On Sunday, October 21st, thousands of Angelinos gathered on the streets of West Hollywood in an effort to raise awareness and money for AIDS programs. The day was gorgeous with 80 degree weather and blue skies (Little did we know that L.A. was burning all around us). The energy was high and the excitement was contagious as the AIDS Walk volunteers cheered us on and reminded us of how important our efforts are and the many lives we are affecting.

With our ONE.org signs raised high and wearing our ONE T-shirts, the LA ONE.org team was united as we made our way down the route. Passing the West Hollywood cheerleaders, members of the community there to cheer us on and hosts from local radio stations, ONE.org got a lot of “shout-outs” along the walk. Folks even yelled out: “I’m a ONE member!” The best part was when folks asked us “What is ONE?” allowing us the chance to share what the ONE Campaign is all about.

On another topic, fellow ONE.org member Candace Cheong and myself attended an EDUN event in Los Angeles on October 17th (a few days before the AIDS walk) where we were able to purchase the new ONE T-shirt by the socially-responsible company EDUN and speak with EDUN founder Ali Hewson. We asked Ali if she had any words of wisdom for the fellow ONE.org walkers in the AIDS Walk. She said: “Don’t get blisters!”

A few more pics from LA AIDS Walk 2007 below.

-Tiffany Lemieux, L.A. ONE member

The
response was incredible! We reached millions of people and signed up thousands
of new ONE supporters. But we know it’s not just famous faces behind ONE, it’s
everyday people, like you and me. Step up and show America that you care
about fighting global AIDS and extreme poverty—all we need is your
picture!

Just send us a photo of yourself
wearing your ONE white band and white shirt. We could feature your picture in a
ONE Campaign ad! Email a high-resolution picture of yourself to ONEPicture, along with your full
name, city and state, email address and reason you’re part of ONE! Check out
the picture featured below. Use it as an example, snap a photo of yourself, and
show America that you’re a part
of ONE!

“I moved here from South Africa in 1995, a few months after Nelson Mandela won the presidency in South Africa and the transformation into the New South Africa began. In April, 2006, I became a U.S. citizen.

I have returned fairly often to South Africa. On my last trip, my brother took me and my husband go-carting. While we were there, a double-decker school bus full of children, ranging in ages from toddlers to teenagers, arrived for a fun outing.

I was easily charmed by the children’s friendly smiles and was soon caught up in their laughter and excitement. At one point, a little boy, no more than two years old, boldly walked up to me with big beautiful trusting eyes and held my thumb in his little hand. I realized that he was quietly asking me to help him down a flight of stairs near where I was standing, so that he could go enjoy the fun below.

I marveled that this little boy had not yet learned to fear strangers, that his trust and innocence was still in tact in a country where this is lost all too soon. And I felt honored that he had chosen me to help him.

It was only when I was leaving that I noticed that the bus had the symbol of a red ribbon drawn on its side. When I questioned my brother about it, he explained that all the children who had arrived on the bus were orphans of AIDS victim, that each was themselves infected with HIV (their own deadly birthright), that the problem of AIDS in South Africa is so bad that entire orphanages are dedicated to AIDS victims and that, indeed, there aren’t enough orphanages to go around.

The most terrible thing my brother told me was that each of those children, including the little boy with the big eyes, would soon be dead from AIDS, because there was not enough medicine to go around.

I returned to the U.S.A. determined that somehow, in as many small and big ways that I can, I am going to help make a difference. That is why I joined the ONE Campaign.”

-Nicole Fouche, member of The ONE Campaign, Durham, NC

Check back to the ONE blog for more ONE members’ stories. And if you haven’t already, send in your story