homecoming: The Quilt was moved from Atlanta back to San Francisco to be managed by the National AIDS Memorial, ensuring its preservation. The Quilt has served as a critical tool in fighting the stigma, ignorance, and bigotry surrounding the AIDS epidemic. Tulsa Involvement: With the leadership of Jack Francis, Val Bode, Doug Hartson and other volunteers, portions of the Names Project Quilts were displayed on four occasions. For their excellent organization and community outreach, the National Names Project awarded the Tulsa Names Project the Chapter of the Year in 1995. The Dennis R. Neill Equality Center was one of the few centers in the country to be designated as a permanent location for portions of the Quilt. However, in 2018, the Names Project requested all panels be returned to San Francisco. Hundreds of people came to the Equality Center for a final farewell. Tulsa was able to make large silk screen copies of the panels for permanent display in the Center before the Quilts were returned. 2 �Ginnie Graham with the Tulsa World wrote an article on November 28, 2018 about the farewell. Below is an extract from the article: In 1990, about 800 of the panels came to the Maxwell Convention Center, where at least 50 new ones were added. “This is not a screaming protest. It is a beautiful, gentle way to show the enormity of the problem,” Tulsa display chairman Jack Francis told the Tulsa World. In 1993, the AIDS Quilt returned with about 1,000 panels, and about 60 more from northeastern Oklahoma were added. Those included a tranquil scene of flowers with a yellow sun for Zac Sweeney, who died at age 29; a theatrical mask and ballet shoes against a fuchsia background covered in sequins for 31-year-old Chris Monnet, who choreographed two Miss Oklahoma pageants; and a bouquet of balloons made of felt for David Wayne Robinson. In 1995, the Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion hosted enough panels to fill the lengths of two football fields. Among new Quilt panels was one for 32-year-old Wesley Townsley. A gold hook in a picture of a large fishing rod was made of a purse chain from his grandmother, who died six months before he did. ____________________________________________________ 3 �On February 12, 2026, Dennis Neill and Toby Jenkins interviewed Val Bode and Doug Hartson about their involvement with the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. The interview took place in the Nancy and Joe McDonald Library located in the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Keywords NAMES Project, AIDS Memorial Quilt, Tulsa community, Doug Hartson, Val Bode, personal stories, community support, fundraising, legacy, healing Summary This conversation explores the profound impact of the NAMES Project and the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the Tulsa community, featuring personal stories from Doug Hartson and Val Bode. They share their experiences of loss, healing, and community support while discussing the importance of remembrance and advocacy in the face of the AIDS epidemic. The dialogue highlights the Quilt's role in changing perceptions, fostering understanding, and providing a therapeutic outlet for those affected by the disease. The speakers also reflect on the challenges faced in promoting the project and the legacy it leaves for future generations. Takeaways  Doug Hartson became involved with the NAMES Project to connect with the community.  Val Bode's brother's illness with AIDS motivated her to create a Quilt panel.  The Quilt serves as a therapeutic outlet for remembering lost friends.  Community support was crucial for the success of the NAMES Project in Tulsa.  The Quilt changed people's perspectives on AIDS and its victims.  Personal stories shared through the Quilt fostered healing and understanding.  Fundraising events like 'Feast with Friends' were vital for sustaining the project.  The NAMES Project had a significant national impact, culminating in displays on the National Mall.  Challenges included societal stigma and resistance to discussing AIDS openly.  The legacy of the NAMES Project continues through education and remembrance efforts. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the NAMES Project and Personal Stories 02:52 Doug Hartson's Journey with the NAMES Project 4 �05:59 Val Bode's Personal Connection to the Quilt 09:02 The Impact of the Quilt on the Community 12:14 Family Stories and Healing Through the Quilt 15:02 Remembering Friends Lost to AIDS 17:58 The Role of Community in the NAMES Project 20:55 Fundraising and Community Engagement 24:05 The Importance of Local Support 26:54 The Final Display of the Quilt in 1996 30:14 Reflections on the NAMES Project's Legacy 39:59 The Emotional Impact of the Quilt 42:31 Community Support and Resistance 45:35 Fundraising and Financial Support 50:51 Counseling and Emotional Support 52:13 Personal Stories and Connections 53:59 Panel Submission and Documentation 57:46 Jack's Legacy and Personal Connections 01:06:01 The Quilt as a Tool for Advocacy 01:12:03 Medical Advances and Their Impact 01:15:20 Preserving the Legacy of the Quilt Dennis Neill: My name is Dennis Neill, and we also have present Amanda Thompson, the archivist, and Toby Jenkins, and we'll have the opportunity to interview Doug Hartson and Val Bode. And the purpose of this interview, on February, the 12th, 2026, in the Nancy and Joe McDonald Library at the Equality Center, is to review the history of the NAMES Project as it impacted the Tulsa community and the great involvement of both Doug and Val in the Tulsa chapter, as well as their work with the national organization. Doug, would you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your first engagement, one with the organization of OHR and TOHR and then the NAMES Project? Doug Hartson: Well, I'm Doug Hartson and I got involved, gosh, near the very, very beginning, when we were meeting in homes, and then we finally moved our monthly meetings to the Aronson auditorium in the downtown library, Central Library, and I basically became involved because I wasn't necessarily the little barfly that went out 5 �every night or every weekend, so I wanted more of a communal contact with others and wanted to really get involved in the community and helping in any way I could to have another outlet in lieu of going to some of the clubs. And gosh, that was in 80,, what was that? 80?, 81?, anyway. So and then, having done that for quite a while and unfortunately starting to lose friends to AIDS, I got in touch, I guess, with Val or with the organization and became very involved in the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt chapter here and was involved in several displays in Tulsa and then the March in Washington in 93, and then also the final full display in DC in 1996, October of 96. I made quite a few panels for friends that I had lost and just felt the need to let them not be forgotten, and it was also therapeutic and healing to do a Quilt and remember special little things that you put on the Quilt that reminded you of them and our friendship. Dennis Neill: Thank you, Doug. Val, could you kind of introduce your work initially with the NAMES Project and how long that carried on for you? Val Bode: I'm Val Bode and I first became involved with the Quilt when my brother was ill with AIDS. It was very early in the epidemic in 1988, and we had moved him from Houston back to my parents' home in Broken Arrow so the family could care for him and one day we received a phone call. We had many phone calls from friends of his in Houston checking on him, but we received a phone call from a friend, and I answered the phone and visited with the friend who said to me I plan to make a Quilt panel for Kenny when he's gone. And I said I'm not sure I know what that is. And he described the NAMES Project Quilt to me and that stayed with me in the following weeks and after my brother died I wanted to know more about it. And this was back in the days before we had the internet and all of our information at our fingertips. And, as luck would have it, there appeared in the newspaper, the Tulsa World, an article about the NAMES project Quilt coming to Oklahoma City and there was a phone number to call for information. I called the number and received this man with a deep, deep, resonant voice who explained to me all about the Quilt and its visit to Oklahoma City. And by the time I finished the phone call I had