ONE Makes a DIFFArence by Bringing NYC Youth and Artists Together for  HIV Education and Prevention

NEW YORK, NY — Using art as a powerful medium to make an impact on HIV prevention and education, professional artists and youth in NYC came together for ONE Makes a DIFFArence. Created by ONE® and DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, ONE Makes a DIFFArence is a program structured to educate NYC youth about sexual health through art and design. Additionally, professional artists joined the program, using their talents to create empowering artwork that supports HIV prevention and education efforts.

“Art and design play an integral role in empowering people to take action in HIV prevention,” said Johanna Osburn, executive director of DIFFA. “We were excited to partner with ONE® Condoms in this unique way to bring together teens and professional artists to educate through art and help people make a difference in their own sexual health.”

As part of the educational component of ONE Makes a DIFFArence, ONE and DIFFA visited non-profit community organizations providing HIV/AIDS education and services, as well as a NYC high school. They hosted a healthy sexuality workshop, during which students created original works of art on 7-inch, metal templates inspired by what they had learned. Student artwork ranged from designs featuring a consent unicorn to colorful collages and designs promoting messages of love and unity. Participating organizations included DIFFA Grantees Ali Forney Center, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, BOOM!Health and Leadership and a Public Service High School.

“The HOTT program at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center is thrilled to have been a part of this initiative with DIFFA and ONE Condoms. We are excited to see this project expand conversations of safer sex and condom use to center the experiences of LGBTQ and gender non-conforming youth. This collaboration highlighted to us ONE’s commitment to having young people tell their own stories, feel empowered about their bodies and sexual health, and to be a part of public health campaigns from which they have historically been excluded, said Aruna Krishnakumar, director of Health Outreach to Teens (HOTT).

The partnership also brought together 12 professional artists and designers in New York City who wanted to use their talents to make an impact on HIV prevention and education. Artists such as Tony Roko, Tyler Wisler, Justin Teodoro and Jon Burgerman donated their time and created original works of art on 30-inch, metal round templates. The artwork will be auctioned off at DIFFA’s annual fundraiser called Dining by Design happening March 16-20. Proceeds from the artwork will benefit DIFFA’s work to fund organizations across the U.S. that are combating HIV and AIDS.

Several of the professional artists also judged the students’ artwork to help select a winner from each group. These four winning student designs will be displayed at Dining by Design, alongside the professional designs.

Both the four winning student designs and the 12 professional designs will be featured on ONE condom wrappers, distributed by health organizations nationwide. ONE’s signature, round condom wrappers feature hundreds of unique designs, many of which are created through curated artist partnerships.

Learn more: onecondoms.com/diffa

About ONE®:

Launched in 2004, ONE® is a socially responsible business committed to raising sexual health awareness. ONE works with artists, health activists, and customers to make a difference in their community. As a leader in premium-branded condoms and lubricants in North America, ONE brings a fresh perspective to sexual health through a fusion of advanced product design, manufacturing technology and customer participation. ONE is a member of the Global Protection Corp. family of sexual health products.

About DIFFA:

DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS raises awareness and grants funds

to organizations that fight HIV/AIDS by providing treatment and direct care services for

people living with or impacted by the disease, offering preventative education programs

targeted to populations at risk of infection, or supporting public policy initiatives. DIFFA

is one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the United

States, mobilizing the immense resources and creativity of the design community. Since

its founding in 1984, DIFFA has emerged from a grassroots organization into a national

foundation based in New York City with chapters and community partners across the

country that, working together provided more than $42 million to hundreds of HIV/AIDS

organizations nationwide.