May 2008 Archives

Kenneth Cole uploaded a link to Madonna's new film about HIV/AIDS in Africa that premiered at Cannes

PAPER Magazine editor David Hershkovits suggested a common-sense alternative to congestion-pricing plans for traffic-clogged New York City

Julie Turkewitz uploaded a photo from the hotly-contested South Carolina Democratic primary

David Alm pointed out bottled water's journey from status symbol to villain and linked to a double-top-secret FBI plan to crack down on a group of unlikely political dissidents

Kenneth Cole Media Planner Heather Dumford began highlighting programs on PBS that provide greater context to many of the issues covered by AWEARNESS

Liza Sabater provided an update on relief efforts in cyclone-devastated Myanmar

Ron Mwangaguhunga linked to an essay contest from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting

One of the reasons I love this time of year is that it's graduation time - a time when tens of thousands of America's graduates all wear the same shapeless robe with the same funny hat, with the only point of differentiation being what they choose to wear from the ankles down. It's a good season for shoes.

Today's graduates are streaming out of the gates of America's institutions of higher learning confused, uncertain, and stressed under the expectation that they might now have to -- often for the first time in their lives -- provide for themselves.

Since I will not be participating in the tradition of delivering the time honored (and oft-ignored) commencement speech this year, I thought I'd use this space to share, in condensed form, my thoughts for this year's college graduates.

(As I said when our company began offering fragrances for men and women, "Just what the world needs, more of our two scents.")

Today's graduates labor under six myths, and recognizing them to be myths is the most important step towards launching your post-graduation life.

Myth 1 - The myth of entitlement

Most of us believe that the successful completion of a specific task entitles you to advancement. If I do well in seventh grade, I get to go to eighth grade. If I get a good degree, I'll get a good job. If I work hard, I'll get a raise.

Here is the tough news, so I hope you are sitting down: Your tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours (never mind the cost of fashionable collegiate attire, or the occasional therapy session) don't entitle you to anything, except for, believe it or not, an interview.

But also remember that even if you are successful in that interview and do get that first job, it likely won't be your last.

Which brings me to myth 2:

Myth 2 - What job you take is crucial because it will define you and your path.

The decision you are about to make regarding your career, is as important as any decision you will likely make in your life.

Wrong, and I say that for two reasons.

First, your job is what you do, its not who you are. Just because I design clothes doesn't make me any less of an activist. Just because I'm a self proclaimed activist doesn't make me any less of a designer. You're in control.

And second, you may want to know that in their first 16 years of work, the average American will switch jobs 9.2 times. That means you're likely to change jobs (and perhaps careers) more often than you change cars.

What is important is that you find something that you can enjoy doing, in that if you do, you will likely do it well, and if you do it well, it will likely be rewarding in every definition of the term.

Myth 3 - The myth that public service has its time and place, and isn't for everyone.

There's a belief that before you can commit yourself to those less fortunate, or the community at large, you have to first accumulate significant resources (intellectual, emotional, and financial.)

I used to believe that one needed to get good grades, to get into a good college, so as to get a good job, so as to make a lot of money, so that I could one day afford to "do unto others..."

The truth is that "learning, earning, returning" can, in fact, happen simultaneously. Providing for ones own needs, as well as those of the community, are not independent paths, but are in fact interconnected and interdependent. To the degree that you are able to marry them together, I assure you, the more gratifying and productive your journey is likely to be.

Myth 4 - You're young and inexperienced and therefore your voice is unlikely to be heard.

This is related to Myth 3.

You can contribute more, earlier in life, because you have a bigger voice than you realize. With blogs and YouTube, one inspired person can be as "heard" as the biggest voice out there. It historically took armies to start wars, as we saw on 9/11, today it takes a handful of individuals. The positive side of that equation is that historically it took an act of government to create an initiative; today one individual with a great idea can start a movement.

Myth 5 - With unemployment surging and corporations laying off employees every day, these are the toughest times to find jobs.

These are difficult economic times, to be sure. But the toughest times often offer the greatest opportunities. When things are going well, corporate America insists that we do the same thing we're doing, just more of it. Only when the business model appears to be flawed do we usually rethink it. If you define yourself and position yourself, as the creative alternative (as my business has often done), then there will always be opportunities for you and likely more of them in a difficult environment.