volunteered to help with the display and my sister and I both volunteered at that display in Oklahoma City. And that was in early- I think it was early 89, and Kenny had been gone less than a year. And we went to see the Quilt and, sure enough, the panel that his friend in Houston had made was within the sections that were on display, and while it was beautiful, I felt a great sadness because I hadn't taken part in making it, but by the end of the day, I learned that many people had more than one panel and that it was perfectly fine for myself and or my family to make a panel for him, and so we- my sister and my parents- left that day planning to do so and we made his panel. We spelled out his name in Legos. I don't know if that shows very well Dennis, but he was somewhat of a Lego maniac and that was one of the things that he enjoyed in his last months was drawing a building on paper and then reproducing it in Legos, and so we felt like we had to include the Legos, and I was, I was telling earlier about my dad's reluctance to participate in making the Quilt. He thought that was something that mom and the girls should do, and when we talked about the Legos, we were 6 �trying to figure out how to get them on the fabric in a way that they would stay, and we were at my parents’ house. My dad was watching a baseball game, and I took some Legos to him and I said: ”Daddy, we want to spell out Kenny's name in Legos, but we have to sew them on the Quilt. Can you make holes in these so we can sew them on like buttons?”. And he said, “Well, let me see what I can do”. And he took them into the garage. My dad took them into the garage and he came back and each Lego had eight holes around the side and from that moment on he was totally involved with the making of the panel. We sent the panel to Washington, to actually to San Francisco, where the Quilt was at home at the time, and from that day on I was involved with the Quilt. Jack Francis was determined that we have a chapter in Tulsa and so he and I really went forward with that plan and tried to get a chapter in Tulsa, which we did successfully, I think in 90, about 90, and it took a lot of hard work but we did it and we subsequently had, I believe, four major displays in Tulsa, countless small displays, outreach efforts in Tulsa and the surrounding area. Many, many of our panels went to rural areas and I have felt over these years what important work that we did with the Quilt. We saw people who became humbled and changed when they visited the Quilt. We showed the Quilt either in the Maxwell Convention Center, the Pavilion at the fairgrounds… Doug Hartson: I displayed it at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church and other churches through other organizations. It got out there and it did change people's perspective; that it wasn't just a quote-unquote gay disease, that somebody knew someone, that six degrees of separation that had died from AIDS as the pandemic grew, unfortunately, and we lost more friends. But it was also important to get the Quilt out so people understood what it meant and the information behind it and that we just never would forget our friends. Dennis Neill: Speaking of friends and family, Val, could you explain a little bit more about your brother, and I believe his last name was Valentine. Val Bode: Correct. Dennis Neill: Could you share a little bit more about your brother? Val Bode: Kenny Valentine was a forever student. He was, he was eager to learn and he was a student at Oklahoma State for many number of years and I, in recollection, I don't think he ever actually got a degree, but he was interested in so many things: languages, foreign languages. He learned Biblical Hebrew, he learned Russian, he learned German, French. He just had a zeal for learning things. And he had an innate talent drawing and creating things out of Legos. I have in my bedroom a picture that was drawn on a piece of typing paper with a pencil when my daughter, who is now 60, was a little bit of a girl, probably five years old, went to Uncle Kenny and said, Uncle Kenny, will you draw me a lighthouse? And he drew this lovely picture of a lighthouse and the rocky shore and the turbulent water coming in. And I've tried to preserve that. We have a lot of memories of him. He had a great sense of humor and was reluctant to move to Tulsa when he was ill, but he needed help and we pretty much insisted that he come to Tulsa. My parents were alive at the time and in good health. So I remember saying to him, Kenny, I 7 �think you should live with me. And he said, no, that's not a good idea because I'm going to get worse and you're going to have to still go to work and at least Mom and Dad are at home. And I said to him, but you know what's going to happen. Mom's going to think if she feeds you enough homemade soup, you're going to get well. Enough chicken noodle soup and keeps you out of drafts. And he said, yeah, I know, but I'll deal with it. And so we brought him to Tulsa, to my parents' home, and my sister and I were there as much as we could. And he actually died in a hospital. And that was tough. I was with him and I didn't have any experience with death. I didn't know what I know now. Having had both my parents die at home with hospice, I wish I had had that experience with him. But at least I was there. Val Bode in front of the panel her family made following her brother’s death from AIDS. Dennis Neill: Did you have any support like Shanti or any of the other organizations? Val Bode: We really didn't. My parents were pretty closed in about the AIDS issue, as was not unusual, especially for that generation at that time. And so we pretty much did it on our own with some help from their minister and family friends. And we had people dropping in, bringing food, as they do, and being supportive. It was a very, very difficult time for all of us. We knew so little about AIDS that I had very young grandchildren at the time, whom my brother just adored. And I was frightened for them to be with him in a closed situation. Because we didn't know. We didn't know. But I do remember, it was 8 �Christmas time, and my granddaughter, Christina, who was, I think, three at the time, helped decorate the tree. And Kenny wanted to use some of his ornaments that he had. And one of the things he had were strands of pearls, and feet and feet and feet of them. And so they got all those out, and she helped. And we got those all on the tree. And she came to me and she said, “Nan, look, Uncle Kenny got necklaces on his tree”. And so we had good times with him, too. My dad always took photographs with a 35mm camera and had countless number of slides. Yeah, your folks do, right? And so a couple of times we got out the screen and the projector and showed different family vacations and celebrations and so on. There was a picture one year of me and Kenny, and it must have been Easter because we were both dressed to the nines. And he said, “well, that must have been a good year. Those look like store-bought clothes”. So his sense of humor was still there till the very end. We treasure the time that we were able to spend with him. Dennis Neill: Val, you're sharing is so important because it really brings the personal aspect of your family, the impact on your family, and then your motivation to be with the NAMES Project. And so, Doug, is there somebody that you were really close to that really impacted you that's a part of the NAMES Project? Doug Hartson: There were several friends, but John Thomeyer, he was on the TOHR board with me for several years. And unfortunately, he passed away on Christmas, alone. Dennis Neill: You know what year? Doug Hartson: Ninety, I'll have to go back and look at his panel because John Gartland and I… Dennis Neill: You said he was alone, he died at home alone? Doug Harston: From my understanding, his mom, he was supposed to go over to his mom's for the day, for the holiday. And when he didn't show, she went over and found him. And so that was my first panel. And just the camaraderie stemming from TOHR and being on the board and being amongst friends and being able to be yourself and then having to deal with this, which was a totally different aspect than what any of us expected. And we didn't know a lot about it. Val Bode: No, we didn't. Doug Hartson: Which made it even more challenging. There were several, I don't want to go over the long list, but I just felt the need to get