STITCHES Doll Project

Name: Diane Jimenez
Birth Date: February 13, 1951
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: "AIDS Indian Warrior

I feel like an Indian at war
War within myself
Each fight is harder
AIDS is, as the Indians would say,
The evil shadow.
Cast them out.
So my doll is dancing.
Casting all my demons away.

Ms. Jimenez is a woman of African, Mexican Indian and Jewish decent who lives in Yonkers, NY.

Name: Jean
Birth date: October 1, 1942
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: "Blondie"

I am leaving my doll naked - with the letter "A" standing for AIDS. A poison runs through my veins. I am Contagious - you can love me from afar but not intimately. I am reminded several times a day - every time I take my AIDS medicine, every time my T cell and viral load is taken.I have to be careful what I eat. Don't cry for me because I have AIDS. Find a cure and help those with AIDS.

She hugs her teddy bear because she needs to love.

Jean is a white woman who lives in Yonkers, NY

Name: E.D.
Birth date: May 3, 1946
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: Catherine A. Turner

My doll and I are alike as any friends. We agree we suffer when some see us like lepers. If she could talk I know she would really like to travel the world and educate others.

This Stitches Artist is a woman of Ukrainian decent who resides in New York City.

Name: Carolyn Ann Cobbs
Birth date: June 20, 1956
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown
Date of death: November 7, 2000

Title: "CeCe"

Carolyn died before she finished her doll, but her sister gave permisson for her doll to join the "STITCHES: A Doll Project" journey. As soon as Carolyn began her doll, she said, "She's got to have a criz belly like me."

All through her illness Carolyn grieved the changes in her body and talked about being scared. The doll has a big heart just like Carolyn, who was always thinking of others and spoiling us with her incredible fried chicken. We remember her wonderful laugh, warm smile, jaunty hats and tremendous strength.

With love from her doll-making sisters of the Positive Moms Support Group in Westchester County, NY

Ms. Cobbs was an African-American woman who lived in Mt. Vernon, NY

Name: Unknown
Birthdate: March 5, 1960
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: DeeDee

I wish to live outside the nursing home. I want my own place but I take so much meds every day. I’d like to get up and go but I can’t.

This Stitches Artist is a white woman who lives at Rivington House in New York City.

Name: C.V.
Birthdate: April 18, 1975
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: Egypt

Knowing you have the virus is hard.

But living with AIDS is easy for me since I have been fortunate to have a lot of support from my family and friends.

That support alone made me not ever want to give up!

This Stitches Artist is an African-American woman who lives in New York City.

Name: Unknown
Birth date: Unknown
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: "Fancy"

My name is "Fancy". At least that is the way I used to feel when I was getting ready for a night out on the town with my friends. Now, since this miserable damn virus has invaded my space/body, feeling and looking "fancy" is the least of my concerns. All I feel now is old, used up, useless and ugly. No matter how anyone tries to cheer me up, it doesn't help. No matter what medications I take to so-called help me with my depression, they don't help. And on top of all this, my poor little baby girl died 2 years ago. She was only 3 years old. Why do these horrible things have to happen? I guess God only knows. That's why I pray to him every day to please help me feel "fancy" again.

This artist is a woman living in New York City.

Name: Carmen Rivera

Birth date: December 6, 1949
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: "The Graduate"

It's never too late to be what you might have been!

Ms. Rivera is originally from Puerto Rico and now lives in New York.

Name: Maria Alicea
Birth date: January 6, 1953
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: "Gypsie"

I made my doll a gypsie because I feel like I'm coming and going constantly. I feel like I've always been a caregiver and I still am. As a person living with HIV I feel my life has changed dramatically. I went from living a normal life with few worries to a person hoping and praying constantly to see the next day.

Ms. Alicea is a white woman who lives in Yonkers, NY.

Name: S.M.
Birth date: April 25, 1969
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: "Hope"

Shattered Dreams

Dear HIV

You shadowed my future
With a bridge I cannot cross
I had been waving and waving
For you to help me cross over.
But all is in vain
Because you now hold me in bondage
Where it is impossible to escape.
You now rule my body
Like a political dictator
And I long for freedom.
You have destroyed my dreams
Of becoming a medical technologist.
Even dreams of becoming a mother,
A maternal grandmother,
And see my heritage expanding
From one generation to another.
You made me regret being a phlebotomist
Because then I wouldn't have you
In my body destroying my
Immune defense system.
I now live in the shadow of anxiety and regret.
I can only find comfort and hope,
Hope for a cure.
And I hope that I am on a journey
And when my destination arrives
God will call my name
And I will be waiting so patiently.
For I will be going
To a better place
A place for eternity
Where there will be no more suffering
But happiness and joy forever.
In the meantime
I hope for a cure.
Keep your hopes high,
Don't give up.

S.M. is an African-American woman who lives in Yonkers, Westchester, NY

Name: M.A.
Birthdate: March 19, 1964
HIV Diagnosis: Unknown

Title: Maris

I am Maris. I was born to Rosa on April 22, 2003 so I am a young babe. But shit has happened to me. I’m HIV and I’m still here, so I have learned I have a long way to go. I can do it but I am used to others doing for me. I have always lived comfortable so in a way I feel out of place. I also feel very lucky because I have met someone that cares for me which leads me to believe I am very lucky in love – which I need a lot of. Once again, I am Maris, I also have two boys, my body guard, and I love my life.

This Stitches Artist is a woman originally from the Dominican Republic who now resides in New York City.

More New York dolls are on page 2