Metro Variety, The Children's Charity Presents Catchers , Concept® Created by Rob T. Allen & Linda Solomon Fisher from page 21 Private Concert Starring now, but had a hard time getting stuff to happen. All the presidents have increased funding. "Congress is really good, but they need to be more responsive to the changing face of this epidemic. First money went to the bigger cities, but now the disease is spreading into rural areas in the South and the Midwest. The bigger cities have done well, but they are still getting the money [rather than these other areas]." Bernadette Peters Musical Director Marvin Laird Did your father have any influ- ence on your speaking at the Republican convention? Featuring Johnny Trudell & 28-piece Orchestra Friday, June 23, 2006 6:00 p.m. The Townsend Hotel Black Tie • Valet Parking Tickets: Friend, $500; Patron, $750; Benefactor, $1000 Proceeds Benefit the Organizations Variety Supports For Information & Tickets, Call the Variety Office, (248) 258-5511 1128390 EARLY SUMMER SALE!! All Merchandise 40%-50%-60% OFF Women's Sizes 2-14 Garfield & Marks Renfrew Womyn 3 Dot Cambio Jeans 525 David Kahn Jeans 4 What was your father's reaction to your speech? One Girl Who Johnny Was Andrew Marc Sienna Studio Drama Equestrain Elliott Lauren "The next morning after my speech, he went to a meeting where people stood up and applauded him. He was introduced as Mary Fisher's father. He was very proud of me, and I'm happy about that. "He is a hard act to follow. All of us have special things we do to carry on the calling he taught us about giving back. I hope he's proud looking down. He led by example, and he led us the same way. He was a very powerful communicator and consensus builder — he could do it anywhere with any group. And leadership — he told us it was imperative to be a leader first; you can't call on them if you're not willing to lead yourself." DAYS ONLY!!! Friday, June 16th Saturday, June 17th Monday, June 19th Tuesday, June 20th Complaisant West Bloomfield Plaza (Next to Deli Unique) 6720 Orchard Lake Road West Bloomfield, MI (248) 855-6566 June 15 • 2006 "I took my sons for their first trip last year for a memorial for Max. We toured and Zachary just got touched. You go with that passion. He went back this year and worked on an archaeologi- cal site in the Negev. He was the only young person and he held his own. He left last week for Israel and will partici- pate in different programs. "I will go to Israel this summer. In the fall, I'll go to speak [about AIDS] and have an art show." The 25th anniversary of the discovery of AIDS was this month. Activists and those infected say the epidemic is being forgotten. "Here, yes, people are forgetting. In other countries, they can't ignore it. [In Zambia, for example, one in six people is infected.] UNAIDS is working to cre- ate more dialogue. "And there are 16 million orphans because of AIDS, with issues of secu- rity, food and medical needs. " ... We need to get them to look at it like a health issue, not a sex or reli- gious issue." "As an artist, you are driven by passion. Are you fueled by the same passion for AIDS activism?" "For me, it's interesting to get into the studio and not know what's hap- pening or what you're doing. Then something happens — the creative passion, the soul place — that's almost meditative. Then I'm driven to add, to play, to finish. "When I'm speaking with women around the world with AIDS, what hap- pens is that same kind of passion. You share your story with someone and they share, too. That same passion con- nection happens. I definitely feel that passion comes into my art. It comes from the soul of those eyes, those faces. I am pulled by faces. I just want that emotion in my art:" Your powerful art involves photography, textiles, text, sculpture — mostly the faces of women and girls touched by HIV/AIDS. "My mother said the photos make her cry and the words are always sad. There is sadness, but great joy in watching people survive and share with each other, love and support each other." ❑ 1120280 22 "That my father and Bob Mosbacher were finance chairmen for President Bush had something to do with it. And I was working for Gerald Ford, and with ABC News, which gave me additional footing. I spoke first at the platform hearings that May, and I did bounce that speech off my father. The platform hearings were the spring- board to speak at the August conven- tion; and on that speech, it was impor- tant that I find my way myself, really speak my heart. "My father's major commitment was to Jewish causes, and Israel in par- ticular; and he saw HIV/AIDS as my major cause. He was always ready to encourage me and my work, but it was my cause, not his. He did not campaign for it, he didn't open doors. It was part of my father's tradition with all of his children to say, (I'll support what you do but I won't do it for you: Just having him and the rest of my family, standing together and supporting my speaking before the Republican Party, was an enormous source of strength." Does Israel have a hold on you or your family like it did your father?