This presentation provides an overview of HIV/AIDS Initiatives at the University of St. Thomas, including historical background, examples of engaged courses, teaching tactics and strategies, and ethical considerations.

1. HIV/AIDS INITIATIVES:
2004-today
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS

2. What are the University’s
HIV/AIDS Initiatives?
LOCAL
By
establishing
partnerships
with
non-­‐profit
organizations
in
the
community
which
are
advocating
for
and
providing
services
to
people
living
with
HIV/AIDS
in
the
Twin
Cities,
St.
Thomas’s
HIV/AIDS
Initiatives
provide
opportunities
for
students
to
learn
their
discipline-­‐specific
course
content
while
acquiring
information
about
and
participating
in
viable
responses
to
the
HIV/AIDS
epidemic
locally.
GLOBAL
And
by
establishing
relationships
with
NGOs
which
are
responding
to
the
pandemic
internationally,
St.
Thomas
students
can
engage
in
response
to
the
pandemic
globally.

3. HOW DID THE
HIV/AIDS INITIATIVES
GET THEIR START AT
ST. THOMAS?

4. In 2003
WORKSHOP

5. In 2003
PILOTED A COURSE
Theology and Beauty
Dr. Kimberly Vrudny
kjvrudny@stthomas.edu
651.962.5337
Spring 2003
Theo. 452.01
Monday, 5:30-9:15 p.m. (JRC 246)
Office Hours: T, 1:00-3:00 p.m., or by appointment
Office: JRC 155
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Is beauty “in the eye of the beholder”? Are “beauty” and “prettiness” synonymous? Are “beauty” and “ugliness” opposites? Might beauty be considered a transcendental
aspect of being, along with the true and the good? Is beauty a means by which God reveals God’s self in the created order? Ought we consider Beauty as a name for God? This
course examines a variety of theological approaches to these questions, both ancient and modern. It also explores the implications of varying answers to these questions for
creating works of art, and for living lives of faith.
!

6. 2004
START-UP GRANT

7. What does the program
PROVIDE?
The
HIV/AIDS
Initiatives
program
involved
course
release
time
for
a
faculty
coordinator
to
coordinate
engagement
and
to
facilitate
communication
between
the
campus
and
the
community.
1. Designed
and
facilitated
an
introductory
workshop,
including
site
visits
to
partner
organizations
and/or
on-­‐campus
visits
by
staff
partners.
2. Offered
an
Initiative-­‐wide
orientation
session.
3. Coordinated
co-­‐curricular
events:
• Lectures.
• Film
screenings.
• Exhibits.
• Panel
discussions.
4. Conducted
an
initiative-­‐wide
closing
ceremony
to
celebrate
student
learning.
5. Oversaw
the
evaluation
and
assessment
of
the
Initiatives,
by
soliciting
input
from
partners
and
faculty.

8. WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES,
AND HOW MUCH
PARTICIPATION
HAS THERE BEEN?

9. Tonia
Bock,
Ph.D.
Psychology
Jill
Manske,
Ph.D.
Biology
Angela
High-­‐Pippert,
Ph.D.
Political
Science
In
Angela
High-­‐Pippert’s
“Poli-­‐Sci
205:
Introduction
to
American
Public
Policy”
course,
students
examine
the
difference
between
public
approaches
to
social
change
and
private
ones
by
interacting
with
two
community
organizations
responding
to
HIV/AIDS:
Minnesota
AIDS
Project
(representing
a
public
approach)
and
Open
Arms
of
Minnesota
(private).
In
Jill
Manske’s
“Bio
490:
Emerging
Infectious
Disease”
course,
students
prepare
food
safety
kits
and
deliver
them
to
clients,
along
with
regular
meal
deliveries,
while
considering
the
biology
of
emerging
infectious
disease,
including
food-­‐borne
pathogens.
In
Tonia
Bock’s
“Psych
422:
History
and
Systems”
course,
students
conducted
interviews
of
volunteers
who
worked
for
Open
Arms
in
its
early
years
to
practice
methods
in
research,
while
considering
the
history
of
psychological
approaches
to
homosexuality.
EXAMPLES IN
PSYCHOLOGY, BIOLOGY, POLI-SCI

10. Susan
Myers,
Ph.D.
Theology
(New
Testament)
Mary
Twite,
M.A.
Theology
(Moral
Theology)
Kimberly
Vrudny,
Ph.D.
Theology
(Systematics)
In
Kimberly
Vrudny’s
“Theo
200:
Christian
Belief,
Ancient
and
Contemporary”
course
(on
Christian
doctrine),
students
examine
the
work
of
theologians
who
are
calling
for
reform,
alongside
more
classical
and
traditional
approaches
to
doctrine,
in
order
to
consider
seriously
the
idea
of
God’s
“preferential
option
for
the
poor.”
In
Mary
Twite’s
“Theo
215:
Christian
Morality”
course,
students
study
concepts
such
as
vice
and
virtue
while
engaging
in
work
in
the
community
to
consider
how
Catholicism
might
engage
its
tradition
to
respond
compassionately
to
those
impacted
by
HIV/AIDS.
In
Susan
Myers’
“Theo
101:
Introduction
to
the
Christian
Theological
Tradition”
course,
students
study
documents
from
the
Second
Vatican
Council,
especially
about
the
role
of
the
church
in
the
modern
world,
in
order
to
apply
Catholic
Social
Teaching
to
real-­‐world
situations.
Examples in
THEOLOGY

11. 1,500
STUDENT
PARTICIPATION
Almost
1,500
students
have
participated
in
the
University’s
HIV/AIDS
Initiatives
since
the
program’s
inception
in
2004.

