His students' indomitable spirit inspired the HIV-positive writer and activist to eventually quit his job, sell his belongings, and travel the world collecting the stories of other HIV-positive men and women.

The conference was organized by two graduate students, Jim Downs and Jennifer Manion, who have brought together authors representing a range of institutional, generational, intellectual, and activist backgrounds: Eric Foner, Eileen Eagen, Vania Markarian, Martin Klimke, Anita Seth, Kimberly Phillips-Fein, John McMillian, Nancy Hewitt, David Rosner, Glenda Gilmore, Drucilla Cornell, Kitty Krupat, Kathleen Brown, Tracey Weis, and Jesse Lemisch.

The activist fund, like all investors, is interested in seeing its holding appreciate and believes that it has a plan that (in the portfolio manager's mind) is superior to management's for achieving that goal.