Saturday, September 26, 2009

“Reported swine flu victim remembered for her passion - Journal-News” plus 1 more

“Reported swine flu victim remembered for her passion - Journal-News” plus 1 more

Reported swine flu victim remembered for her passion - Journal-News

Posted: 25 Sep 2009 09:34 AM PDT

By Richard Wilson, Staff Writer Updated 7:13 AM Friday, September 25, 2009

OXFORD — Friends say the Miami University graduate who died this week after reportedly suffering from swine flu delayed getting medical treatment because she did not have health insurance.

News of Kimberly Young's death Wednesday, Sept. 23, came as a shock to those who knew the vibrant 22-year-old who was working at least two jobs in Oxford after graduating with a double major in December 2008.

Young became ill about two weeks ago, but didn't seek care initially because she didn't have health insurance and was worried about the cost, according to Brent Mowery, her friend and former roommate.

Mowery said Young eventually went to an urgent care facility in Hamilton where she was given pain medication and then sent home.

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Young's condition suddenly worsened and her roommate drove her to McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford, where she was flown in critical condition to University Hospital in Cincinnati.

"That's the most tragic part about it. If she had insurance, she would have gone to the doctor," Mowery said.

Family members indicated that Young died from complications from the H1N1 virus, but the Ohio Department of Health, the Hamilton County Health District and the Butler County Health Department were unable to confirm she had been infected with the virus.

Bret Atkins, of ODH, said late Thursday afternoon that his department had not received a specimen yet to test for the H1N1 virus. If it is confirmed, Young would be the fourth Ohioan to die from the virus and the second from Butler County.

Young, known as "Kimi" to her friends and family, graduated from Elmwood High School in Wayne, Ohio, and earned a bachelor of arts in international studies and a bachelor of fine arts, while minoring in French and Spanish.

Miami grad recalled as a vibrant, exceptional young woman

Those who knew Kimi Young say she was a vibrant and exceptional person, in academics and as a friend.

The 22-year-old's death Wednesday from complications possibly caused by the swine flu, came after she suffered symptoms for several days but had nothing more than fever reducers to combat the virus, according to friends.

"I just can't believe this has happened," said Dr. Jeanne Hey, director of international studies at Miami and mentor to Young.

"She was just a presence on this campus. She organized trips. A lot of people knew her because she was so active."

Young, who studied French, Spanish and earned two degrees at Miami — international studies and fine arts photography, was an active member of the Students for Peace and Justice and the Association of Latin American Students.

The Wayne, Ohio, native was still in Oxford after graduating in 2008 because she wasn't able to find the right job. Hey said this past summer, Young was debating pursuing a graduate degree or working for a nonprofit organization.

"She had an incredible commitment to social justice," Hey said. "She was a person with a huge heart and a very free spirit as well. She really cared about people here and around the world."

Young traveled twice to Latin America to explore human rights issues, and helped organize the spring break trips as part of the Students for Peace and Justice, said Walt Vanderbush, club adviser and professor of political science and Latin American studies.

Vanderbush, who wrote letters of recommendation for Young, said she contributed greatly on the trips, taking photos and later making presentations in her classes.

Young lived in an off-campus apartment and had been working at least two jobs — four years at the Kofenya coffee shop and nearly three years at the Bagel & Deli, both on High Street in uptown Oxford.

At the Bagel & Deli, a memorial sign in the window reads, in part: "In a world where happiness comes with such a price, you made everyone richer by just being you. Life just isn't the same without you, friend."

Employee Mallory Naber said those who knew "Kimi" were devastated by her passing.

"It's been very hard for everyone who knew her," she said.

At a busy Kofenya coffee shop Thursday afternoon, Young's friends and co-workers wrote messages in a memorial book that will be given to her family. By the register, a small memorial consisted of candid photos and messages to Young, "the best barista."

Brent Mowery, a friend and former roommate, said Young was planning to move in October to join the arts scene in Philadelphia.

Mowery said he last saw Young the day before she got sick, about two weeks ago.

He said she was experiencing serious flu symptoms but didn't seek medical treatment because she didn't have health insurance.

"She was the most fun person to be with. The most energetic," he said. "Everyone will tell you she was just a great person. She was always out and about. As long as it was with people, that was the most important thing."

Steve Cupp, owner of the Vertigo tattoo parlor next door to the bagel shop, got to know Young while hanging out during breaks from work.

Art: Old place, new faces - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted: 17 Sep 2009 04:53 PM PDT

"I chose the title 'New Pictures,' because the very definition of what a photograph is now is so different from what it was before Photoshop and new technologies," said Little, who joined the department a year ago this month. "Photography is no longer just linked to things that happened in reality, and the disconnect from the journalistic definition of photography is greater today."

This show is the first of a semiannual series that Little is launching under the "New Pictures" title. It will showcase innovative photography by "emerging artists" from around the world. That doesn't necessarily mean young talents -- Furunishi is 43 -- but individuals who are not well known. "The idea is really to bring people to Minneapolis that no one has heard of but who are doing great work," said Little.

Before joining the Minneapolis museum he worked at MOMA and the Whitney Museum, where he was director of education. Minneapolis offers more curatorial freedom than does Manhattan, he said.

"I love the fact that we can take risks here," he said. "There is a kind of pressure in New York and you can, as a curator, get stuck in a place where you hedge your bets. There's no need to hedge your bets here."

In picking artists for the series, he looks at magazines, checks online, goes to art fairs, talks to colleagues and photographers, gets recommendations. "I want to avoid the art world filter" as much as possible, he said. "I want to see everything myself as opposed to having someone tell me what they've seen. You always have to avoid the curatorial herd or the artists' herd, look in out-of-the-way places, and maintain the strength of your viewpoint. That can be challenging because everyone loves consensus, especially funders."

The series will have a website that includes video clips of the artists, essays by Little and others and an interactive blog. The museum is also launching a new lecture series named after the late photographer Arnold Newman, whose foundation funded it. It begins with a talk by Paul Graham, an influential British-born photographer known especially for color images documenting the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. (6:30 p.m. Oct. 1, $5).
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