EDUN ONE T-Shirt Launch

Sep 15th, 2006 11:30 PM UTC
By Virginia Simmons

I’m writing from outside the EDUN ONE T-shirt launch party in New York City. The event was a success and media was plentiful. I hope we raised awareness tonight.

The excitement of the night’s hosts, Ali Hewson, Bono and New York clothing designer Rogan Gregory was not just for the launch of the EDUN shirts, but was also for the growing number of people becoming involved in the anti-poverty movement. Bono pointed out that the ONE Campaign now has almost 2.5 million members. He wants to reach 5 million members by 2008, which he mentioned, is the same number of members in the National Rifle Association.

As it was awkward to type on a laptop while attending a party, I’ll recall the events of the night in sequence as best I can.

8pm: Press Check-in. (That includes me tonight.)

8:30pm: Press is stationed at the “step and repeat” – the location where celebrities stand to have their photos taken. I patiently hold my ground as the official ONE blogger. In front of me is a crew from Entertainment Tonight. Beside me is a crew from Good Morning America. With my Canon digital camera in hand, I brace myself for the first arrival.

9:15pm: Celebrities begin to enter. Despite my clear photographing talent, I miss some shots.

9:20pm: I manage to get a shot of Heather Graham at the step and repeat.

9:30pm: I take a shot of Helena Christensen. (She is a model and the photographer for the EDUN ONE T-shirt campaign.)

9:45pm: Bono and Irish folk-singer Damien Rice enter the party together.

10:00pm: I leave the step and repeat and enter the party.

10:15pm: A film about the EDUN shirts, ALAFA and ONE runs on two large screens. I recognize the woman standing at the front of the crowd watching – and then realize that it’s Heather Graham.

Much of the film takes place in Lesotho – where the EDUN ONE T-shirts are made. Lesotho is classified as one of the poorest developing nations in the world. It has extremely high unemployment and one of the highest AIDS rates in the world.

$10 from every purchased EDUN ONE shirt goes to a new initiative called the Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA) fund. Approximately one-third of those working in the factories in Lesotho are infected with HIV. The ALAFA fund guarantees treatment for AIDS to every garment worker and to every garment worker’s spouse and dependents who need it.

You can watch the video here.

10:30pm: Ali Hewson, Bono and Rogan Gregory step on stage to welcome all of us. They speak about poverty, the EDUN shirts and ALAFA.

10:40pm: Bono welcomes economist Jeffrey Sachs – who receives the rock star reception he deserves. Jeffrey Sach’s applauds Bono’s good work in return. The warmth between the two men, even on stage, is evident.

Sachs implores us all to think big. He tells us that the anti-poverty movement is growing and says we will not stop until we have 6 billion members.

10:35pm: Bono thanks his guests for coming. His excitement for the launch of the EDUN shirts is clear. It’s great to feel so much support for ONE in the room.

10:45pm: Damien Rice performs. He waits for the crowd to quiet before singing three songs – closing with a heartfelt rendition of “The Blower’s Daughter.”

I’m heading out now (into the rain.) I hope that you’ll check out this link to pre-order your EDUN ONE t-shirt.

TAGS: The ONE Blog