YBP Company Spotlight: Head Strong Condoms
In addition to our peers who are changing the world either through illustration or executive leadership, YBP was able to reach out to an entrepreneur whose mission literally saves lives. Today, lets meet Kirk Manuel, a brother from Arkansas who started Headstrong Condoms, the first African-American owned condom company.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your company.
My name is Kirk Manuel. I am an African-American male from Arkansas who started this company in 2006 with hopes to try to control STD’s and the HIV/AIDS virus which is taking our community by storm.
How and why did you decide to start a company focused on safe sex and contraception?
We started this company because I had a classmate that was arrested for knowingly exposing women to the HIV/AIDS virus.
What is your ideal goal with this company, financially and community wise?
We don’t have a financial goal, but the community goal is to eliminate and lower the new cases of STD’s and the HIV/AIDS virus.
What are the biggest hurdles you are finding with getting the word out> about your mission and product?
[Probably], lack of media attention, advertising, and distribution.
I’ve read articles about how Black teenagers who smoke weed are more likely to have unprotected sex. I’ve also seen the recent numbers published through CNN and other outlets about the epidemic of HIV and AIDS in the Black community. What can we do, as responsible community members, to help combat this disease and taboo-labeling in our community? Is it as simple as having frank discussions with young people?
I believe that we need to continue to educate and also show the reality of [how] AIDS and HIV affects the public and make access [to] contraception easier. [T]he communities that are affected the most [are] poor. [T]here are [very] few health departments in poor communities and [almost] none in the rural communities.
[M]ost people have to stretch $400.00 - $600.00 per month, leaving very little money for what they feel is a none necessity item, such as condoms. I know that the health department gives away free [condoms], but most [people] don’t have cars or the gas money to go [and] get them. We are willing to work with the Department of Health to place people on a mailing list [and] send condoms via mail, monthly or biweekly.
More information about Head Strong Condoms can also be obtained from Stephanie Ellis, the company’s Marketing & Advertising Director.
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I had a classmate that was arrested for knowingly exposing women to the HIV/AIDS virus. 
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