12. 21
faculty
members
have
participated,
teaching
73
sections
of
classes
representing
15
disciplines:
•
art
history
•
biology
•
business
(learning
through
service)
•
communication
and
journalism
•
health
and
human
performance
•
interdisciplinary
studies
•
justice
and
peace
studies
•
music
•
operations
management
•
philosophy
•
political
science
•
psychology
•
sociology
•
spanish
•
theology
21
FACULTY and DEPARTMENT
PARTICIPATION

13. HOW DO YOU PREPARE
STUDENTS FOR THEIR WORK
IN THE COMMUNITY? WHAT
IF THEY RESIST?

14. During
the
student
orientation,
the
organizers
worked
to
provide
students
at
least
four
things:
1. Accurate
information
about
the
virus
and
its
impact.
2. Preparation
for
their
first
experience
in
the
community.
3. Information
about
disparities
related
to
the
HIV/AIDS
pandemic.
4. Discussion
of
ethical
issues
involved
with
their
engagement
in
the
community.
STUDENT
ORIENTATION

15. •
In
2013,
there
were
about
7,
723
people
living
with
HIV/AIDS
in
Minnesota.
About
350
people
acquire
an
infection
each
year,
and
75
people
die
annually
in
our
state
from
HIV/AIDS.
•
In
Minnesota,
the
epidemic
affects
populations
of
color
disproportionately.
Although
populations
of
color
represent
15%
of
the
overall
population,
49%
of
the
new
infections
occur
in
communities
of
color.
•
MSM
accounts
for
88%
of
cases
of
transmission
in
the
white
population;
lesser
so
for
communities
of
color.
•
In
the
United
States,
one
in
every
500
college
students
is
living
with
HIV.
The
cases
among
adolescents
and
young
adults
in
Minnesota
has
nearly
doubled
since
2005.
WHAT IS THE PROFILE OF THE EPIDEMIC IN
MINNESOTA?

16. •
Sub-­‐Saharan
Africa
is
by
far
the
region
most-­‐
affected
by
HIV/AIDS.
The
region
has
just
over
10%
of
the
world's
population,
but
is
home
to
68%
of
all
people
living
with
HIV.
•
Sub-­‐Saharan
Africa
has
more
women
than
men
living
with
HIV.
Worldwide,
51%
of
infections
are
in
women;
but
in
SSA,
60%
are
in
women.
•
Globally,
half
of
the
people
who
acquire
HIV
become
infected
before
they
turn
25.
In
this
age
bracket,
AIDS
is
the
second
most
common
cause
of
death
(behind
violent
crime).
•
AIDS
is
the
largest
cause
of
maternal
mortality
in
South
Africa
and
also
accounts
for
35%
of
deaths
in
children
younger
than
five
years.
WHAT IS THE PROFILE OF THE PANDEMIC
GLOBALLY?

17. WHERE CAN A PERSON LEARN MORE ABOUT
HIV/AIDS?

18. Resistance
to
the
Initiatives
is
rare.
Occasionally,
however,
there
are
students
who
object,
usually
because
they
believe
the
gay
men
who
live
with
the
virus
are
living
with
the
consequences
of
their
actions,
and
that
this
is
part
of
“God’s
plan.”
In
such
cases,
we
have
explored
a
number
of
options:
• We
have
had
private
consultations
with
the
students
to
provide
an
alternative
narrative.
• We
have
provided
statements
from
the
USCCB
and
Vatican
on
care
of
homosexual
persons
and
human
dignity.
• We
have
provided
Bishops
statements—
especially
African
bishops,
for
review.
• In
very
rare
cases,
we
have
made
classroom
accommodations
in
order
to
“do
no
harm”
in
the
community.
STUDENT
RESISTANCE

19. WHO ARE YOUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS, AND WHAT
“SERVICES” DO STUDENTS
PROVIDE?

20. Open
Arms
of
Minnesota
is
an
organization
that
prepares
meals
for
and
delivers
meals
to
people
living
with
HIV/
AIDS,
breast
cancer,
ALS,
and
MS
in
the
Twin
Cities
of
Minneapolis
and
St.
Paul,
Minnesota.
University
students
have
prepared
meals
in
the
Open
Arms
kitchen,
delivered
meals
to
clients,
created
food
safety
kits,
conducted
surveys,
planned
business
and
marketing
strategies,
raised
funds,
and
published
research
guides
for
Open
Arms
of
Minnesota
while
learning
about
the
pandemic
in
their
classes
within
the
context
of
their
discipline
of
study.
WHO ARE YOUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS?

21. Clare
Housing
provides
compassionate
care
to
people
living
with
HIV/AIDS
at
six
homes
in
Minneapolis
and
St.
Paul.
These
residences
provide
varying
levels
of
care
around
the
clock,
including
stabilization
for
those
requiring
medication
management,
assisted
care
for
those
who
are
no
longer
able
to
live
independently,
and
end
of
life
care.
Clare
Housing
also
operates
Clare
Apartments,
a
32-­‐unit
building
with
supportive
services
and
home
care.
Students
visit
and
play
games
with
residents,
assist
caregivers
with
housekeeping
and
meal
preparation,
or
rake
or
shovel.
WHO ARE YOUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS?

22. Minnesota
AIDS
Project’s
mission
is
to
lead
Minnesota's
fight
to
stop
HIV
through
advocacy,
education
and
service.
Founded
in
1983,
the
Minnesota
AIDS
Project
is
a
statewide,
non-­‐profit
agency
committed
to
enhancing
the
lives
of
people
living
with
HIV,
preventing
infection
through
education
for
those
most
at
risk
for
HIV,
and
advocating
for
the
rights
of
all
affected
by
HIV.
Students
learn
about
current
legislative
efforts
related
to
HIV/AIDS
at
the
state
level,
and
are
provided
tools
to
participate
in
advocacy
work
for
the
common
good
in
relation
to
the
pandemic.
WHO ARE YOUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS?