Myth 6 - The myth that the iGeneration is iSolationist

The "I-Generation" of which you are honorary members, often refers not to your relationship to your iPods, iPhones, and your proclivity to iChat, but instead your isolationist tendencies and your insistence on putting yourselves first. The immediacy with which information is available has put a premium on personalization and speed. But I am not sure knowing or having things first will add (or should I say A.D.D.) up to what you think. I suggest you slow up and enjoy the journey and remember that sometimes it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.

I've heard this time in your lives called a "quarterlife crisis". But it should not be a time of crisis so much as a time of choice. And you have plenty of choices, I'd sum them all up this way: You can change your outfit, or you can outfit change, or both.

Last but not least, although this is not a myth; Richard Avedon once said to me "Don't ever allow yourself to be photographed in an undignified way," because you never know when or where that image might reappear. Hence, inappropriate pictures of yourself from your graduation party (and any other party) on your MySpace or Facebook pages will likely reappear sometime in the regrettable future. So my further unsolicited advice is; have all the fun you want but, whatever you do.......Withhold the evidence.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it (for now).

Cyclone Nargis hit Burma on May 3rd and in an act of dictatorial callousness the military junta refused all foreign aid until a few days ago. Their main reason? Fear of an invasion. They also wanted to make sure they won the elections they had already rigged in their favor. And, of course, it seems to have been on their minds the possibility of making a killing out of taking the foreign aid and selling it to the 1.5 million people affected by the devastation.

At least they are willing to let the United Nations into the country and with the aid of 50 other countries, work on the relief efforts. And with that in mind, we give you a short list of organizations working from inside Burma and in need of donations (taken in part from Reuters AlertNet):

CARE, Tropical Cyclone Nargis Slams Myanmar

Google, Support Disaster Relief in Myanmar

Merlin

Muslim Aid

Oxfam, Myanmar Cyclone Relief and Rehabilitation Fund

The World Security Institute's Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is a non-profit news organization founded in 1996 - at the cusp, serendipitously, of the internet era -- promoting under-reported international stories. Twelve years later we live in a world where coverage of celebrity gossip regularly competes with international news coverage on television and in the dwindling pages of newspapers. The Center's goal, especially today, is something we can all get behind, namely, "to raise the standards of global affairs reporting, reach a diverse American public and broaden international news consumption." Now, more than ever, as foreign newspaper bureaus are closing, and international news coverage is in decline, important stories are slipping through the grid.

The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is a welcome journalistic addition to this brave, new digital age. It views this present moment as an opportunity - through reader interactivity - to bring to the fore stories that have been previously ignored, or only briefly glossed over, by the traditional mainstream media. The Center has partnered with Helium to sponsor the Pulitzer Center Global Issues/Citizen Voices Contest in which readers can either peer rank the entries, or actually participate as an independent voice on an issue of critical global importance.

The Pulitzer's current essay contest titles were pre-selected because they reflect one of the center's global reporting projects. The titles are: 1) How is the struggle for water, such as in Ethiopia and Kenya, shaping conflicts in this century? 2) How does stigma and discrimination, as witnessed in Jamaica, perpetuate the global HIV/AIDS epidemic? 3) What are the key obstacles to obtaining sustainable peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and what steps are necessary to overcome them? And, 4) What role should the US play in reducing the production of illicit drugs-such as cocaine and heroin-in places like Bolivia and Afghanistan?

Click on one of the above questions and add your voice in fewer than 750 words. The deadline to enter this third round of the contest is May 30.

With gas prices climbing and everyone looking for ways to cut down on fuel consumption, I've come up with an idea! Looking down Madison Avenue in New York City the other day, I noticed a sea of yellow cabs coming my way and was struck by the fact that many of them were empty, cruising for a fare. The few other vehicles on the avenue were black cars, panel trucks and mini vans, Fed Ex and UPS trucks. There was nary a passenger vehicle in sight.

Over the recent Memorial Day weekend, many New Yorkers forsook cars in favor of trains and buses, causing long lines to snake out the doors of Penn Station and Port Authority. Yet cabs keep on cruising, burning expensive gas looking for fares. Mayor Mike Bloomberg has made a national reputation as a crusader for a progressive approach to urban grid lock with a congestion pricing proposal that was beat down by the state legislature. Well, here's an idea. How about taxi stands where people could line up and wait for a cab just like they do for a bus. This works fairly well in Paris, for example.

