Alysha

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Being young is a wonderful notion; the world seems limitless, opportunities seem boundless, and there is a feeling of invincibleness. However, being young is frightening at the same time: there are millions of people around the world living with STIs, and many of them are shockingly, terrifyingly, young. Those being affected most rapidly and disproportionately, however, are young women of color. This fear inspired in me a passion to begin my work as an activist for sexual education for young people, particularly young women of color. I first began my advocacy as the leader of the Pass it Forward program on my high school campus. This allowed for me to not only be educated about sexual health from local professionals, but also to pass this information on to younger women. The stories and statistics that I heard shocked and frightened me, and have led me to develop, in assistance with a local public school district, a program that will educate young women on reproductive health in my community beginning in the upcoming school year. I hope to help young women realize that sexual maturity is synonymous with sexual responsibility and knowledge, and to make sure that they are prepared physically, mentally, and emotionally to make decisions about their reproductive health. I am excited, passionate, and inspired by not only a sense of urgency and alarm, but also by adolescent optimism; the limitlessness, the boundlessness, and the invincibility.
 

Ghenet

I became involved in activism in the youth sexual health and rights movement by seeking out and volunteering with organizations that aim to advocate for people whose voices are not often heard. The key to any type of change is to educate and raise awareness, which is what I aim to do in everything I am involved with, whether it is being an advocate for victims of sexual assault and violence or for youth. My motivation stems from the fact that while doing work with youth, I realized that, in many situations, they were misinformed or unaware of many issues regarding sexual health. I noticed this especially in the minority communities that I work with. Although initially I was not working with these youth to educate them about sexual health and rights, it is my responsibility to become an advocate and educate them because I have been exposed to their ignorance on this topic.

I want the young people of my generation and future generations to strive to be leaders. Leadership can be intimidating at time, and one may not feel "ready" to accept the roles and responsibilities that come with leadership, but if we continue to look at others to take on the role we are "scared" of, how will our voices be heard? How will we see the change we desire? Furthermore, I want the young people of my generation and future generations to understand the importance of education. Every day I learn something new and I teach someone something. Whether it is teaching someone about my heritage, Eritrean, or teaching someone about sexually transmitted diseases, I am eliminating some form of ignorance.

Most importantly, I want the people of my generation and future generations to come to remember to always give back. My parents came to America as refugees of war in 1983 in order to start their family in a country that can provide their children with some of the opportunities they were never afforded. One thing that never faded from my parents was the pride they had for their country and this pride they have has transcended into me. My parents raised me on the values and traditions of Eritrean culture, and my morals, values and beliefs can be accredited to this upbringing. The idea that everyone is family and treating your neighbor as you would your sister or brother is something that is very common in the Eritrean culture, and I believe this is very true. When I see people in my community hurting, I am also hurting. Giving back to my community is not an option, it is necessary.

Bree

My career goal is to become a counselor for at risk youth in urban communities. I hope to establish and develop alternative programs as a mentor for teens of color that promote a safe, positive learning environment.

I recently became interested in the sexual health and rights movement. I did not know much about HIV/STI issue except what I learned in biology class. It wasn't until I took a course in Human Sexuality that my curiosity was piqued completely. I was extremely interested in learning more about sexual health issues after each lecture and quickly began doing my research on campus to find out more information on sexual safety and making sure that I kept myself informed.

Though there were many resources on campus that catered to sexual health and safety, I felt that personally, there wasn't really a unified place where women of color could really discuss the importance of sexual education. I felt that sexual education goes beyond giving out condoms and showing people the risks of STI/HIV. However, I also felt that I couldn't really forth change in the position I was in as a student.

It wasn't until I visited DC on Spring Break that I found out about Advocates for Youth. A vacation with my friends turned into a defining moment where I could finally put myself to use by being active in the sexual health and rights movement. I took the opportunity to apply for the Young Women of Color Leadership Council to learn more about sexual safety and how to pass it on to my peers. I found a calling to really move forward and advocate for something positive in my school community for young women of color and provide a place to educate and learn more about HIV/STI prevention.

Crystal

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I work with AmeriCorps at a hospital family community service center, called Project Reach Youth, Inc. PRY, for short, works with students in HS and middle school, and educates them about HIV/AIDS and STI awareness, healthy relationships, positive sexuality and identity, and gives them a safe place to come and learn together. These students then take what they have learned and, as peer educators, educate other youth about these issues. After having worked with youth for some time, I know I have a passion for helping the next generation of leaders pursue justice and love.