23. J.
L.
Zwane
Church
and
Centre
is
a
community
center
in
Guguletu,
a
township
outside
of
Cape
Town,
South
Africa.
The
Center
provides
a
range
of
services
to
its
community
experiencing
HIV/AIDS
prevalence
rates
around
20%.
In
2008,
2010,
and
2011,
students
in
Barbara
Gorski’s
Business
200
courses
raised
a
total
of
$24,000
($8,000
each
year)
to
distribute
parcels
of
food
to
families
affected
by
HIV/
AIDS
in
South
Africa.
St.
Thomas
students
traveled
to
South
Africa
each
of
these
years
with
Dr.
Kimberly
Vrudny
(theology)
to
study
the
effects
of
apartheid
on
public
health.
DO YOU HAVE
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS?

24. J. L. Zwane
COMMUNITY CENTRE

25. SCALABRINI CENTER’S
LAWRENCE HOUSE

26. WHY IS HIV SPREADING
ESPECIALLY AMONG THE
UNDERPRIVILEGED, AND HOW
DO YOU TEACH THIS STUFF?

27. SYSTEMS OF JEOPARDY
REALM OF CULTURAL VIOLENCE
SINGLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Gender Disadvantage
Sexism: Female.
DOUBLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Skin Disadvantage
Ethnocentrism/Racism: female person of color.
TRIPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Orientation Disadvantage
Heterosexism: (female) lesbian person of color.
QUADRUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Age Disadvantage
Ageism: Elderly (female) lesbian person of color.
PENTUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Religious Disadvantage
Antisemitism or Antimuslimism (for example): Muslim elderly (female)
lesbian person of color.
REALM OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE
SEXTUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Healthcare Disadvantage
Uninsured: Muslim elderly (female) lesbian person of color who is
uninsured.
SEPTUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Physical and Mental Disadvantage
Ableism: Muslim elderly (female) lesbian person of color who is
uninsured and physically or mentally disabled.
OCTUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Educational Disadvantage
Elitism: Muslim elderly (female) lesbian person of color who is
uninsured, physically or mentally disabled, and illiterate/undereducated.
NONUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Economic Disadvantage / Employment Status
Classism: Muslim elderly (female) lesbian person of color who is
uninsured, physically or mentally disabled, illiterate/undereducated, and
poor/unemployed.
DECUPLE DEGREE OF JEOPARDY
Citizenship Disadvantage
Xenophobism: Muslim elderly (female) lesbian person of color who is
uninsured, physically or mentally disabled, illiterate/undereducated,
poor/unemployed, and an unnaturalized citizen.
REALM OF CULTURAL PRIVILEGE
SINGLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Gender Advantage
Gender: Male.
DOUBLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Skin Advantage
Ethnicity: Caucasian Male.
TRIPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Orientation Advantage
Orientation: Heterosexual Caucasian male.
QUADRUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Age Advantage
Age: Middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male.
PENTUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Religious Advantage
Religion: Christian,
middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male.
REALM OF STRUCTURAL PRIVILEGE
SEXTUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Healthcare Advantage
Status: Christian, middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male who is
insured.
SEPTUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Physical and Mental Advantage
Ability: Christian, middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male who is
insured, mentally and physically able-bodied.
OCTUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Educational Advantage
Education: Christian, middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male who is
insured, mentally and physically able-bodied, and well educated.
NONUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Economic Advantage / Employment Status
Class: Christian, middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male who is
insured, mentally and physically able-bodied, well educated, and
wealthy/well employed.
DECUPLE DEGREE OF PRIVILEGE
Citizenship Advantage
Citizenship Status: Christian, middle-aged heterosexual Caucasian male
who is insured, mentally and physically able-bodied, well educated,
wealthy/well employed, and a natural born, U.S. citizen.
And so on.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY
SYSTEMS OF JEOPARDY?
Systems'of'Jeopardy''
Classroom(Exercise(
(
©(2012(Kimberly(Vrudny;(all(rights(reserved.(
Appears(in(Kimberly(Vrudny,(“Religion,(Ethics,(and(AIDS,”(in(Paul(Myhre,(ed.,((
Religious)and)Ethical)Perspectives)for)the)Twenty9First)Century((Winona:(Anselm(Press,(2012),(112N139.(
(
(
Note% to% instructors:)In)a)classroom,)I)typically)have)everyone)stay)seated.)I)ask)for)two)volunteers)who)both)
start)in)the)center)of)the)room.)One)plays)the)part)of)the)white)man)in)his)fifties;)the)other)plays)the)part)of)the)
Somalian)woman.)As)I)read)the)narrative,)each)volunteer)(in)turn,)and)with)the)help)of)students)in)the)class))
decides)whether)to)move)forward)or)backward)after)each)sentence.)All)of)the)students)represent)the)99%,)and)
all)the)degrees)between)the)white)man)and)the)Somalian)woman.)After)reading)the)narrative,)I)ask)everyone)to)
stand)up,)and)tell)them)they)have)two)seconds)to)race)to)the)wall)closest)to)the)white)man.)On)the)count)of)three,)
they)GO,)and)I)nearly)immediately)yell)STOP!)Typically,)the)ones)by)the)Somalian)woman)haven't)even)tried)to)hit)
the)wall—and)afterwards,)we)unpack)whether)they)were)lazy)or)not—or)what)pressures)convinced)them)not)
even)to)try.))
)
(
You(are(a(Muslim(from(Somalia((take(one(step(backward),(who(is(unmarried((take(
one(step(backward)(because(you(identify(now,(deep(into(adulthood(as(a(lesbian((take(one(
step(backward),(though(you(cannot(reveal(this(in(your(community.(Despite(your(orientation,(
you( have( one( dependent( daughter( (take( one( step( backward)( who( was( born( from( an(
arranged( marriage( into( which( you( entered( at( twenty( (take( one( step( forward).( Your(
husband(died(in(the(region’s(hostilities((take(one(step(backward).(Due(to(the(unrest(in(your(
country,( you( fled( your( country( in( the( early( 1990s( with( your( daughter( who( was( then( a(
toddler((take(one(step(backward).(You(were(given(assistance(initially(from(an(organization(
that(was(devoted(to(helping(refugees(find(security(in(the(United(States,(the(country(that(has(
agreed(to(give(you(temporary(asylum((take(one(step(forward).(You(are(now(in(your(early(
forties( (take( one( step( backward).( You( are( beginning( to( struggle( with( hypertension( and(
diabetes(related(to(your(diet,(comprised(of(inexpensive(foods(easily(accessible(at(a(corner(
gas(station((take(one(step(backward).(You(lost(your(job(as(a(maid(in(a(hotel(over(a(year(ago(
when( the( economy( took( a( downturn( (take( one( step( backward).( Despite( your( broken(
English,(the(hotel(had(given(you(a(job(without(checking(to(see(your(green(card,(which(had(
long(since(expired((take(one(step(backward).(You(struggle(each(day(to(support(yourself,(as(
well(as(your(daughter(who(is(now(raising(a(baby(on(her(own((one(step(backward).((
(
You( are( a( white( man( in( your( early( fifties( (take( one( step( forward).( You( are(
heterosexual((take(one(step(forward),(married((take(one(step(forward),(and(you(have(two(
children( (take( one( step( backward).( You( have( no( disabilities( and( are( in( excellent( health(
(take(one(step(forward).(You(were(born(and(raised(in(this(country(by(fourthNgeneration(
citizens( from( England( (take( one( step( forward)( who( paid( outright( for( your( private(
elementary( and( secondary( schooling( (take( one( step( forward),( which( prepared( you( to(
attend(Harvard(University(for(both(your(undergraduate((take(one(step(forward)(and(law(
degrees( (take( one( step( forward).( You( work( as( the( C.E.O.( of( a( multinational( corporation(
(take(one(step(forward).(You(practice(Christianity,(and(you(are(well(respected(in(his(church(
and(suburban(communities((take(one(step(forward).(
( (