Perhaps it's asking too much to expect cab drivers to adhere to any rules, but they may prefer it to burning money. At least, we can try it in a few select locations and see what happens. Here's a way to cut down pollution, congestion and save beleaguered cab drivers some money all at the same time. The idea has already been floated for the outer boroughs, but it's time to bring it to Manhattan as well.

Madonna's film; "I Am Because We Are", is an arresting presentation of the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on a small nation in an unfamiliar part of an already devastated continent.

I don't know if she did it to explain to the world what compelled her to adopt a Malawian child in 2006, but I have to think that anyone who sees the film will likely feel compelled to want to do the same. It's an unsettling documentary that was beautifully produced, as one would probably expect, but it's far more unsettling then you would have imagined. It's a story we all know, but one that should be seen none-the-less.

I stand amazed at this extraordinary woman's ability to continue to find relevance in her life and ours, and her ability to continue to inspire us all with her passion and compassion. With so much going on in my life, people often ask me why have I served on the board of amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) now for over 20 years, and have now served as its Chairman for nearly 4, to which I respond:

Virtually every AIDS statistic has grown throughout that period.
A total of 33.2 million people now live with HIV/AIDS.
Every day 6,800 people contract HIV--283 every hour.
In 2007, 2.1 million people died from AIDS.

The only statistic that hasn't grown is the amount of people cured. That remains at zero. That is why amfAR exists, and that is why I do what I do.

Last Thursday night Madonna co-hosted the amfAR event here in Cannes, and with her generous spirit and help from Sharon Stone, we effortlessly separated many celebrated individuals from their disposable incomes, raising over $10 million. Our ability to share Madonna's experience helped make the night that much more meaningful while helping to justify so many of our journeys.

Puerto Rico, my country, my people, seem to have brought out the funky in Democratic Party primary candidates.

Here's Hillary Clinton, beer in hand, grooving to some latino house music:

And here's Barack Obama shimmying during a rally:

Who owns it?

I give Hillary brownie points for swaying with that beer bottle and her eyes closed. Obama's trying to walk AND dance, but ... but ...

I feel like telling him, dude! get that negritude going. Shake that money maker! Make James Brown proud, son. Or at least Willie Colon.

But then I'd be accused of being sexist.

;)

If you've been following the U.S. immigration debate this year, tonight's PBS special on human smuggling at the Mexican border (9:00 - 10:00 pm EST) is definitely worth a look:

"In a joint project with The New York Times, FRONTLINE/WORLD correspondent Lowell Bergman investigates the business of human smuggling across the busy ports of entry between Mexico and the United States. In Tijuana, masses of people attempt to cross illegally every day with the help of increasingly organized and expensive smugglers. Bergman explores the region to find that this illicit but lucrative business is expanding, and U.S. border agents are subject to an increased risk of corruption. He follows the dramatic story of one such corrupt U.S. border guard, the risky business he became involved in and what the U.S. government is doing about the problem."

While many people consider drug smugglers operating in Mexico to be the real problem, is it possible that bribery and corruption within the U.S. is just as responsible for the spike in human trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border? Anyway, as the national election campaign turns the final corner into November, look for the immigration issue to play an increasingly divisive role in American politics. Candidates will attempt to define their stance on the immigration issue without alienating key electoral blocs while simultaneously trying to appear strong on national security.

[image: Mexico: Crimes at the Border]

I can't even describe how excited I am about this group I found. It's called the Uganda Skateboarder's Union and their mission is to bring health entertainment and sporty camaraderie to the poverty stricken children of Uganda.

They are so awesome, it hurts.

Ugandan Jackson Mubiru and South African Shael Swart are shredders who with a little help of their friends, founded the USkU and set out to build Uganda's first skate park in Kitintale, a working class suburb of Kampala with extremely limited resources. How limited?

Not only have they built the park by hand, but when they created the first mini-ramp of the skate park, they had only 2 skateboards (both donated) to share among all the future shredders. Two years later, a generous donation from Tony Hawk's Foundation has given the kids much needed gear, boards and equipment.

Am so in love with this project ---when I was a kid I used to skateboard all the time-- that I will send them a donation.

I hope you do too.

An excerpt from the start of AIDS Walk, Kenneth speaking to the crowd.

Donations are still coming in, but as of earlier this week,Team Kenneth Cole has raised $36,638 for AIDS Walk New York.