I have come to believe that great change can happen through one conversation. I have sat through endless lectures, seminars, and conferences throughout my education. But I can look back on my journey and realize that a conversation with one friend or complete stranger has left just as much of an imprint on my life. A few years back I went to a concert with my brother and best friend, and met a girl about my age with a clipboard. For the first time, I heard about the ONE campaign. She talked to us about global poverty and great despair. She left with our signature, and we were left with the responsibility that always comes with awareness. I have followed the ONE campaign through emails and have anticipated the time to work more closely with this organization.

That time came when I helped a friend put on a TOMS Shoes, Style Your Sole Event. I was first introduced to TOMS Shoes when I walked into a boutique in Orange County, CA. The simplicity and creativity of the shoe caught my eye, and the sales associate noticed. She spent the time to talk to me be about their ONE for ONE vision. She was left with a sale, and I again was left with the growing awareness and the excitement to pursue this cause further. Since then, I have organized events for TOMS with the most recent event in Whittier, California where we invited ONE to speak to others as they once spoke to me a couple years back. Invisible Children, Not for Sale, and Krochet Kids International also joined the event to advocate on behalf of others.

I have spent time talking to my friends, realizing that sometimes it takes just one conversation to alter someone’s worldview and their course of action. I believe we did that together this past weekend. I hope we continue to find ways to spread the message to others in the future.

-Dianna Grobstein, ONE Member Pasadena