About Me
www.ansafrica.orgJURNEE SMOLLETT AND ARTISTS FOR A NEW SOUTH AFRICAActress and activist Jurnee Smollett is the youngest board member of Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA), a nonprofit organization working in the U.S. and South Africa to combat HIV/AIDS, advance human rights and equality, safeguard voting rights, and assist, educate and empower children orphaned by AIDS as well as other at-risk youth.
Jurnee has been involved with ANSA since she was 11 years old and performed alongside Stevie Wonder, Denzel Washington, Hugh Masekela, and Samuel L. Jackson at a critically acclaimed event honoring Archbishop Desmond Tutu and celebrating ANSA’s 10th anniversary and the 5th anniversary of South Africa’s freedom. Now she has become one of the leaders of the organization.
In March 2006, Jurnee became ANSA's pioneer presenter for Positively Speaking, a program of Los Angeles Unified School District HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit that brings people who are infected or affected by the disease into middle and high school classes to tell their own stories and lead discussions. As someone with two close friends living with HIV, Jurnee helps destigmatize the disease by talking frankly with students about risky behaviors, while educating them about prevention, testing and treatment. Through this program, Jurnee has already spoken with thousands of students in classrooms throughout Los Angeles. The development of this effort was spurred by Jurnee's desire to have a local impact in the fight against AIDS in addition to her efforts to end AIDS in Africa. Jurnee played an instrumental role in the effort's development and design, as a member of ANSA's AIDS Committee with fellow board member Alexandra Paul, ANSA's executive director Sharon Gelman and ANSA program coordinator Ashley Luth.
In October 2006, Jurnee took part in a delegation of ANSA artists and board members, who traveled together to South Africa. On this trip, Jurnee witnessed first hand both the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, as well as the brave work South Africans are doing to fight the disease. During this delegation Jurnee met many of South Africa’s heroes, including: Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa; Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Ahmed Kathrada, anti-apartheid leader and former political prisoner; Albie Sachs, Justice on South Africa’s Constitutional Court; and Zackie Achmat, Chairman of the Treatment Action Campaign. Jurnee also visited a number of ANSA’s grantee organizations including Treatment Action Campaign, AIDS Foundation of South Africa, Ingwavuma Orphan Care, Philani Nutrition Centre, and Tygerberg Children’s Hospital.
The final destination of the delegation was Ingwavuma, one of the three pilot communities in ANSA’s It Takes a Village (ITV) orphan and vulnerable children program. While in Ingwavuma, Jurnee met a number of the children that are benefiting from ITV, which meets urgent needs of orphans including food, clothing, medicine, and counseling, while developing sustainable solutions for each orphan family through legal and social services, scholarships, food gardens, water projects, and respite care.
Founded in 1989 by noted members of the entertainment community to support the struggle against apartheid, ANSA works in collaboration with experts, activists, and grassroots leaders, harnessing the talents, resources, and influence of all its diverse members to have strategic impact.
ANSA makes a substantial difference by developing innovative, collaborative programs, providing grants and resources to effective community organizations, and raising public awareness and mobilizing action through media campaigns, advocacy, and the arts. ANSA has raised over $9 million for African nonprofits, shipped 70 tons of medical supplies and books to poor communities, and educated millions of people in the US and Africa about HIV/AIDS and voting rights.
In addition to Jurnee, ANSA's founders, board members, advisors, and core supporters include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Alfre Woodard, Carlos & Deborah Santana, Samuel L. Jackson & LaTanya Richardson, Gillian Anderson, Danny Glover, Jackson Browne, Blair Underwood, Alexandra Paul, CCH Pounder, Morgan Freeman, Cicely Tyson, Mary Steenburgen, Jonathan Butler, Johnny Clegg, Roma Maffia, Gloria Reuben, George Lopez, Noah Wyle, Jasmine Guy, Hugh Masekela, Noah Gray-Cabey, Robert Guillaume, and many more. For more information: www.ansafrica.org.
