East Bay Slimes

25% off - original price $20

TELL THE STORY, TRAVELER // As you approach the farmhouse, a flock of crows lands in the field ahead. A wave of anguish washes over you, and when the world snaps back into focus, a man stands amongst the crows. "Death has come to this place," he says. Who are you? -- you ask. "I am here for the deceased." As he speaks, two crows fly out from the farmhouse towards him, each carrying a large rectangle of colorful cloth. "Poor boys came out here to have some last peace." Are you a psychopomp? -- you ask. "As a collector of spirits?" he says, and pauses. "Perhaps. Also a collector of memories. Of stories." He takes the cloth from the birds, panels like tapestries. Names stitched into them. "Two boys who lived there. Lovers, who lived as they died. Too young, with the world turned away from them. Finally taken by the illness they could not fight. Their names. The stories of their lives, told by those who loved them, to be added to the quilt of all the others. Thousands. To remember the tragedy. The terror. The grief. The entire generation we lost. Too many will forget. Only by knowing our history, our stories—and why they were allowed to happen—can we strive forward to a better tomorrow. Tell the story, traveler." He bursts into a hundred crows & flies away into the dusk.
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The U.S. government's response to the AIDS crisis was marked by neglect, violence, & stigmatization, resulting in a significant loss of life & suffering within the LGBTQ+ community & other affected groups. The Reagan administration was reluctant to acknowledge it at all, let alone fund research and prevention. Discriminatory policies were implemented, such as banning HIV+ individuals from entering the country & silencing activists, which only served to further isolate & marginalize those already suffering. Public awareness campaigns centered around abstinence, & the high cost of HIV meds made it difficult for many to access life-saving treatment. Only through the tireless efforts of activists, affected communities, & healthcare workers was progress eventually made in understanding & addressing the epidemic.

🖐️fatty butter blanket x clay top
👃decadent vanilla-soaked cake, black currant, tangerine zest, saffron, anise, earthy green musk, tonka, bay rum
+shiny trinket, envelope, jumbled shiny letters