involved because it was a way of keeping them remembered. And again, it was therapy for me to do it. Dennis Neill: And as I recall, Doug, on John's panel, it was John on a stage in the spotlight. As I recall, do you know? Doug Hartson: The Empty Stage, yeah. We entitled it The Empty Stage because he was very involved in theater here in Tulsa. And we did the TOHR Follies every year. I was in it a couple of times. But anyway, John was always in it. And so we just felt 9 �that that was very apropos since he was so active in the community in that regard. In fact, his name was Heidi Ho. Here comes Heidi Ho. Toby Jenkins: For our viewers, I want to make sure they understand. Val, how old was your brother Kenny when he died? Val Bode: He was 37. Toby Jenkins: So a young man. Val Bode: A young man. Toby Jenkins: Doug, do you remember the ages of these folks? Doug Hartson: They were all in their mid-30s. Toby Jenkins: Thank you. Val Bode: Very, very early and way too young to be lost. I will share with you the impact that making Kenny's Panel had on my family. My parents were very reluctant to talk about AIDS, to even admit that their son had died of AIDS. And I understood that. That was typical of that generation in those times. And when we were making the Panel, as I mentioned, prior to Kenny's death, there was involvement from my parents' minister at the church they attended in Sapulpa. And he knew that we were involved, that we were making this Quilt Panel, and was quite interested to learn more about it. And he approached my sister and asked her if we would share the Quilt Panel with the congregation when it was complete. And my parents said no, they did not want to do that. And so my sister Jayne and I understood, and we said, okay, that's all right. But as time got close to the completion of the Panel, they seemed to change their minds. My mother came to me and she said, “if you took the Panel to church and you spoke, would you tell people that babies die of this disease too?” And I said, yes, of course I will. And so they agreed for us to do this. And so we had the Quilt Panel after it was completed on a table at the back of the congregation and at the back of the sanctuary. And my sister and I both spoke. We told about Kenny's illness. We told about the family's involvement. We spoke about the NAMES Project and about the making of the Panel. The plan was, at the benediction, for the family to go to the back and be at the table where the Quilt was, which we did. And as soon as the amens were said, people came to my parents and surrounded them with love and acceptance and acknowledgement and comfort. And I, today, feel like that changed them forever. It told them that this was not a death to be fearful of, that it was acknowledged how much we loved Kenny and how much we wanted to remember him and speak his name. And I think that that activity, that whole arrangement, brought them, all of us, more healing than we could have gotten any other way, any other way. And from that day on, they were involved with our displays that we had after we formed a chapter, our local displays, and they always volunteered, dressed in all whites, and did whatever 10 �we needed them to do. So that became an incredible healing tool for us, and we saw it again with so many people as we worked with the Quilt. Dennis Neill: So Val, when you talk about in all white, is this an example of what you all wore? Val Bode: Well, this was not official. Doug Hartson: Pretty close, though. Val Bode: Well, we all wore mini buttons that we collected over the years at different NAMES Project displays. I found this vest, gosh, this was before Amazon, I found it somewhere in a store and had it imprinted with Tulsa area chapter and just put my buttons on it and wore it over. Everybody wore white. The volunteers at the Quilt were requested to wear all white, and that included NAMES Project t-shirts, or just plain white. And that was so that we could be readily, oh, thank you, Doug, thank you, Doug, that was so that we could be readily identifiable to visitors. Dennis Neill: So was that part of the national program? Val Bode: That was. That was the national NAMES Project organization in organizing local displays and regional exhibitions. That was one of the requests that they made, was to see that all volunteers knew they should wear all white, if at all possible. And so it was a good way for us to stand out, to be ready to answer questions. Toby Jenkins: So I noticed on the vest that you had the buttons. So you would have bought those in advance, and I suppose there was a fee for you to purchase the button, and then did that fund that chapter's project? Val Bode: Absolutely, yes, funded either the chapter's project or the national organization. And so all the merchandise sales, which there was a lot of merchandise available, you know, t-shirts, sweatshirts, buttons, bracelets, all kinds of things. And so all of that income from that merchandise went to either local organizations or the national NAMES Project. Dennis Neill: That's very helpful. So let's spend a little more time talking about the local community and the support for the NAMES Project, and then we'd like to visit a little bit about your national involvement and your ideas about the national involvement. So when I think about the NAMES Project in Tulsa, I think of the two of you plus Jack Francis. I imagine there were others that were involved, but can you... Doug Hartson: It's just Jack. Dennis Neill: Can you describe a little bit about Jack's role, why he got involved, was he the main cheerleader for a while? Doug Hartson: He definitely was, but Val's going to be better at talking about Jack than I am. Val Bode: Jack and I spoke together after the Oklahoma City display and were determined that we would start a chapter in Tulsa. And that was an arduous process. We had a lot of work ahead of us, but we had great support. 11 �We were very involved with other organizations here in town- TOHR, Shanti- Help Me Doug, RAIN- many other organizations- and not only support for forming our chapter and putting on these displays, but also becoming involved as volunteers at displays. I mean, every single AIDS HIV organization in town fed volunteers to us because it took a lot of people to put on a major display, as we did four times, and so we had hundreds of volunteers literally. I mean, you had to unload the Quilt from the truck at the beginning and then you had to unpack everything, organize it the way it had to be organized in order for the list of names to match with the panels, and it was a big undertaking. It also cost a lot of money, and we were able to raise enough money through our Feast With Friends, which was our major fundraiser Feast With Friends, October 2000. Oh, my goodness, 26 years ago, Feast With Friends was a great time. Dennis Neill: Was that a local concept or was that a national concept? Val Bode: That was a local concept that we- oh, it was a, I think it was a group effort. We just got together as a board, including Jack and Doug and a number of other people, and we just came up with names. Doug Hartson: It was always and it still is, and it's from any organization that they do benefit dinner and auction. You do the dinner and then you have items live and silent auction, and we wanted to do something a little different, I think. We did the dinner part, but it wasn't in some hotel ballroom. That was the dessert finale and the awards, the presentations, but we encouraged friends to do dinner parties and pick a theme, and that turned out to be a lot of fun because there were some really cute, if you will, themes that came up. One of the ones that I hosted was called “Meals on Heels” and it was a hit. Val Bode: It was a hit, great fun. Doug Hartson: We raised the most money, I must say. I'm proud of that. So yeah, but no, it was a hoot. We did a… I had a roast pig. We did a big pig with the apple in its mouth in my backyard and everybody was to wear heels and coming through the gate we had a big, giant red pump and it turned out to be quite the talk of the town and I remember Rob Hill, who was blind, came with the ends of a loaf of bread taped to... heels. So yeah, so he won the most original at our party. But anyway, no, it was that. And then, oh gosh, I'm trying to think of some of the other names of the parties. Val Bode: Well, that same year- was it Betty and Peggy, or no, it was Kay and Maryhad a party “Women in Comfortable Shoes”. But the way it worked was individuals would host parties in their home in exchange for a donation to the Names Project and so, and it could be anything from hot dogs and beer to a five-course sit-down dinner, and then we all gathered at a location that we had obtained to eat dessert, and the desserts were all donated. We had teams of people who spent the day acquiring, picking up donations, and that was great fun too, because there were a couple of incidents where, you know, cobbler got spilled in the back of someone's truck or whatever. But it was a lot of fun and it was very successful. And the Names Project nationally recognized that when they awarded us Chapter of the Year in 95, that they, I believe, expressed that we 12 �created a very original and successful fundraiser which was part of the reason we won that award. Dennis Neill: You know, that brings up such an interesting thought in that the Names Project, being a national organization, brought down to the local community. It impacts so many aspects, right the grieving process, the messaging process but you also have to have a camaraderie to raise the funds that you're talking about and it can be a fun event even though we're recognizing something that's extremely serious. So talk about the emotion between grieving, messaging, having a community that supports it. It all kind of has to work together, doesn't it? Val Bode: It does. Doug Hartson: Yeah. Val Bode: And it absolutely did. Doug Hartson: It did. And again, knowledge is power and I think a lot of people became interested and were wanting to know more about the Quilt because whether they knew someone who had died from AIDS or not, it's a way for them to realize that we are all in this together and everyone is affected one way or another. And when we did the Feast with Friends dinner parties and then we had the dessert and then we actually showed the Quilt four times here, more and more people came out and again I think they appreciated the fact that it was a healing process for everyone, not just those of us who had made a Quilt, but for those in the community who wanted to know more about it and then have a deeper understanding of what it really was meant for. Dennis Neill: Did you ever know anybody that actually helped create their own Quilt? Val Bode: You know, I had heard of some people who had done that through connections with people from the national organization. I did not know anyone personally who did that. Doug Hartson: I didn't either, personally, but no. And I think it would probably be very therapeutic for them, knowing, because then they get to put their own, obviously, very personal spin on it, on the things that they wanted to be remembered by. Like Kenny with his Legos. Val Bode: Yeah, you know, that was important that we include those. Doug Hartson: So, but the national, the final display of the entire Quilt in 96, we were the central region and that was a tremendous undertaking and a lot of work, but so worth it, because that was the first year that the president acknowledged the Quilt. They actually came down and toured the Quilt. Toby Jenkins: And what year was that and who was the president, the sitting president? Doug Hartson: That was October of 96, yeah, October 11th through the 13th of 96, and, oh, sorry, the one thing I, one of the things I saved from the... 13 �Val Bode: This was one of my favorite slogans that came out of national, “Not all battles are fought with a sword”. Toby Jenkins: And so was this, Val, was this the very first time it was on display on the National Mall? Val Bode: No, this was the last time it was on display on the National Mall. The first time was 89, and I was, I was there for that display. I was there for the subsequent displays. Toby Jenkins: And in 89, who would have been president at the White House? Val Bode: Reagan, I think. Doug Hartson: Yeah. Val Bode: Was it Reagan? Doug Hartson: And he did not... Val Bode: Did not, did not... Dennis Neill: Bush. Yeah, it was Bush. Was it Bush? Yeah. Val Bode: Okay. Dennis Neill: But I noticed in the 1996, the final showing, that the honorary co-chairs were the president and Mrs. Clinton. Val Bode: Yes. Dennis Neill: I noticed Barney Frank was on there as well, and several other wellknown individuals. And I'm thinking, Doug, was that the year that you were the captain of Column 71? Doug Hartson: Yes. Val Bode: Yes. Dennis Neill: Tell us a little bit about that. Doug Hartson: Well, that was, first, very rewarding. But we were in charge, and again, it takes a village, and it takes a good team, from organizing the teams that were going to unfold the panels, who were going to read names. And in case of inclement weather, I missed the Senate dinner that night because it was going to rain, and we didn't have enough volunteers that were still around that, to get the Quilt back under cover. So, but it was… Challenging, to say the least, but it was something I'll never forget. Val Bode: It was a tremendous success. That was the year that the previous display had a lot of problems that came about, and the NAMES Project organization, national organization, as a result of those problems, recognized that their expertise did not lay with displays, that it was the chapters who were so good at displays 14 �because we did these major displays in our communities- not just us but probably a hundred other chapters- and so they decided that that knowledge should be put to use, that experience, and so the Quilt was divided into segments, virtual segments, where each chapter would have the responsibility for that segment, and as a result, I think it was a tremendously successful display. I really do. Doug Hartson: Not just because it was the last one, unfortunately, but it really went very well. Val Bode: It really did, from the steps of the Capitol Building to the pool of the Washington Monument, and when you see that area in its entirety and with the Quilt laid out, it's an incredibly impressive site. Toby Jenkins: Val and Doug, I want to ask you about a question that may just be urban legend, but it's kind of what I've heard for decades and I'm not real sure if it was Reagan or Bush, but I think when the first display Air Force One, not Air Force One- the helicopter had left the White House and it flew over and it hovered over it to take all of it in for the first time, and that that whoever was in the White House at that time, that began to be a door where there began to be a more national discussion about funding. Is that an urban legend? Val Bode: I saw the helicopter go over and I never saw it hover, did you? Doug Hartson: No. Val Bode: No, the helicopter flew over… Doug Hartson: And left the White House because they didn't want to. Val Bode: They didn't, yeah, they left the White House. Doug Hartson: In my opinion. Val Bode: - Well, in pretty much our opinion, they did not want to visit the Quilt, and I remember clearly we yelled shame, shame. Toby Jenkins: I think that was Reagan, Val Bode: I think it was Reagan. I remember it was Reagan. Toby Jenkins: You said the first display was in 80…. Val Bode: 89. Toby Jenkins: Yes, and I did check and it was Reagan. Val Bode: Yeah, I remember that clearly and I did see the helicopter, but I did not see it hover. Dennis Neill: So, with regard to the panels, do you recall, Doug, at that final display on the mall, how many Quilts were displayed for the final? Doug Hartson: How many individual panels? Val Bode: Oh, my goodness, I don't remember. 