28. Case Studies:
STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE

29. PEDOGOGICAL TECHNIQUES AND
STRATEGIES

30. ”
Direct
violence
is
horrific,
but
its
brutality
usually
gets
our
attention:
we
notice
it,
and
often
respond
to
it.
Structural
violence,
however,
is
almost
always
invisible,
embedded
in
ubiquitous
social
structures,
normalized
by
stable
institutions
and
regular
experience.
Because
they
are
longstanding,
structural
inequities
usually
seem
ordinary,
the
way
things
are
and
always
have
been.
—Deborah
DuNann
Winter
and
Dana
C.
Leighton
“
INVISIBILITY OF
STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE

31. ”
Those
who
believe
that
charity
is
the
answer
to
the
world’s
problems
often
have
a
tendency—sometimes
striking,
sometimes
subtle,
surely
lurking
in
all
of
us—to
regard
those
needing
charity
as
intrinsically
inferior.
.
.
.
The
approach
of
charity
further
presupposes
that
there
will
always
be
those
who
have
and
those
who
have
not.
.
.
.
Paulo
Freire
writes:
‘In
order
to
have
the
continued
opportunity
to
express
their
“generosity,”
the
oppressors
must
perpetuate
injustice
as
well.
An
unjust
social
order
is
the
permanent
fount
of
this
“generosity,”
which
is
nourished
by
death,
despair
and
poverty.’
Freire’s
conclusion
follows
naturally
enough:
‘True
generosity
consists
precisely
in
fighting
to
destroy
the
causes
which
nourish
false
charity.’
—Paul
Farmer,
Pathologies
of
Power,
153.
“
CHARITY AND
PATHOLOGIES OF POWER

32. WHERE IS THE
“LEARNING”
IN THIS KIND OF
ENGAGEMENT?

33. My
students
write
three
service-­‐learning
reflection
papers:
1. Descriptive
Analysis
(early
in
engagement):
Describe
your
experience
at
Open
Arms.
What
observations
did
you
make?
What
did
you
notice?
2. Reflective
Analysis
(just
after
mid-­‐
term):
What
forms
of
structural
violence
are
you
seeing
in
our
community?
How
are
you
interwoven
into
these
systems?
3. Integrative
Analysis
(near
the
end
of
the
semester):
How
are
the
theological
themes
about
which
we
have
been
reading
interwoven
into
HIV/AIDS
response?

34. WHAT ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
SHOULD GUIDE ENGAGEMENT
IN HIV/AIDS INITIATIVES AND
SERVICE-LEARNING?

35. META-NARRATIVE AND
SYLLABUS DESIGN
THEO. 472: THEOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Spring 2016
Room Assignment
Dr. Kimberly Vrudny Office Hours: —
kjvrudny@stthomas.edu Office: JRC 155
651-962-5337 Mail #: JRC 153
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Catalog description: This course will explore the relationship between theology and the public health professions. “Public health” is a term that refers to the art and science of a
society’s efforts to prevent disease and to promote health and human thriving. Topics will include biblical, theological, sociological, epidemiological, and ethical approaches to
gender- and economic-based disparities in health care. Special attention will be given to the religious dimension of global responses to crises in public health. Focus of sections
will vary depending on the expertise of the faculty.
This section: This section will focus on the HIV/AIDS pandemic with thirty hours of experiential, community-based learning, and will consider forms of structural violence that
determine who is most vulnerable to an infection and who will be shielded from harm. Biblical, theological, and ethical approaches to HIV/AIDS response will be examined in
conversation with current sociological and epidemiological data.
Prerequisites: THEO 101 and one 200-level or 300-level THEO course, and PHIL 115.

