Nancy Silberkleit, Co-CEO and
Publisher of Archie Comics (and GJRA Member), is using
the power of comics to open a dialogue on gun violence.
“I began working on this
project at the beginning of this year,” said Silberkleit, whose Rise Above Social Issues
Foundation has published comics on bullying
and self-esteem. “After the horrific shooting in a church in South Carolina,
United States last winter, I put the project on fast-track. Never could I have
thought I would be suggesting that our educators present the unthinkable issue of ‘gun violence’ for classroom instruction. The story underscores the need to take
action to bring about change, in this case to educate young people about
dealing with anger and the need to say something if you see or hear something
that could portend a problem.”
See
Something, Say Something was scripted by noted US educational consultant and scriptwriter Peter Gutierrez, with
pencil illustrations by Loyiso Mkize from Cape Town, South Africa. The story
has a five page teaching guide, free for teachers who purchase the digital
comic.
Silberkleit, a former
teacher, said the new book is designed to provide teachers with a platform to
spark discussion among young people on the issue of keeping their educational
environment safe. “Like all of us, teens
are looking for ways to explain and understand episodes of mass violence that
too often capture the headlines,” she said. “The text and rich graphics of the
comic create a stage for students to think creatively, internalize feelings and
share them through open discussions in a classroom setting.”
Contact:
Copies of See Something, Say Something are
available digitally for $1.99. To order contact Nancy Silberkleit at riseabovesocialissues@gmail.com or call (+1) 914 450 9880.
Follow Nancy Silberkleit
on Twitter @NancyEduSpeaker
