Jenna Bush’s life-changing friendship

Jenna and Mia documented Ana’s story for the UNICEF Web site.

Jenna: Ana really taught us about hope and courage — especially since, where she lives, if people knew she had HIV, she’d be kicked out of school. She could be physically hurt. I wanted something bigger to come out of our conversations with Ana. Mia said, “We can do this as a book.” And I said, “I just don’t know if I’m competent. ” But Mia said to me, “Jenna, you are ready.”

Working on our book, in our little apartment in Panama on the edge of the rain forest, Mia and I lived a romantic, bohemian existence. We would wake up early and drink our coffee. I’m a perfectionist — I could rewrite forever. I would write for 14 hours straight.

Mia: Jenna would be working so much. I was like, “You need a break!” And then we’d go to this funny exercise class …

Jenna: … called “Clase de Jimmy.” Jimmy was this huge guy. It was boot camp — we’d leave sweating.

While Jenna and Mia worked on the book, Jenna made sure Ana was prepared for the deluge of publicity to come.

Jenna: I said, “Ana, I have to tell you something. It’s going to be a big book because my dad is jefe del gobierno — head of government.” She said, “Oh, I don’t care.” She didn’t get it. When my father was in South America last winter on business, and he was in all the newspapers, Ana said, “Bush! Bush is here!” And I said, “Ana, you know that he’s my father.” And she said, “Oh, I didn’t put it together.”

Jenna and Mia are now touring the country speaking about Ana’s Story. One question that’s sure to come up is whether the book’s message about the importance of condoms conflicts with the abstinence-only policy promoted by her father’s administration. Will there be a dust-up on the issue?

Jenna: I don’t think so. The book’s message is the exact same thing my mother said when she was in Africa recently — A, B, C: abstinence, be faithful and condom usage. Abstinence is important; if you don’t want any chance of getting a disease, then don’t have sex. But if you’re HIV positive and you have sex, you must always use a condom. You can’t talk about being a teenage mother and stopping the spread of AIDS without talking about condoms.

Mia: It was so great to work on the book with Jenna. We had the chance to inspire and support each other.

Today Jenna is working on a second book, for children, with her mother, Laura. Her immediate plans also include preparing for her wedding to Hager — and perhaps in the future, kids. Even so, she says she’ll keep writing.

Jenna: For my future, I like the idea of blending writing with my work as an educator. Children have so much to say, but sometimes they don’t get a chance to speak. Mia and I learned so much from Ana. I hope she learned from us, too.

Read the full story on Glamour.com. Senior contributing editor Sheila Weller’s new book, Girls Like Us, comes out in 2008.

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