36. 1.
We
are
not
volunteers.
We
are
University
students.
Obviously,
we
are
not
volunteers
when
we
work
in
the
community
through
our
courses
at
the
University
of
St.
Thomas.
Rather,
we
are
University
students,
assigned
to
work
in
the
community
in
order
to
learn
the
content
of
our
courses
in
association
with
an
organization
that
is
responding
to
a
public
health
crisis
that
is
unfolding
in
our
own
day.

37. 2.
We
are
not
heroes.
We
are
not
saviors.
We
are
University
students
studying
public
health
as
a
“text”
in
the
community.
Often,
we
use
language
signifying
our
desire
to
be
“heroic”
by
engaging
in
a
large-­‐
scale
solution
to
a
social
problem.
Some
find
it
just
plain
unsatisfying
to
deliver
a
bag
of
meals
to
a
house
or
two
each
day,
or
to
rake
a
yard.
If
this,
though,
is
our
intent:
to
be
heroic,
or
to
make
ourselves
feel
good
by
doing
this
kind
of
work,
we
need
to
reexamine
what
we
are
doing.
The
assignment
is
not
meant
to
make
us
feel
any
better
than
reading
a
course
textbook.
It
is
meant
to
fuel
learning
in
the
course
in
which
we
are
enrolled.

38. 3.
We
are
not
voyeurs.
We
are
engaged
and
respectful
observers.
Often,
there
is
an
instinct
to
yearn
for
greater
access
to
the
clients,
and
to
the
deepest
revelations
about
their
lives.
We
need
to
remember
that
that
clients
are
vulnerable
in
many
different
ways
and
we,
as
University
students,
are
ill-­‐equipped
to
respond
meaningfully
to
revelations
of
a
personal
nature.
Open
Arms
has
a
policy
about
NOT
crossing
the
threshold
into
people’s
homes
as
a
means
to
protect
the
client
as
well
as
the
student
precisely
because
we
are
not
qualified
to
counsel,
pastor,
or
otherwise
accompany
the
clients.
It
is
important
to
establish
professional
boundaries
as
we
engage
in
the
community.

39. 4.
We
are
not
exploiting
the
clients.
Ours
is
a
reciprocally
beneficial
relationship.
Because
of
work
that
has
happened
“behind
the
scenes”
between
the
staff
people
at
Open
Arms
of
Minnesota,
Clare
Housing
and
Minnesota
AIDS
Project,
together
with
faculty
and
staff
at
the
University
of
St.
Thomas,
every
effort
has
been
made
to
ensure
that
the
partnership
between
the
University
and
the
community
is
truly
a
reciprocal
one.
The
engagement
is
to
be
of
mutual
benefit.
We
are
conducting
work
beneficial
to
our
community
partners,
just
as
they
are
serving
the
goals
of
higher
education.

40. 5.
We
are
not
priests.
We
are
University
students,
and
we
are
not
present
to
cast
judgment,
hear
confession,
or
offer
absolution—but
only
to
understand
our
disciplines
in
relation
to
public
health.
We
are
not
owed
a
confession,
and
we
are
not
ordained
to
grant
or
to
deny
absolution.
If
we
are
differentiating
between
“guilt”
and
“innocence”
in
our
minds
in
relation
to
the
acquisition
of
the
virus,
we
should
ask
ourselves,
“Why
is
such
a
differentiation
important?,”
“For
what
purpose?,”
“How
often
is
confession
necessary?,”
“To
whom
is
confession
owed?,”
“Why
does
this
matter
to
me?,”
“What
do
my
answers
to
these
questions
mean
for
my
engagement
in
this
component
of
my
course?,”
and
“What
is
the
role
of
compassion
in
my
belief
system?”

41. 6.
We
are
not
outside
of
the
system.
In
fact,
as
college
students
of
whatever
financial
means,
we
are
advantaged
by
the
systems
as
they
stand.
Service-­‐learning
is
bringing
students
“face
to
face”
with
people
impacted
by
a
public
health
issue
in
the
hope
that
we
will
work
to
restructure
systems
for
the
common
good.
Sometimes,
we
avoid
the
deeper
issues
of
this
engagement
by
defending
the
degree
to
which
we
are
scandalized
by
the
social
problems
to
which
we
are
exposed
in
the
course,
without
evaluating
our
own
complicity
and
involvement
in
the
systems,
themselves.
If
conducted
effectively,
the
reflection
component
in
service
learning
should
mitigate
this
risk,
and
ask
us
all
to
consider
our
own
responsibility
in
relation
to
the
pandemic.

42. 7.
We
are
not
professional
rhetoricians.
But
we
are
University
students
who
recognize
that
language
matters.
Because
the
people
with
whom
we
are
working
constitute
vulnerable
populations,
in
our
journals
and
conversations,
we
will
respect
client
CONFIDENTIALITY.
Avoid
LABELING.
When
writing
and
speaking,
always
put
the
person
first:
“a
child
living
with
HIV”
recognizes
the
child’s
inherent
dignity
more
effectively
than
“an
HIV+
suffering
child.”
The
fact
that
in
our
own
country
as
well
as
in
the
developing
world,
people
of
color
and
women
are
disproportionately
impacted
by
HIV/AIDS,
please
avoid
phrases
about
LUCK,
recognizing
the
role
that
PRIVILEGE
plays
in
infection
rates.

