2014 marks the 20th anniversary of my cover story in Essence magazine! I’m very proud of being a part of history. Together Essence and I gave black women a new face of what a person with AIDS looked like.

When I look back, all I can do is think about the boldness that it took for me to tell my story in a national publication. Putting your life center stage for the world to scrutinized is a brave thing, to say the least. I’m still amazed of the impact that the Essence article had on African-American women. Twenty years later women reach out to me on Social Media to tell me how that article changed their life. Women even bring me the article in mint condition for an autograph as I travel.

Today in honor of and in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Essence article, I’m launching the 20 Collection. I am designing 20 AIDS Awareness bracelets and 20 AIDS Awareness necklaces for RLT Collection. The first of the bracelet designs are launched today in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Over the course of the next 10 months, I will add to the collection, thru World AIDS Day, Dec 1, 2014, which will mark the 20th anniversary of when that magazine actually hit the news stands. These designs are very limited in quaintly and once a design is gone there are no more. Today I’m launching 8 bracelet designs primarily designed with red Coral gemstones and a beautiful red faceted Czech glass.