EXHIBITION

Young City at War: Stories from West Hollywood during the AIDS Epidemic features the dramatic and poignant story of a community’s response to the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In-depth interviews explore an important chapter of LGBTQ+ and Ally history and available online for LGBTQ+ youth, educators, and the general public.

During the outbreak of AIDS in the 1980s, diagnosis was a likely death sentence with the average life expectancy nine months. The general public viewed AIDS as a gay-related disease.  As a result, the turmoil of loss and survival became integral to the identity of West Hollywood, a city created to be an oasis for the gay community. Those who survived this catastrophic epidemic hold a fragile cultural memory. Team Lavender produced several high quality interviews with individuals who played a key role in West Hollywood’s battle against HIV/AIDS from 1984 to the present.

This project not only serves to illuminate the horrors of the AIDS epidemic, it provides inspiration and strength for those who are facing hardships today. By acknowledging this history, we hope it will not be repeated. These stories showcase the strength and empathy historically found in West Hollywood.

The Young City at War (YCAW) Exhibition is a free public exhibition featuring over 150 archival images and a 30-minute audio narration by George Takei and local community leaders. YCAW was originally installed in West Hollywood Park for World AIDS Day, 2024 and viewed by more than 3,000 visitors. This project was made possible by the City of West Hollywood. The 9-panel exhibit is now available for temporary installation at museums, community centers, schools, and governments. Please contact info@thelavendereffect.org for more information.

HIGHLIGHTS

Full interviews can be rented and streamed at http://vimeo.com/thelavendereffect/vod_pages.

OHP FUNDERS:

The Oral Histories Project was made possible with support from Cal Humanities (www.calhum.org), a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, City of West Hollywood (www.weho.org), and individuals / businesses below.

OHP SPONSORS:

Tyr Jung-Hall, Dr. Martin McCombs, Michael Bertolucci Ph.D., James Keller, Glen Moore, Bill Kaiser, Dr. Phillip Musikanth, and Harris Shepard