43. 8.
We
are
not
to
be
hopeless.
We
possess
agency,
and
can
choose
to
respond.
We
can
make
a
difference.
To
be
sure,
the
statistics
in
relation
to
HIV/
AIDS
are
overwhelming.
However,
this
service-­‐learning
engagement
invites
participants
to
interface
with
one
client
or
one
resident
at
a
time,
whose
individual
life
and
story
transcends
the
numbers.
To
impact
a
single
life
is
not
an
insignificant
thing.
Moreover,
in
community
with
one
another,
the
common
good
is
impacted
substantially.
As
a
community
united
by
a
common
curriculum
if
not
a
common
objective,
we
can
do
much
more
together
than
any
one
can
do
alone.
If
we
develop
community
engagement
into
our
lives,
the
ripples
spread
even
wider.

44. HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN
SERVICE-LEARNING LED TO
PUBLICATION IN THE
SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING?

46. 112
Introduction
On June 5, 1981, the Centers for Disease Con-
trol (CDC) published a report about five cases
of a rare strain of pneumonia among previ-
ously healthy men in Los Angeles. The CDC
assigned a team to investigate the cause of the
outbreak.1
Within months, the CDC was aware
Preface
The close of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries were marked by
perhaps one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies in recorded human history. At the time of
this writing, well over 25 million people globally have died from AIDS and more than 33 mil-
lion men, women, and children are currently living with an HIV infection.The direct effects of
HIV/AIDS on families and communities continue to be felt by millions around the globe, often
disproportionately among the poor and marginalized. So why is the next generation learning
so little about HIV/AIDS? In this chapter, KimberlyVrudny provides readers with a foundation
for understanding why HIV is concentrated in the poorest regions of the world, as well as
religious foundations for responding to HIV/AIDS as an issue of social justice.
Chapter Goals
• Provide a scientific overview of HIV/AIDS
in poverty, women, and people of color
HIV/AIDS
Religion, Ethics, and AIDS
KIMBERLY VRUDNY
University of St. Thomas
5C H A P T E R
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,“Pneumocystic Pneumonia—Los Angeles,”MMWR Weekly, 30, no. 21 (June
5, 1981): 1–3, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/june_5.htm.
From Religious and Ethical Perspectives for the Twenty-First Century,
Paul O. Myhre, editor (Winona, MN: Anselm Academic 2013.)
Copyright © 2013 by Anselm Academic. Used by permission of the publisher.

47. 125
Kimberly Vrudny
AIDS, Accountability,
and Activism
The Beauty of Sue Williamson’s
Resistance Art
When someone perpetrates an act of rape, it’s about reclaiming
a sense of power.
—Kelly Hatfield, People Opposing Women Abuse
In 1973, Adrienne Rich published a collection of poetry called Diving
into the Wreck, which includes a poem called “Rape.” The poem explores
how the survivor of rape is traumatized again by the male-dominated
criminal justice system. An officer’s voyeuristic titillation by her disclo-
sure when she gives an account of the crime implicates him, Rich asserts,
in something of a gang that continues to perpetrate violence against her:
And you see his blue eyes, the blue eyes of all the family
whom you used to know, grow narrow and glisten,
his hand types out the details
and he wants them all
but the hysteria in your voice pleases him best.1
1. Adrienne Rich, Diving into the Wreck: Poems 1971–1972 (New York: W. W.
Norton Company, 1994).

