Marco Ambrosio, a 2007 graduate of Fairfield University, will be visiting campus on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. in the library, to speak on ‘Rwanda: From Genocide to Hope’ and the global health and social justice work he has done since graduation.
Ambrosio will be discussing HIV/AIDS facts and discrepancies and will be ‘using Rwanda as an example of despair to hope.’
This event is in recognition of Fairfield’s AIDS Awareness Week and World AIDS Day and is a part of the Black Studies Program Lecture Series, ‘Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution.’
‘My goal is to show that hope is tangible but requires action,’ said Ambrosio. ‘I want to inspire all people, from retirees to college students, to see HIV/AIDS as a social justice issue where all can make a noted difference.’
According to Ambrosio, he hopes to show the audience ‘how individuals have the power to impact their communities, using examples of organizations, governments, and college students I have met along the way.’
In addition to his travels to Rwanda, Ambrosio has visited India, Thailand and Nicaragua to study the impact and effects of AIDS and what is being done to fight against the pandemic. He is currently working on a book about his experiences.
While at Fairfield, Ambrosio along with classmate Jennifer Miller ’07, who co-founded Fairfield’s chapter of FACE AIDS, a student organization that increases awareness of AIDS and raises money for Dr. Paul Farmer’s organization, Partners for Health, by selling red and white pins.
‘Wherever and whenever I speak- the pin is on my lapel because this pin is changing lives in rural Rwanda and campuses across the United States,’ said Ambrosio in his blog.
For their work, Ambrosio and Miller were’ recognized’ with’ the’ William’ J.
Kramer’ Humanitarian’ Award.
Ambrosio has said that he is looking forward to returning to Fairfield.
‘Fundamentally, I want to call attention to the issues, engender a link for advocacy, and inspire action.”
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