BCALA NEWS Volume 41, Issue 3

Summer 2014

45

K.G.: The primary goal of AIDS in the End Zone is to educate teens about HIV/AIDS issues and risks, through a format that will engage them more effectively than through traditional text-only formats.

P.C.: And did the teens do the illustrations for this work as well?

K.G.: No, Sarah Petrulis, a talented young graphic illustrator did all of the illustrations. The teens provided the ideas for the illustrations, and they made suggestions when she returned each week with her work. For example, they suggested what each character wore in the scenes, what the school setting looked like, etc. They also came up with the idea of Id being on Marcus’s shoulder throughout the story. They described exactly how they wanted Id to look.

P.C.: Ah, I see. It looks like Ms. Petrulis did a fantastic job. Let’s discuss the broader issues that motivated this work’s creation. Dr. Albright is on record saying the book is written by and for South Carolina teenagers? Is HIV/AIDS really a concern in a quiet, largely rural state like South Carolina?

K.G.: When we present sessions nationally about the project, a lot of people are surprised to learn about the high HIV/AIDS rates in South Carolina. For a state the size of, and with the demographics of, South Carolina, it is difficult to understand why the HIV/AIDS rates are so high. It is definitely a concern for our state. It is our hope that AIEZ can be an important tool for lowering the HIV/ AIDs rate in SC.

P.C.: Do you think HIV/AIDS education in South Carolina and American public schools tends to adequately educate young people about the disease and how to avoid it?

K.G.: No, there is much room for improvement. There are many parents who do not want human sexuality topics taught in public schools. In some states, such as South Carolina, the state legislature limits what can and cannot be taught regarding human sexuality topics.

P.C.: It’s no secret that young Black men and women are most at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS in much of the country. Do you think this work is capable of reaching and speaking to a young, Black audience?

K.G.: You are right. For example, in South Carolina the primary at-risk population for HIV/AIDS is African-American teens, particularly young men. Eighty percent of 15- to 24 year-olds who are newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in South Carolina are African-American (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, 2010). The rate of reported new HIV/AIDS cases among African American South Carolinians is eight times that of Whites (Carolina Teen Health, 2012).

We have been conducting surveys and focus group interviews to test the graphic novel with the target population of Black teens. Results indicate that AIDS in the End Zone is reaching this audience. The comments have been very favorable from both male and female Black teens. In fact, some of the groups expressed an interest in creating their own graphic novel on social issue topics such as bullying and adolescent pregnancy. We are currently back working at the SCJJS with a group of young men, many of whom are Black, who are creating a graphic novel on gangs.

P.C.: Since publication, has there been any effort to get this book housed where young Black readers may come across it, such as predominantly Black schools or libraries that serve a significant number of Black constituents?

K.G.: Yes, the focus groups we have conducted so far have been conducted in public library branches in predominantly African American communities. We also conducted a focus group