Traditional AIDS ribbon gets a make-over

By Dawn Wolfe

DETROIT – Barbara Murray knows a good idea when she sees one.
After noticing how popular rubber bracelets have become in the fundraising world since they were popularized by the Lance Armstrong Foundation and other organizations, the executive director of AIDS Partnership Michigan has caught the rubber bracelet wave in southeast Michigan.
APM’s red bands, which read “Knowledge is Power” and are inscribed with an image of the AIDS ribbon, have been on sale since Dec. 23.
“They’re very popular with young people, and that’s a market that we really want to hit in terms of AIDS messages and prevention messages. So it was a natural,” Murray said.
Asked about the motto, Murray said, “‘Knowledge is Power’ makes sense. You know about AIDS, you know how it’s transmitted – it’s powerful to know that. Our point is, we want you to protect yourself, to be safe, to have good knowledge about HIV and other STD transmissions. And it just reminds you of that.”
Murray noted that the formerly-ubiquitous AIDS ribbon, “has played out, and it doesn’t have the presence with the public. But this has a lot of presence. It’s popular. And we’re trying to ride on the popularity of it.”
“The goal is both fundraising and public awareness,” she continued. “The fundraising is secondary to the public awareness piece.”
The catchy armpiece is available for $2 at the APM office in Detroit as well as at APM testing centers in Pontiac, and Detroit and at their testing center at Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center in Ferndale. Just 4 Us bookstore at 211 W. Nine Mile Rd. in Ferndale is selling the bracelets, and APM is seeking other partners as well. Because of their size, small cost and popularity, especially with young people, selling the bracelets on consignment makes for an easy and fun AIDS fundraiser for youth and school groups, church groups and other individuals and organizations that would like to help APM.