March 13: Grahamstown, Rhodes University

We hit the road to Grahamstown and this time I was to present to an audience of university students, many who were journalists and activists. The last time I spoke to a university audience was in the US. They asked me many questions about politics and the government in my country. I was afraid that this audience would do the same and I would not know how to answer. Sometimes audiences forget that I am just presenting my story. I am not an expert on AIDS and politics.

The event was organized by the School of Journalism and Media Studies and  SHARC (Students HIV AIDS Resistance Campaign), one of the biggest university organizations working around AIDS awareness in the country.

We presented in an auditorium and were expecting about 50 people and I thought only white people would come. When the presentation began people were crowding the stairways because it was so full. I would say that this was the perfect presentation with the perfect audience. The audience had people from everywhere --  Xhosa people, Zulu people, white people, colored people, people from Capetown, Jo'burg and Durban.

Most of them either studied something in media or did AIDS work in communities and townships. So I felt that they listened different. They paid more attention. When the clips would play, you could hear a pin drop. And they would laugh when it was funny, thye would say "aaahh...," when it was time to go "aaaah." It was like they were really listening closely and because they were young South Africans, they felt like my story was also their story. 

When the presentation was over and they came to congratulate me and then I felt like their story was also my story. I felt that South Africa was changing through them, their questions, their work. One young woman said to me:

"One of the greatest challenges of HIV / AIDS work is reaching young people through young people. No matter how hip or creative our methods reaching the 15 to 25 age group is a challenge. You are exactly what South Africa needs. A willing and eloquent woman sharing her story and eradicating stigma by normalizing her status. Your willingness to discuss is admirable. But what is more important is that teenagers see that you are just a young, beautiful and funny chic -- and everything they would aspire to be."