Winston Salem Times

William Electric Black, renowned for his Emmy-winning contributions to 'Sesame Street', visited two elementary schools in Winston-Salem Forsyth County this week to engage kindergartners with his book, "A Gun is Not Fun". This activity was part of an initiative by Wake Forest University's Center for Literacy Education to promote gun safety awareness among children.

The initiative involves collaboration with local schools, law enforcement, and experts, highlighted by the participation of Winston-Salem Police Chief William H. Penn Jr., who emphasized the importance of educating young children about gun safety. Black's visit was a precursor to the Center's Visiting Scholars Speaker Series and Community Networking Conference held at Wake Forest University.

Dr. Alan Brown, the director of the Center, voiced satisfaction with the event, stating, “The conversations were outstanding...people seemed really engaged.” The conference aimed to explore prevention strategies against gun violence, especially for young learners.

Dr. Anna Miller-Fitzwater moderated the first panel discussion on gun injury prevention, treating gun safety as a public health issue. The panel included experts like Dr. Adam Goldstein and Dr. Rebecca Palmer. Palmer stressed the importance of firearm safety to prevent accidents involving children.

Another panel, led by Major Derri Stormer, addressed public safety concerns, bringing together insights from Dr. Apryl Alexander and Jared Pone. The session focused on community safety and the distribution of free gun locks.

A third panel featured Wake Forest sociology professor David Yamane and moderator Kimberly S. Jones in a discussion about understanding gun culture. This panel encouraged exploring differing perspectives on gun ownership.

After an introduction by Wake Forest theatre professor Jon Herbert, Black delivered a keynote speech discussing the approach of "Sesame Street" in tackling sensitive topics. Black, who also writes plays about gun violence, spoke on appealing to children through engaging and understandable content.

During his visit, Black also interacted with various Wake Forest classes, engaging students in discussions related to theatre, animation, and education programs.

Dr. Brown concluded by reiterating the Center's mission to advance literacy through multidisciplinary partnerships and engagement. "The events of this week are just a glimpse of what’s to come as we continue to grow and develop," he said.