15 �Dennis Neill: Or do you know how many you were responsible for as the captain. Doug Hartson: Oh, I don't even remember that but a lot. I don't remember that either. Val Bode: It was kind of numbered, I think, by 12 by 12s, wasn't it 12 by 12s? Doug Hartson: Yeah, and it wasn't just the individual panels, because all the panels were made into a 12 by 12 section which is unfolded. So, as far as the individual panels- and I don't even know how many 12 by 12s there were- yeah… Dennis Neill: t was an impressive, incredible number. Val Bode: Absolutely, absolutely. Dennis Neill: And how about the local displays? How many would be the maximum that you think were on display in Tulsa? Doug Hartson: Well, the first one that we had at the Pavilion, we had it on the inner circle of the floor- oh, it's oval shape- and then the outer upper and then all on the floor. Val Bode: We hung panels around the bleachers. and I don't remember a number. It was a lot, it was a lot. And one of the things that I failed to mention about our local displays is we were, it was important to us to include school kids, and so the first day of the Quilt being open to the public was actually open to public schools, and we arranged with the schools in advance so they would have transportation and they brought high school kids- I think it was primarily high school kids- in by the bus load to see the Quilt and that was a really great success. One of my favorite stories came from Sharon Thoele and she spoke of a young man entering the display, and we were at the Pavilion that year- I don't know what year it was, but she spoke of him entering the Pavilion wearing his cowboy hat and his cowboy boots and strutting into the vicinity of the Quilt and she thought, oh, this is gonna be interesting. And she kind of kept an eye on him and as he walked around, she watched him and eventually she saw him on one knee with his hat in his hand and tears coming from his eyes as he viewed a panel. And that to me says it all about what the Quilt was about. It brought so much healing to people. I helped a number of people make panels for their loved ones. We had sewing bees. We had individual meetings to help people get started. Doug Hartson: Because they wanted to make one, they just didn't know the first thing to do. Val Bode: Didn't know what to do, how to get started. You know, the panel, individual panels are three feet by six feet and that's a sizable piece of fabric to work with. And so you have to kind of use your imagination to decide what, how you're going to fill that space. And I think what we did or what I did with people I met with was I arranged to meet with them in person and show them pictures and explain what these panels meant, even in regard to my own for Kenny, so that they would get an idea of how to express their love or their remembrance of the individual. And we had a lot of new panels come in at every display. They ultimately went to the National to be sewn into sections and are still there today. 16 �Toby Jenkins: So the question for our viewers earlier was how many Quilts were a part of the display in 1996 on the National Mall in Washington, DC? And I've looked this up, 42,000 individual Quilts. Val Bode: Thank you, Toby. Yes, 42,000. And so, and you think of that as such a tremendous number that's represented there, yet it was only a fraction of those who died, a small fraction. Dennis Neill: So you mentioned how emotional the experience could be for many people, and I'm sure there's many stories you could share about that. How about, and everything I've seen, the media coverage was very good in the Tulsa community. How about any pushback? Did you come up with any resistance or people that saying that we need to quit recognizing this AIDS situation? Doug Hartson: Personally, I didn't. It was quite the opposite. I had people from other organizations I was involved in at the time, not just TOHR, but my church, and they, like I said, knowledge is power. They really, I spoke in Sunday school classes about it, I took panels, and they were very open to learning more about the Quilt. So I personally never had any bad situations come up from it, fortunately. Dennis Neill: And I noticed at the National, lots of corporate sponsors, and we had a lot of corporate sponsors locally, as I recall. Doug Hartson: Yes. Val Bode: Yes we did. I'm having trouble remembering, but we did. And even unrecognized sponsors, for instance, at the time I worked for Oneok, and at the time I was involved with the displays, my management was very supportive of anything that I needed to do during the day involving the Quilt. And in addition to that, we had a wonderful graphic arts department that did just everything, and they would make my, you know, 500 copies of something and punch holes in it, or whatever I needed, publish our newsletter for us. They just did a tremendous amount that we would otherwise have had to pay for, and that was incredibly helpful. I don't remember any pushback from the public. We had tremendous support. It seemed everywhere we turned, you know, not everybody was able to help financially, but everyone seemed supportive. Dennis Neill: And you recall in 1996 there was also evidently a musical that was put on that was a benefit for the Names Project. Do you all recall that, and who helped pull that event together? Val Bode: Oh, who did that? Friends of Broken Arrow Community Playhouse, okay. Yeah, and I don't, I just don't remember a lot about that. Doug Hartson: I don't either, unfortunately. Dennis Neill: And other than Feast for Friends, do you recall any other kind of grassroots fundraisers that helped you all? Val Bode: Oh, hmm. Doug Hartson: That was, again, our main fundraiser of the year I don't recall any other... 17 �Toby Jenkins: So, I have two questions. Val Bode: Sure. Toby Jenkins: So, you would have been a part of the organizing group, maybe you know the answer to this. I know you've talked about it was on display at the Maxwell Convention Center, which today is Arvest, the Arvest Convention Civic Center, and it was on display at the fairgrounds at the Pavilion. Did your chapter have to pay a rental fee? No public dollars were used for that, so you didn't... Val Bode: We did pay a rental fee. That all came out of our fundraising efforts, yes. Toby Jenkins: Second question, do you have a guess? Like, were there 5,000 people that came through and viewed it? Weren't there 10,000? Do you remember? Val Bode: Yeah, we used to have numbers. Doug Hartson: We used to have the clicker at the door and keep track of how many did come. Val Bode: I cannot remember numbers. Doug Hartson: It was thousands, though. Val Bode: Yes, it was... Toby Jenkins So, this part of it, I remember it would have been in the early... What was the last time it was at the convention center? Val Bode: It would have been... Doug Hartson: Ninety... Val Bode: Ninety-six... Toby Jenkins: No, this would have been later. Dennis Neill: So, there was one in 1996. Val Bode: 1997,... yeah. I think it was 97, yeah. Toby Jenkins: So, I can remember when it was at the Maxwell Convention Center. I was recently out, and I had my children on the weekends, and I asked their mother if it would be all right if I took them to that, and they were both pre-adolescent, or I think my son was already 12 or 13. And I can remember this. We had to stand in line to get in the building for about 40 minutes. I mean, there was a long line. You parked, and then you had to stand in line to get in the building. So, I remember that part, and I can remember there being large crowds of us walking in between, so I remember that part of it. Dennis Neill: I think one quote Jack had was he expected 10,000. Val Bode: And I think we surpassed that at one point, yeah. The attendance was phenomenal. 18 �Dennis Neill: And Toby mentioned about paying rent and probably paying for security and so forth. Did you actually have to pay national, too, as part of... Val Bode: Yes. Dennis Neill: And kind of, how did that work out? Did you pay for just the transportation, or were there other fees associated? Val Bode: Actually, yes and no. Doug Hartson: For the Quilts to come from San Francisco… Val Bode: There was a fee, just a display fee. And we actually had transportation donated by a trucking company. I cannot remember their name, I'm sorry. We also had all of our stanchions that we used for display and divisions and so on and so forth. All of that was donated by a local company with whom Jack had a connection, and he arranged that every display. They were wonderful. We had most of our printing was donated, mostly by Oneok. And we listed them as a donor. I'm trying to remember, there were so many things. But it was costly to have a major display, because the fee to the national organization was significant. It was a significant fee, and so that was the starting point. And then you had all these other things. You had to rent the facility, you had to have security, you had to display materials, the printing, just so much that you wouldn't think of just off the top of your head. Dennis Neill: It seemed like you had volunteer counselors too. Val Bode: We did, we did, and many of those came from other organizations in town, but we reached out to RAIN and TOHR and all of the AIDS and HIV organizations for help from their counseling professionals so that when