Monday, December 07, 2015

ONE and (RED) celebrate 10 Years of Fighting AIDS

ONE had an amazing (not a charity) concert at Carnegie Hall in honor of the organization's benefactors and the work ONE activists and (RED) have done over the past ten years to make sure we see an AIDS-free generation.

Stephen Colbert, Bill Clinton, and Vice President Joe Biden were among those who spoke, Walking Dead" actress and playwright Danai Gurira performed a riveting monologue from her play- speaking from the perspective of an African mother who discovers that her cheating husband has left her HIV positive- and stars including Jessie J, Miley Cyrus and Bono and the Edge provided the music.  -Excerpts from ONE on ONE weekly newsletter:

Elaine &Jamie Drummond (ONE co-founder)
"Volunteers came from all over - California Washington state, Miami, Canada," said  Elaine VanCleave, a ONE volunteer from Nashville. "They printed our names in the program and Bono did a general shout out to the volunteers. Sting, Stephen Colbert, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were the presenters. Trevor Noah was the emcee." 

ONE activist Kristi York Wooten wrote about the event and World AIDS Day in The Huffington Post.

In addition to the concert (which was held on World AIDS Day), a handful of ONE and(RED) leaders rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, including Elaine VanCleave. Gives new meaning to "ringing in the holiday."

The actual ringing was led by CEOs Tom Hart of ONE and Deborah Dugan of (RED). "They pressed a button to ring the bell," said VanCleave. "The bell was right behind me. Loud and very big. It was cool. All the traders on the floor were watching us."  (Photos courtesy of Elaine VanCleave)

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