Reflection 1: "The Gay Disease"—On the '80s AIDS Crisis

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, doctors began reporting sharp increases in rare types of pneumonia, cancer, and other illnesses in gay men in New York City and Los Angeles. By 1983, a new virus—HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)—had been identified. And the syndrome resulting from infection of HIV was called AIDS. As public health officials began to piece together the AIDS puzzle, the disease was already devastating gay male populations in major US cities. Compounding an already tense situation were the public’s escalating fears and misconceptions about the virus—and those who carried it. AIDS was quickly dubbed a “gay disease,” and those inflicted with the virus, already no strangers to homophobia, faced increased discrimination. By decade’s end, the scope of AIDS grew to include heterosexuals, and slowly a new consciousness about the disease arose. For your first reflection, look back at AIDS in the '80s. What are your impressions of that time? And what do you believe that era can teach us about today? How has American society progressed since those days, and what has remained stubbornly the same?

Choose at least two of the following for your discussion:

• "HIV in the '80s: 'People Didn't Want to Kiss You on the Cheek'" (CNN)
• "[Serious] Gay Men Who Lived Through the HIV Epidemic of the 1980s, What Was it Like?" (Reddit) 
• "These Posters Show what AIDS Meant in the 1980s" (Buzzfeed)
• "Hollywood's Struggle to Deal with AIDS in the '80s" (CNN)
• "Survivors of 1980s AIDS Crisis Reveal What Happened to Them" (GayStarNews)
• "Remembering Ryan White, the Teen Who Fought Against the Stigma of AIDS" (Newshour)

Requirements:

• MLA Style
• Two pages in length
• Works cited page

Due: Th 9.8

Mutimedia Presentations

As you know, this semester you and a classmate (or classmates) will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation. 

Requirements: 

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time 
• There should be 10-12 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length) 
• On the day of your presentation, email your presentation (or a link) to me at dhdelao@gmail.com. 

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). However, please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus). Groups may be docked for a lack of preparedness. 

The best presentations will: 

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone 
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities 
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are time savers
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important 

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual design of your presentation. 

Lower scoring presentations might: 

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront 
• Be thinly researched 
• Allow visuals to overrun their content or lack a cohesive style 
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—this is often achieved by reading an entire presentation 
• Lack multimedia 
• End without a concluding slide 

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adapter to connect to the university’s projection system. Newer model PCs with HDMI-only connections will also require special adapters. 

Presentation topics:

1. Ready Player One: When Atari Ruled the World
2. Icons of the '80s: Tom Cruise
3. Must-See-TV in the '80s: On NBC’s Legendary Thursday Night Lineup
4. They’re Here: All About '80s Horror Films
5. I Heard the News Today, Oh Boy: The Assassination of John Lennon
6. Parental Advisory: The PMRC and the Fight Against Music Censorship
7. Icons of the '80s: Donald Trump
8. Fire in the Sky: The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
9. Let’s Dance: Flashdance, Footloose, and Dirty Dancing
10. '80s Hi-Tech: The Walkman, Apple II, and the VCR
11. The First First Ladies of Hip Hop: Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte, and Queen Latifah
12. Urban Legends of the '80s
13. This is Thriller: When Michael Jackson Ruled the World
14. Golden Days: The 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
15. 7.1: Revisiting the Loma Prieta Earthquake
16. Icons of '80s Sports: Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, and Mary Lou Retton
17. Jodi Foster and the Man Who Shot a President
18. Be Good: When E.T. Ruled the World
19. Send Money Now: The Televangelist Scandals of the '80s
20. Team USA and the "Miracle on Ice"
21. '80s Fads: Rubik’s Cubes, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and Jazzercise
22. Women Rock: The Go-Go’s, Pat Benatar, and Heart
23. Icons of the '80s: Oprah Winfrey
24. Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams: Inside Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
25. Act Up!: AIDS Activism in the '80s

Sec. 54:

Week 5: Tu 9.20/Th 9.22  - Laura D/Marvin P - Ready Player One: When Atari Ruled the World

Week 6: Mo 9.26/We 9.28 - Shelley L/Ailan N - Urban Legends of the '80s

Week 7: Tu 10.4/Th 10.6 - Xen A/Alejandra G - Be Good: When E.T. Ruled the World

Week 7: Tu 10.4/Th 10.6 - Hannah S/Jessica V- Icons of the '80s: Oprah Winfrey

Week 8: Tu 10.11/Th 10.13 - Irene R/Joel R - Golden Days: The 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

Week 8: Tu 10.11/Th 10.13 - Brianna H/Khim P - Icons of '80s Sports: Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, and Mary Lou Retton

Week 9: Tu 10.18/Th 10.20 - Aishwarya V/Julie T - Jodi Foster and the Man Who Shot a President

Week 10: Tu 10.11/Th 10.13 - Jason H/Zachary G/Ariyan W - Team USA and the "Miracle on Ice"

Week 10: Tu 10.11/Th 10.13 - Kevin B/Aya A - They’re Here: All About '80s Horror Films

Week 11: Tu 11.1/Th 11.4 - Marissa H/Joshua G - '80s Hi-Tech: The Walkman, Apple II, and the VCR (Presenting 11.4)

Week 11: Tu 11.1/Th 11.4 - Phoung N/Adrian O - Send Money Now: The Televangelist Scandals of the '80s

Week 15: Tu 11.29/Th 12.1 - Garon R/Matthew P - 80s Fads: Rubik’s Cubes, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and Jazzercise

Sec. 43:

Week 5: Tu 9.20/Th 9.22 - Steven L/Cesar L - Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams: Inside Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Week 6: Mo 9.26/We 9.28 - Matthew M/Jefferson L/ Francisco Z - Ready Player One: When Atari Ruled the World
Week 7: Tu 10.4/Th 10.6 - Henry C/Abigail C - Be Good: When E.T. Ruled the World
Week 7: Tu 10.4/Th 10.6 - Lorraine B/Morgan L - The Music Behind the Movies: The Genius of John Williams
Week 8: Tu 10.11/Th 10.13 - Amrik A/Esther L - Icons of the '80s: Oprah Winfrey
Week 9: Tu 10.18/Th 10.20 - Kenneth W/Vivian T - 7.1: Revisiting the Loma Prieta Earthquake
Week 10: Tu 10.25/Th 10.27 - Brian N/Erica R - They’re Here: All About '80s Horror Films
Week 10: Tu 10.25/Th 10.27 - Jessica S/Ruby V - '80s Fads: Rubik’s Cubes, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and Jazzercise
Week 8: Tu 10.11/Th 10.13 - Richard P/Koby N - Urban Legends of the '80s
Week 11: Tu 11.1/Th 11.4 - Sancia S/Tyler R - Icons of the '80s: Donald Trump
Week 12: Tu 11.8/Th 11.10- Kayla S/William Y - This is Thriller: When Michael Jackson Ruled the World
Week 15: Tu 11.29/Th 12.1 - Solomon R/Gennyuh - Team USA and the "Miracle on Ice"