there was someone who was really in trouble, really having a tough time, we could get, hone in, the volunteer involved could hone in on a counselor and get them together and if necessary take them to a back room or whatever was required in order to help them get through it because some people became very emotional. It was really tough. Doug Hartson: We went through a lot of boxes of these [tissues]. Val Bode: We bought a lot of tissues. Doug Hartson: One of... each 12x12 because just like Sharon's story of the student with the cowboy hat, upon entering it was just like, oh yeah, there's another field trip and then by the time they were ready to leave it had touched his heart and did a lot of people. Whether you knew a person on that panel or not, it's just the emotion of realizing what that represents. Val Bode: And we saw that over and over and over again. Doug Hartson: Which made it, not sounding tacky, but it made it rewarding and knowing that we were reaching the community and that's why we were doing it. Val Bode: Well, and in retrospect, it was incredibly important work that we did. We, I don't think, fully realized at the time what we were doing as far as its impact, but we recognized it in little pieces like with the kid with the cowboy hat. The mother, there 19 �was a mother down near Muskogee who called me and wanted to make a panel for her son, but her husband, who was a stepdad, was objecting. He did not want her to be involved. And we talked, I don't know how many times, on the phone. And I did everything I knew to do to try and help her along with this process. And as our next display became closer and I had talked to her about bringing her panel to that display, she's always said, “I just don't think I'll be able to do it. My husband doesn't want me to do it. I don't know that I can do it”. And I remember at that display, someone who was working at the table where you checked in new panels came and found me and said, there's a lady here who wants to see you. And I would not have recognized, I'd never met her in person, but it was her. And that touched my heart because somehow, she was able to do that and to bring us her son's panel and she shared it with me and told me all about it and how she was so glad that she was finally able to do that and to bring it to us there at the Quilt display. And it had a tremendous impact on me that I was a little part of that and that somehow, she did what she wanted to do. Dennis Neill: So you mentioned this was a new panel. Was each display a mix of panels from National and then the local panels? And would you talk through a little bit about how that was accomplished, how you let new panels in, and then what was the process of returning those new panels to the NAMES Project? Val Bode: Okay. Doug Hartson: It was a combination of previous or older panels and then the new ones, like Val was saying, the mother from Muskogee, unfortunately there were always new panels. So there was a table at the display where you could bring your panel and check it in and then of course, we would include it in the current display. And then, I don't remember how long after the fact that we had to send it back to San Francisco, but again, we kept several here and several had been on display here at the Equality Center. Val Bode: We documented every new panel that came in with, you know, details of its content, details of the panel maker or panel makers, all of the information that the National Project would want to archive along with this panel. I believe we sent most of the new panels back with the remainder of the Quilt and along with the documentation. We may have kept a few for local displays. The national organization made every effort to send us 12 by 12 sections that included names that originated in Tulsa, whether it was a Tulsa person who lived here or a family or panel maker who lived here. And so they did a really good job of that. We also requested specifically individual 12 by 12s. Every 12 by 12 has a number and so we were able to look for names in the list that we wanted to have included and request that 12 by 12. And they were very accommodating about making that happen. It didn't happen always because there were other displays going on simultaneously all over the country, but they did a really good job of getting us the panels that we wanted to see. Dennis Neill: I believe the Names Project website, which is still a searchable website, does it have all that detail that you were to collect on each panel or is it just a summary like name and date of birth? 20 �Val Bode: Yeah, it's basically a summary. They have archival photos of every individual panel that are absolutely wonderful. My brother-in-law ordered for me and my sister a framed photo of Kenny's panel and then it has an inset at the bottom that says the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. And they really have done a good job of archiving and protecting the Quilts. Dennis Neill: So Val, when you bring that up, I believe this must be an example of one from the National with Philip Bray? Val Bode: Absolutely, absolutely. Philip Bray, yes. Dennis Neill: Philip was very active with us with TOHR for a number of years. Val Bode: So you can see by this photo, it's a high-quality photo of the panel. You get that, Dennis? Dennis Neill: Thank you very much. Val Bode: Yeah, those are wonderful. Dennis Neill: So we're very blessed, Val and Doug, to have a nice collection of material that you all helped create. And one, I'd like for you to talk a little bit more, Val, about how Jack got involved, what was his emotional connection, and then talk to us a little bit about the material you have and then, Doug, you can talk a little bit about the material that you have. So Val, why don't you start? Val Bode: Well, Jack had a very close friend who died from AIDS, and I believe he had moved to Dallas. I think so. And that was the first panel that Jack made. I think Jack made several over the years, because he lost other friends as well. Jack was a man who was dedicated to things that he believed in. He was an officer in the Navy. He was a successful employee of Social Security after his retirement from the Navy, and he was a force with which to be reckoned. And so Jack, I think, was one of the first people in Tulsa to recognize that this entity, the Quilt, had tremendous power, that it had the power to heal, the power to teach, the power to change minds. And he was dedicated to the Quilt. His dedication had no bounds. He was there every minute of every day of every display. He never missed a moment of it. And his ability to impact the rest of us was very strong, wasn't it, Doug? He was a strong personality who could be a gentle giant and a delightful man. And I was honored one time he referred to me as the daughter he never had. And that touched me very deeply because he was a sweetheart to me. I remember, he could be difficult to deal with at moments, he had his times. Doug Hartson: This is true. Yeah. Val Bode: But when he decided to retire from the active board of the NAMES Project Tulsa, Sharon Thoele and I took over, and Jack had trouble letting go, and I remember Sharon saying, well, we've just got to talk to him. And we agreed, and she said, well, you're going to have to do it because he likes you better. Dennis Neill: Do you remember what year that was? 21 �Val Bode: It was late in the 90s, yeah. Dennis Neill: So was he involved with you for all four? Val Bode: Yes. Every single one. Toby Jenkins: So Val has talked about Jack Francis, who his picture, and he is on our military veterans wall of honor, and you talked about his being a very direct and forceful person. That was because he was a lieutenant commander of an Air Force carrier in World War II. So he served our country, and so he was used to people doing what he said. Doug Hartson: And we did. Val Bode: I have to share a story with you. Jack died peacefully in his sleep, and his dear friend Don Barnum and I found him in his home, in his apartment, because we became concerned, we couldn't reach him. And so we were there into the wee hours of the night waiting for the medical examiner or someone. And I remember one of the police officers who first responded to our 911 call and seemed to be in charge, noticed a framed picture of Jack with some medals and his title. And he came to me and he said, I see your friend was a lieutenant commander in the Navy. And I said, yes, he