Jason K. Panda, the owner of b condoms, saw a need to help people in his community improve their sexual health. So, after nine years of practicing law, the Morehouse College graduate decided to create b condoms, the only Black-owned condom company in the United States.
Panda, who is originally Brockton, Massachusetts, recently shared his thoughts about going into the business of safe sex.
Why did you decide to get into the condom business?
Sometimes you find yourself at a point in your career where you’re just not happy. Growing up, my mother used to run a detox and transitional care facility for drug addicts. I always wanted to be independent and create some type of company that also works within our community. So, while I was practicing law, one of the things that I would hear about a lot of times is the impact of HIV and AIDS and teenage pregnancy. Then I thought, as a Black people, why don’t we actually own our own condoms company? Why don’t we have our own seat at the table? Why are we not writing our own stories and having our own voice in dictating our own future?’
We own music, we own liquor and we may own the club. People are having sex, but we don’t own any condom brands. So, it hit me: why not create a condom brand? If you look at all of the top condom brands, they don’t hire Black people. That was another element that had to change.
Do you think sexual health is still a priority?
I think a lot of it has to do with delivery and communication. One of the things that people may not know is the No. 1 e peak time for condom sales is between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. During that period, you have teens coming out of high school that stop at a corner store. They’re going to buy condoms and are going to have sex before their parents come home.
As people age, they use condoms less because they are often in long-term relationships where they build trust. Even with that, I think a large percentage of the population, especially teens and young adults, see the importance of pregnancy and STD prevention.