48. 30 Years / 30 Lives:
Documenting a Pandemic
Kimberly Vrudny

49. 20 arts 24:1
Kimberly Vrudny is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a
photographer. 30 Years / 30 Lives is her photographic exhibit that documents the stories of thirty individuals who are living with
or affected by HIV and AIDS in the United States, South Africa, Thailand, and Mexico. It was created to mark the thirtieth anniversary
of the announcement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that the virus was in the human community (1981–2011). This essay
is the photographer’s reflection about photographic ethics and challenges posed to ethical standards in the field. Kimberly Vrudny is
a member of the Board of Directors of the Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies, and she has written extensively
for arts. This project was supported by a grant from the Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies as a part of its
Luce Fellowship Program.
An Ethical Gaze?
Behind the Scenes with 30 Years / 30 Lives
Kimberly Vrudny
IN THE STUDIO
The color of the little one’s fleece sweater caught my
eye. I was fidgeting with something in the car as we
drove from house to house in a section of the Cape
Flats the people with tongue in cheek call “Barcelo-
na,” just outside of Cape Town, South Africa, where
the apartheid government dumped people with dark
skin. We were delivering food parcels for Open Arms
of Minnesota. Earlier we had gotten out of the vehicle
to hoist the heavy sacks of sugar, flour, and groceries
into the next recipient’s shack. “That section is Holly-
wood,” our driver explained as she pointed to another
area off in the distance. “But here,” she exclaimed,
“welcome to Barcelona!” She spread her arms and
bowed before us, collapsing in a fit of laughter. After
delivering the food and making small talk with the
resident, we headed back to the car. “I wish I had HIV
so I could get some food,” I heard someone mutter
as we navigated our way between the tightly packed
shacks. Back in the car, we drove slowly up the deeply
rutted roadway, deeper and deeper into the township.
I resisted my desire to shoot photo after photo of the
bewildering story I was witnessing as people demon-
strated pride of ownership with lace curtains inside
tin-roofed shelters, and with cardboard advertise-
ments arranged into wallpaper-like patterns on the
walls. But when I saw the red, yellow, and pink coat
over orange pants and pink shoes, my camera came re-
flexively to my face. I shot the photograph. The woman
holding the child on her back turned to face me. She
laughed, covering her toothless mouth with the back
of her hand, and waved before continuing up the hill.
We finished our deliveries and returned to our hotel.
Of course I knew better than to take the pho-
tograph. At a conference in Denver in 2006, I had lis-
tened, transfixed, to a paper read by theologian Laurie
Cassidy. She described Kevin Carter’s 1994 Pulitzer
Prize–winning photograph of “a starving Sudanese
girl who collapsed on her way to a feeding center while
a vulture waited nearby”—an image that has garnered
much attention and scrutiny for questions it raises
about photographic ethics.1
About Carter’s photo-
graph from the Sudan, for example, an article in the
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) said, “The man adjust-
ing his lens to take just the right frame of her suffer-
ing might just as well be a predator, another vulture
on the scene.”2
Repeating a question that was posed
by critics, Cassidy asked her audience, “Inasmuch as
Kevin Carter chose to take the time, minutes that
may have been critical at this point when she is near
death, to compose an effective picture rather than to
21
An Ethical Gaze? IN THE STUDIO
24:1 arts
1. The photographer and his story have been the subject of songs, films, and novels. The Manic Street Preachers, a Welsh band,
recorded a song about him that is on their album Everything Must Go (1996), as did Martin Simpson and Jessica Ruby Simpson for
their album Band of Angels. Novelist Mark Danielewski describes the photograph in House of Leaves (2000), as does Masha Hamilton
in The Distance Between Us (2004). Alfredo Jaar’s 2008 installation The Sound of Silence at the South London Gallery treats the life of
the photograph after Carter’s death. The Death of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang-Bang Club is a 2004 film by Dan Krauss; it was
nominated for an Academy Award in 2006. 2. Quoted in Scott MacLeod, “The Life and Death of Kevin Carter,” Time, September 12,
1994, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981431,00.html. 3. Laurie M. Cassidy, “Picturing Suffering: The Moral
Dilemmas in Gazing at Photographs of Human Anguish,” Horizons 37.2 (September 2010): 209. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid., 200. 6. Ibid.
7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. 9. Susan Sontag, On Photography (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1977), and Regarding the Pain of Others (New
York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003). 10. Mark Reinhardt, Holly Edwards, and Erina Duganne, eds., Beautiful Suffering: Photography
and the Traffic in Pain (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007), exhibit placard.
save the child, is he complicit?”3
Cassidy’s paper also
critiqued Carter’s image on the basis of the dynamics
of power and privilege implicit “in gazing and being
gazed upon.”4
When one gazes at photographs of peo-
ple who are suffering, one has agency, she explained,
whereas the one who is gazed upon “is captured in the
frame of the photograph as the object.”5
Moreover, she
continued, “Our passive and uncritical gaze upon suf-
fering human beings in photographs may re-inscribe
the role of viewer as spectator and ‘normalize’ the
suffering of the human upon whom we gaze.”6
Ulti-
mately, Cassidy expressed her hope for the develop-
ment of a critical process of looking, “to make visible
the privilege that masks shared human vulnerability
with the suffering human being in the photograph.”7
She recognized that “we are all implicated by the pho-
to,” if we acknowledge “the power relationships that
conditioned her suffering and death.”8
Cassidy’s concerns about an unreflective and
uncritical exposure to images of suffering are, of
course, shared. Susan Sontag famously raised these
questions and others in her books On Photography and
Regarding the Pain of Others.9
More recently, scholars
have raised disturbing questions about the ethics of
documenting human rights disasters photographi-
cally. The curators of an exhibit that treats these
themes, Beautiful Suffering: Photography and the Traffic
in Pain, write, “Every day, we encounter exquisite im-
ages of others’ pain. . . . This exhibition offers you,
the viewer, an opportunity to consider how we are all
implicated in this traffic in pain that is endemic in
our culture and manifest in our images.”10
Persua-
sively, scholars contributing critical essays to this vol-
ume demonstrate how photography often strips the
humanity of the people it aspires to document and
circumvents the very reaction it aspires to elicit. While
affirming the compassionate nature of the viewer
who is moved upon seeing a photograph, these schol-
ars argue photographs rarely intervene to bring about
social change. Viewers are less and less frequently
moved to tears, and even more rarely to action, as the
public becomes increasingly desensitized to images of
suffering, given their prolific distribution in the pub-
lic square. Moreover, the encounter with a powerful
Kimberly Vrudny, “Barcelona,” 2006. Guguletu, Cape Town, South Africa.

50. BEAUTY’SVINEYARDA Theological Aesthetic of Anguish and Anticipation
Kimberly Vrudny

51. ARE THERE ISSUES OF
LIABILITY THAT NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED BEFORE ENGAGING
IN THE COMMUNITY?

52. 6/2014
Guidelines for Students Involved in Service-Learning
University of St. Thomas
While incidents of concern are rare in service-learning programs, it is still wise to take normal
precautions to maximize the chances of a safe and rewarding experience for you as well as those with
whom you will be working. The University of St. Thomas cannot anticipate all situations you might
encounter while participating in a community-based learning project. In an effort to assist you in being
prepared, you may find the following suggestions helpful. We encourage you to do your own inquiry as
well to see if anything else is required as you begin your service-learning project.
Please understand that this is written for all students involved in community-based learning projects so
some suggestions may not apply to you or your situation. Your faculty member and site supervisor will
be the best sources of information regarding needs and suggestions for your particular site. Please talk
to your supervisor, faculty member, or the Office for Service-Learning if you have any concerns.
When finding your own site
• Start early and be patient. Staff at not-for-profit organizations are often stretched in terms of
responsibilities and may not be able to return a call or email as quickly as you might like.
Before you leave for your site
• Wear appropriate clothing. Dress conservatively. You generally want to blend in with the
community. What is appropriate on campus is often not appropriate when involved in a service-
learning project: avoid tight fitting clothes, low-cut tops, low-cut or low-hanging pants, short
skirts or clothes with holes in them. Jeans are usually not appropriate either. Wear comfortable,
yet appropriate shoes. If you’re unsure about your attire, ask your faculty member and
supervisor.
• Bring only essentials; leave jewelry, purses, iPods, extra money, etc. at home
• Plan to arrive a few minutes early; if you get lost, run into unexpected traffic, need to stop for
gas, need to clear your car of ice or snow, or have trouble finding a parking spot, you can still
arrive on time.
• Honor your commitments, but If you will be late or can’t come, call your site supervisor 24
hours in advance if possible
• Refrain from alcohol or intoxicating substances prior to going to your site
Transportation to your site
• Travel to your site with at least one other person
• Know the address of your site and where to park. Bring a map and telephone number in
case you get lost. Ask where to enter the building if there are several entrances.
• Put valuables in your trunk before you leave, park in a well-lit area, and lock your car
• If taking the bus, know what time the bus arrives at your stop so you are not waiting long
• Walk confidently in well-lit, busier areas
• If you are uncomfortable walking to your car or a bus stop, let your site supervisor (and
faculty member) know and ask if someone can accompany you
• If you need to ask for directions, check with local business personnel rather than
individuals on the street
On-site
• Know your on-site supervisor and how to reach them in an emergency and who you should
see if they are not available.
• Ask your supervisor where to leave personal belongings at your site
• You should not be working where you are alone with anyone – particularly minors.
over

