Over the past twenty years, Kenneth Cole has been one of the most important voices when it comes to raising public awareness about HIV/AIDS. We created this video as part of a broader effort to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS using online media tools - such as Internet video - that didn't exist two decades ago. We started this video in an attempt to answer the question: "Why are HIV infection rates still on the rise?" AIDS is no longer the disease it was in the 80s. The treatments as well the public's understanding of the virus has changed. It is no longer a gay men's disease. In fact it has become a disease that targets women and young minority members.

Both of us grew up during the 90s and received a great deal of education on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but with the virus nearing its third decade it seems that younger generations are forgetting the epidemic that defined the sexual habits and values of the generation before them.

In the process of making this video we became acquainted with facets of the city that had existed for years in the cause against AIDS like ASC (AIDS Service Center) and amFar but were previously unknown to the two of us. In fact it was the amFar campaign "We are forgetting AIDS" placed on buses in New York City last fall that really sparked our interest in this topic. Something about it seemed to be very true. Not only are recent clinical studies saying something similar but interactions with other our peers also in their low 20s are saying the same thing.

We enlisted Jack Mackenroth, a former season 4 Project Runway cast member and an outspoken figure in the HIV/AIDS community who has been HIV+ for the past 18 years to conduct man-on-the-street interviews with young people in lower Manhattan. And we also took a look at the corporate and community based initiatives and that New York City has to offer.