was. And he said, that's a pretty high rank. And I said, yes, I know that. And if he could sit up right now, he would tell you to get this show on the road. Toby Jenkins: So let me interject this. In 2011, when the ban was lifted on allowing gays to serve openly in the military, and we had military recruiters come from the Pentagon, Jack was in the lobby when they arrived. And when the U.S. Navy military recruiter walked through, Jack stood out of his chair. By then he was pretty feeble and he stood out of his chair and he saluted him. And then he sat down and just wept and wept. That military recruiter kind of hugged him and it was a very emotional thing that he had lived long enough to see gay people be able to serve openly in the military. This is so our viewers will know who Jack Francis was. Val Bode: Thank you. Yes. He was very proud of his military service. And that meant a great deal to him that he did live to see that happen. Toby Jenkins: Well, that explained why he was forced to be... Doug Hartson: Yes, Jack, whatever you say, Jack. Val Bode: Yes. Dennis Neill: So Val, talk a little bit more about your collection of information. Val Bode: Well, just over the years, I saved everything I could think of that came along. So many photographs from not only the national displays, but our regional displays. And those were really important that I was able to share them. It was great that I had someone to share them with. My concern was, what is going to happen to these when I'm gone from this earth? My grandchildren, they probably don't want them. And although some of my grandchildren are in those books as little children and they're grown adults now, but to having the Equality Center be willing to take these things from me and... 22 �Dennis Neill: We are honored. Val Bode: Thank you. Thank you. I am so happy to know that they will be cared for and that they'll be available to other people because everything that's in here was important to me. Doug Hartson: It's history. Val Bode: It's part of my history and I feel it's some of the most important work I've ever done. Dennis Neill: Amanda, you promise to take good care of her materials? Amanda Thompson: Absolutely! Val Bode: Thank you, Amanda. Amanda Thompson: It's a big honor. Dennis Neill: And Doug, do you want to talk a little bit about what you have? Doug Hartson: Basically the same stuff. Anyone who knows me knows that I keep a lot of paperwork and save everything, like Jack did. So, no, I feel just like Val does that...My nephews don't want it and I, going through things at home, I was just like this is such a big part of my life and I want others to have the privilege to seeing this. It is part of our history and those who weren't even born yet to have the opportunity to look and and hopefully also be touched and know that it's unfortunately not over, that it's an important part of all of our lives, and so I'm. As I come across more goodies, I will definitely bring them down to you, but I'm very grateful that OkEq is going to take care of it. Dennis Neill: Thank you very much. Toby, why don't you talk a little bit more with them about the involvement of the center and how the Quilts came here and then your story about when we send them back and anything else you want to cover. Toby Jenkins: So, Dennis is wanting us to highlight how, as y'all were on the front end of how the Quilts came into being, this was the way for families and friends to be able to express their love and remember their loved ones, and it also then became an advocacy tool that you were able to display it to the public, and it changed the heart of a nation. It changed our country. It appealed to something that everybody in our country had a connection: the loss of a loved one and family- and these are not outsiders. This is my family member, and I love them. So the Quilts were, when we opened the Equality Center, when we purchased this permanent space, we became one of the few LGBT organizations in the country that owned its own building. Now I know that that's not profound, but it was at the time. We had our own building and it belonged to us. It wasn't a leased space, and so that's how we were able to approach- at that time I think the Names Project was in AtlantaDoug Hartson: Yes. Val Bode: Yes Toby Jenkins: So we were able to approach them. And they allowed us… we have the documents they allowed us to have on permanent display, the panels we 23 �specifically had on the permanent display, the panels of individuals from Oklahoma, not just necessarily Tulsa, but from Oklahoma. Yeah, so, more than once, more than once, I would say dozens and dozens of times- we would have family members and friends, coworkers, people who went to church, college. They would come to the center and see the panel, see a Quilt panel, and had no idea it would be here and would see it for the first time, and it would be a very emotional, moving time. So when individuals would tour the Equality Center, we had university groups, corporations, faith communities who would tour- we always made sure we brought special attention and explained the AIDS panels and the stories. Always in those tours there would be individuals who would recognize the names of those Tulsans or those Oklahomans. And then when they moved, when they built the new AIDS Museum in San Francisco, the national organization wanted to bring all the Quilts in, and so they asked that our Quilts return. And well, there was, you know, kind of some confusion over that and we decided at the moment I mean, I was willing to fight- these are our Quilts, these are Oklahoma Quilts. You told us we can have them on display. And when we finally our board, decided, you know, we need, we need to let them be a part of the national thing. And so we, Jeremy Stevens and his partner, Alan Mueggenborg, I think as I pronounce it. They approached us. Jeremy Stevens was serving on the board at the time and he said we could make replicas of those. And so what we did is we pulled in our photographers and our staff and it was a very detailed process and we had, if you remember Council Oak, we had the Quilt is going to be leaving, you come see it, and we had thousands of people come to see it for the last weekend and then we took those pictures and we created silk screen panels that are there's such high quality definition photography that when you look at them you think you're looking at a three-dimensional image, because the Quilts you could- I mean it had people's personal effects, their letter jackets, their baptismal gowns, their legos, so we made sure we did it. Now, the reason that became significant, CenterLink- the International Network of LGBT centers- when they heard that we had done that, they asked for us to do a little tutorial on how we did that and then other centers then would request the panels from their area and they would bring them in and have them digitally reproduced. And so it became a way that centers across the country could have facsimiles is what they are. The other part that I want to talk about is the way it was able to change people's lives. It made it personal instead of this being a report you heard on the news about right wing fundamentalist people who wanted to use this as this is God's judgment on the country and they brought them up, you know, when we were in this, Americans have lots of opinions and so there were people who ostracized them, there were people who felt like they got what they deserved, but the AIDS Quilts shut that down. It brought that to silence and it made them be ashamed of them being so cruel and the majority of the American people began to say these are our people, these are our families, these are our siblings and our children and our spouses and our coworkers and this is them and it really changed the hearts of the country. The other significant part, I wish I had the medical technology for this, but the AIDS epidemic 24 �was so frightening because we didn't know and then there wasn't a treatment. You were diagnosed, you got sick and you could be gone quickly. Doug, do you happen to remember the first friend you had die of AIDS? Do you remember? Val, do you remember any details like that? Val Bode. Kenny was the first person I actually knew who had AIDS. If there was anybody earlier, I was not aware of it. Doug Hartson: John Thomeyer was probably mine and then there's the list, but I'm happy to say that I have quite a few friends