53. 7/2014
University of St. Thomas
Academic Service-Learning Agreement
Student Site Supervisor Transportation Info
Name: Name: Driver:
Phone: Phone: Phone:
Faculty Email: Email:
Name:
Phone: Address: Bus Info/Other:
I have chosen a course with a service-learning component at the University of St. Thomas. I recognize the unique nature of this course
and agree to the following during the remainder of this semester:
1. I will treat all information about others with whom I work in the community as confidential
2. I will be punctual and conscientious in my attendance for my community-based learning project. I will notify my supervisor
(and/or faculty member if appropriate) if I will be late or cannot participate as scheduled
3. I recognize I am a representative of St. Thomas and will conduct myself in a courteous and professional manner at all times
4. I will follow the rules of the organization with which I am working and will ask about any rules I don’t understand
5. I will accept supervision graciously
6. I will notify my site supervisor, faculty member, or the Service-Learning office with any concerns, incidents, or suggestions
regarding my participation in a service-learning activity.
7. I will refrain from the use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances while involved in a service-learning project
8. I will refrain from imposing my religious or political beliefs on those with whom I work or meet through this project
9. I will refrain from taking pictures without permission of my community supervisor and those whom I wish to photograph
10. I will refrain from a personal relationship beyond the scope of my service-learning project with staff or community members
served by the organization with whom I work. In all cases, I will refrain from a dating or sexual relationship with these
individuals.
11. I have received and read a copy of the Guidelines for Academic Service-Learning and agree to abide by these guidelines as they
pertain to my particular situation.
Signature___________________________________________________________ Date _____________________________________
Emergency Contact Information
In the case of an emergency and I require medical care, please contact:
Name ______________________________________________________________ Phone(s) __________________________________
Driver Agreement
Some projects will involve students driving other students. Drivers can be reimbursed for mileage for documented travel to/from a
community site as part of a required academic service-learning project through the Office of Service-Learning Civic Engagement. If
you are willing to serve as a driver (of your own or a University car) please read and sign the following indicating your willingness to
abide by these stipulations:
I am knowledgeable of the traffic laws of the state of Minnesota, including the laws prohibiting those under the influence of alcohol or
other intoxicating substances from operating a motor vehicle, and I agree to abide by these laws while driving for my service-learning
requirement. I agree to drive in a safe manner appropriate for road conditions. If I am part of an accident, I will inform the Office of
Service-Learning Civic Engagement. I also understand that a check of my driving record is required if I use a University car. If
driving my own car, I acknowledge that I have both a valid driver’s license and a valid insurance policy in accordance with the laws of the
state of Minnesota. and agree to maintain said license and insurance if I serve as a driver.
Name_____________________________________________ Drivers License State and Number_______________________________
Signature __________________________________________________________ Date ______________________________________
Additional Information: I have received information (in writing or verbally) on the following topics:
___ Orientation information/expectations of the organization with whom I will work ___ Cultural sensitivity
___ General guidelines for service-learning ___ Other
___ Documenting my time and documenting mileage if I am a driver

54. SR
Date Submitted: ID Number:
I. Payee Information
Payable to SSN
Address Phone #
Address Fax #
City, State, Zip Email Address
II. Payment Information (Required)
Business Purpose:
III. Non-travel Expenses
Supplies: Other Payment:
Materials:
IV. Reimbursement of Student Expenses
Lodging: Other Costs Incurred:
Airfare: (please describe)
Meals:
Ground Transportation:
Registration: Total Expenses Incurred:
ATTACH ORIGINAL RECEIPTS.
Index Account Activity Location Expenses Charged Accounts Payable Use Only
$
$
$
$
$
TOTAL $
Comments:
Signature of Requestor: _________________________________________Ext____________ Date: ___________
Budget Responsible Person or Advisor Approval: ______________________________Ext____________ Date: ___________
Student Reimbursement Form
Accounts Payable - Mail #AQU 202
http://www.stthomas.edu/accountspayable
(651) 962-6375 Fax: (651) 962-6110
This form is to be used for student expense reimbursements. Attach original receipts for student expense reimbursements.
Department _______________________
Program __________________________
Requestor _________________________
Department Information:
Mail # __________
(please describe)
Total Payments Incurred:

55. “IF YOU HAVE COME HERE TO
HELP ME, YOU ARE WASTING
YOUR TIME. BUT IF YOU HAVE
COME BECAUSE YOUR
LIBERATION IS BOUND UP WITH
MINE, THEN LET US WORK
TOGETHER.”
—LILLA WATSON

56. CONVERSATION