Introduction
We chose to do our project on sexual and reproductive health education in our community. We believe that this topic is especially crucial to the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the teenage and young adult population. Unfortunately, we felt that sexual and reproductive health education was not widely accessible in our community. As a result, we reached out to Planned Parenthood and began volunteering and searching for ways to introduce comprehensive Sex Ed into our school. We attended many health fairs, protests, meetings, and community events with Planned Parenthood. Additionally, we created a fundraiser to raise money for abortion access for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest and were featured in a Planned Parenthood blog article.
The Process
We began our project by visiting Planned Parenthood, where we met the Community Engagement and Education Specialists, Olga Montes and Denise Castro. They introduced us to the Planned Parenthood Peer Outreach Program, which allowed us to participate in outreach events within our community. Our participation in this organization provided us with numerous opportunities to expand our knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and even create our own fundraiser. So far, each member has obtained an average of 58 volunteer hours, through the various community events and meetings we have attended.
Coachella Valley Pride
Community
Through Planned Parenthood, we were given the opportunity to attend and contribute to a variety of health fairs and protests within our community. During these events, we were able to spread knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and engage with the community through various games and trivia. These events made us realise the necessity for comprehensive and inclusive sexual education because we observed that many people were not given a thorough sex ed program in their schools.
Fundraiser
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we felt compelled to raise funds for abortion access in our region. To prepare for our fundraiser we crocheted various reproduction related items throughout the later part of the year. Inclusivity and representation are very important to us so we made uteri, hearts (featuring a variety of Pride flags), breasts, and penises of different sizes, shapes, and colors. We sold our items at the Reel Women's Film Festival and East Coachella Valley Pride in October. Currently, we are still crocheting and selling our items online through Planned Parenthood. Up to date we have raised just under $2,000 and we hope to continue raising money for essential healthcare.
Final Reflection
During this project we were faced with many challenges that we had to overcome. We not only gained the knowledge of comprehensive sexual education but we also learned how to be a better part of a community despite the push back we received. As we began this project we lost support from teachers and other school employees because of the "controversial" nature of our topic. We persisted because we know that this topic is important to address. Our project was made possible by our mentors, Olga and Denise, at Planned Parenthood. We thank them for the opportunities they have given us and for all the knowledge they have shared. We hope to invite younger students to continue to make a difference and share the desire we have. We have learned so much about how to speak with inclusive language, anatomy, and how to stand up for what we believe in.
Reel Women's Event
Bans Off Our Bodies
DAP Walk