Orlando Ribbon Project: The tribute to Pulse that became a worldwide movement

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — It started with one roll of rainbow ribbon and box of pins.

Orlando resident Ben Johansen was volunteering with an LGBT community center right after the Pulse terror attack and was looking for a way to help.

“I didn’t know what else to do with myself because there were so many volunteers that I needed to escape for a second,” Johansen said. “I left and ran to the craft store and just purchased a roll of rainbow ribbon, one roll, and just started making the ribbons for us.”

As people showed up to the center with donations, they asked about the rainbow ribbons that the volunteers were wearing. Johansen would make them one as a thank you for their donation and pretty soon, more people were asking where they could get one.  Thus, The Orlando Ribbon Project was born.

“Now all of a sudden, 360,000 ribbons later, it is now a worldwide love and hope movement and I think it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Celebrities like Alan Cumings and Jamie Lee Curtis have also donned Johansen’s creation. Thousands are being sent out to countries all over the world, including Russia.

"I know they're going through some issues over there themselves, but it's nice to see there's a little bit of humanity over there as well."

Johansen says he planned to stop making the ribbons after the one year mark of the Pulse terror attack on June 12, but the demand is still there.

“I make 100...I get an order for 400 so I don’t see an end in sight,” Johansen laughs. “Which is fine. It just proves to me that there is more humanity out there than inhumanity and it makes me feel better every day.”

The Orlando Ribbon Project is hoping that every one will wear their rainbow ribbons on June 12 to show respect for the 49 victims killed and stand in solidarity with Orlando.

You can get your ribbon by contacting the Orlando Ribbon Project at www.orlandoribbonproject.com or send an email to info@orlandoribbonproject.com