who are living with HIV and AIDS, fortunately with the cocktails and other medications that have come along, which I think is all part of it. That circle is that okay, this is the problem, this is part of acknowledging and remembering the problem and then you come up with hopefully a solution and again, knowledge is power. Toby Jenkins: So this is the point I want to make about that. The researchers, the medical professionals who were trying to find a treatment for those who had been infected and those who were living with AIDS, that took over a decade for them to finally find…that discovery, that medical discovery, that treatment plan, 30 years later is what saved this world from the pandemic destroying the world. The deaths were horrific, but they were small compared to what they could have been because the medical discoveries and treatment plans, those same treatment plans that saved individuals' lives, then began the treatment plan for us to have our vaccines and for us to be able to save people's lives. So for me, I remember when the news began to report this and Fauci was our, I forget what his role was… Dennis Neill: Pretty much head of CDC. Toby Jenkins: So I can remember at the time when the news broke that they found something and it was the people who had worked on the AIDS vaccines. I remember thinking to myself, they did not die in vain. We didn't lose them in vain. Their lives will live on, their legacies will live on. They saved the world from a greater pandemic. Doug Hartson: Decades later, I mean, who would have ever thought? Val Bode: Yes. Dennis Neill: So what else would you all like to share about the NAMES Project, your personal involvement, the impact, and how you see a living legacy of the NAMES Project going forward? Val Bode: I think it's something that we can continue to share, that even though we don't have active panels, active chapter in Tulsa, we can continue to share with friends, acquaintances, family, our stories as we're doing here today. And as we have spoken and gone on, I think of my, I have five grandchildren, mostly grown, all of them, and five great-grandchildren at varying stages of their lives. And for my great-grandchildren, you know, I raised three of my grandchildren, and they were with me all the time at NAMES Project meetings and displays and everything, and so they remember all this very clearly, and they still talk about it. But my great- 25 �grandchildren have no exposure to this, and I plan to give them some. It is my desire in being here and hearing our own stories to share some of this with those little ones. They need to know that this happened, that their uncle was one of the names on this Quilt, and that we remember his name. Dennis Neill: Hopefully, once we have the video ready for you, they'll be willing to sit down and see it. Val Bode: Absolutely. Dennis Neill: And Doug, how about for you? Doug Hartson: Basically, never forget. We don't have any displays currently. I think it's wonderful that everything is housed in San Francisco, so it's not lost. There's not a panel that someone made that's going to be forgotten. But it doesn't need to be forgotten here. We need to keep it current. We need to keep the people who were not even born yet aware of what major part of our history this is or was and still is. And so just never forget, and may it live on. Dennis Neill: I think it's particularly important that we do keep the focus, because we know the current administration is downplaying World AIDS Day and the other important steps that had been taken previously. But we're still going to be there, and we're still going to be telling these stories, aren't we? Val Bode: Yes, we are. Dennis Neill: Toby, anything else you think we should cover in this interview. Toby Jenkins: Well, I just want you to know what an honor. Thank you so much. That must have taken hours and money out of your own pockets, and you had to miss lots of other stuff, and you probably, you were so busy. And I know that probably at the time, you may have had people who criticized or complained, why didn't you do it this way? But thank you so much that you did it, and that both of you have faithfully kept materials that can become a part of the official archives. Val Bode: Well, and I think a great deal of the honor is ours as well. I'm certainly honored that you would invite us here to do this, and that you are willing to take our souvenirs and take care of them. Doug Hartson: Our cherished possessions. Toby Jenkins: And I would say this. I don't know that Val, I've ever knew this part about Kenny, that his panel had Legos on it. And I'm telling you, this could be taken out to schools. Because right now, Legos is everybody. Val Bode: It's big, yes. Toby Jenkins: And people would really connect with it. Val Bode: I think you're right, yeah. And in fact, my grandchildren, who were little at the time when we did this, they were always intrigued with Uncle Kenny's panel because it had Legos on it. You know, that was a big draw for them. Dennis Neill: So can you retrieve the panels for a showing any more? 26 �Toby Jenkins: Yeah, you can. Doug and Val: You can. Dennis Neill: We need to think about that for the next World AIDS Day. Dennis Neill: Any final comments that you all would like to share? Doug Hatson: Just thank you for having us. Val Bode: Oh, thank you for this opportunity. It's been delightful. Dennis Neill: Like Toby said, it is our honor. Val Bode: Well, ours as well. Dennis Neill: We will protect it. Val Bode: Thank you. Doug Hartson: Thank you. Val Bode: All of you. 27 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] HIV & AIDS > NAMES Project Description An account of the resource <strong>Physical Media:</strong> <br />Box 3, Folder 5 - NAMES Project<br /><br /><strong>Digital Media:</strong> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2026] Val Bode and Doug Hartson Interview Description An account of the resource Deed of gifts and informed consents available in person at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. Subject The topic of the resource Val Bode and Doug Hartson Names Project Interview from February 12, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Val Bode, Doug Hartson, Dennis Neill Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 12, 2026 2026 AIDS AIDS deaths AIDS Quilt AIDS/HIV AIDS/HIV discrimination AIDS/HIV education Dennis Neill Dennis R. Neill Dennis R. Neill Equality Center Doug Hartson Equality Center Feast with Friends HIV HIV/AIDs interview NAMES Project NAMES Project quilt OkEq Equality Center oral history oral history interview oral history transcript transcript Val Bode video https://history.okeq.org/files/original/0a77e5f01d9f84c4e9a2b394f0bf16a5.mp4 ecdc9569b7afd1d9057b6f6de482de8a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] HIV & AIDS > NAMES Project Description An account of the resource <strong>Physical Media:</strong> <br />Box 3, Folder 5 - NAMES Project<br /><br /><strong>Digital Media:</strong> Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [1989] Names Project Quilt Video https://history.okeq.org/files/original/9b290f5630d46030ca0f7fbb2261f2eb.pdf acd5b25a7a320a471bbfe0ca0507309d PDF Text Text �� https://history.okeq.org/files/original/1339a804101e2a61ef07fa9d55ac39dd.pdf 016b40680500efe61f0321ddbaad38df PDF Text Text �� https://history.okeq.org/files/original/ccecd5d20be74588b545dcee9fa195b4.pdf 3d0862e587592d3a6e524169595c1826 PDF Text Text � https://history.okeq.org/files/original/693a6abc31fdb2d7c81cbcd73db164e2.pdf a2d5cd3aa9230e12a1ef3b93cdae5557 PDF Text Text ������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] HIV & AIDS > NAMES Project Description An account of the resource <strong>Physical Media:</strong> <br />Box 3, Folder 5 - NAMES Project<br /><br /><strong>Digital Media:</strong> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [1993-1996] AIDS Quilt Subject The topic of the resource AIDS Quilt Description An account of the resource Documents and items relating to the AIDS quilt. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource December 2, 1993 August 26, 1995 September 1995 October 13, 14, 15, 1995 Septermber 29, 1996 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The NAMES Project Leslie Smith Alpha Mu Iota Melanie Busch Tulsa World Language A language of the resource English Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant AIDS HIV The Names Project AIDS Quilt