A vital aspect of the work I do is that I want young womyn to love themselves and love their sistahs. I especially want young womyn to be educated and self-empowered to make educated decisions about their bodies, and their lives. Sexual health and knowing your sexual rights shouldn’t be a taboo issue. How can we expect our youth be sexually and emotionally healthy when they get no positive messages, but are bombarded with misleading and sexualized images? These images set a negative standard of what it means to be "sexy, independent, and successful.” They send the message that a womyn must subject herself to countless self-alterations in order to earn acceptance from her peers. I am working towards helping youth to maximize their growth in becoming the next generation of social justice activists, fighting for what they themselves and their community needs. And being victorious!<

Januari

Having always concerned myself with positive youth development, it was no wonder that while attending North Carolina Central University, I became involved in the youth sexual health and rights movement. Eventually, I minored in Health Education—and all else is history!

I joined Project Save a Fellow Eagle (S.A.F.E), an organization directed towards and focused on preventing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections through education and outreach to the campus community, as a leader on my college campus and in the spirit of health and longevity.
Working with Project S.A.F.E. has instilled in me the qualities necessary to thrive in this field; including training and informing peer educators in a manner that allows students to deliver comprehensive and accurate information that empowers the campus community to make conversant decisions to live and lead healthy lives.

Through continued education and training, I have been able to successfully facilitate workshops at local community centers and high schools. Browsing the net I came across, ‘Amplify Your Voice’ and signed-up for alerts so I could stay in the loop with what was going on. Staying in the loop has allowed me to spread valuable information and education through social networks and word-of-mouth.

My motivation comes from the simple fact that unplanned pregnancies, contracting STD’s/ STI’s, HIV/AIDS are ALL 100% PREVENTABLE. It’s sad that with the resources and information available there is STILL a LACK of knowledge surrounding these issues especially amongst our young people. A lot of people are talking but not in a way that is receptive to our youth who need the information the most.

I want the young people of my generation and future generation’s to be able to make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health which would ultimately reduce the rates of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. I believe that by empowering our young women through building self-esteem and confidence is a key to them making responsible decisions and leading productive lives!

It is important for young people to advocate for sexual health rights because this is a large issue that affects them and the only way for significant change to happen is if you involve the population that the issue is affecting in the process of policy making and developing programs. Young people know better than anyone else which programs best cater to their very personal, yet specific needs.

Jasmine

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As a young woman of color, I've watched a lot of my peers fall prey to social ills such as teen pregnancy and abusive relationships. I have heard them complain about not having anyone to talk to or that no one understands. They searched for love, acceptance, and approval in places that only brought rejection, hurt and dismay. They felt all alone with no support or direction.

I look in the mirror and count myself blessed. Although I've experienced some of the same feelings, my family has always been supportive and taught me the value of me. They've also shown me the importance of service and giving back and MySistahs has given me an opportunity to do just that. My desire is reach out to young women who have questions, but no answers; dreams but no direction; words, but no voice; to listen, encourage, and extend virtual hugs to let them know they are not alone. I want US to succeed because WE are intelligent and strong, beautiful and wise, confident and loving, accepting of who we are, not of what others try to make us become.
 

Jocelyn

My name is Jocelyn Watt I am half African American and half Native American. I am an enrolled member of the Northern Arapahoe Tribe from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Riverton, Wyoming.

I enjoy helping others and having long conversations to get to know other individuals. I have come a long way from the type of person I used to be. I wasn't serious about my education when I was younger, but now that I know where it can take me I'm with it 100%! I also used to be judgmental at times and not think before I spoke, but one family member had a great impact on my life: a man who was gay. I didn't learn about his sexuality until after his death. I discovered that no matter what gender he preferred I still loved him and cared about him.

I love people to the fullest extent. I am very outgoing, outspoken, bubbly, non-judgmental, and big hearted! If there was a job where I could just talk all day and speak of issues we have today in society I would definitely be the one for the job!

I love people who are real and do not sugar coat anything when it comes to true life experiences. You can count on everything that I tell you will be the truth. I believe we are all dealt a certain hand of cards and that it's what you do with what you have that makes you who you are. I expect honesty because that's exactly what I'm going to give you because through my eyes everybody deserves a fair shot at least once.

I became a part of the Young Women of Color Council when I was invited to join by Ms. Trina Scott. I was in Washington DC for an internship and we visited the Advocates for Youth. I love and support everything that they were about, especially when it comes to encouraging youth to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS.

I have siblings of my own, and while I cannot tell them what to do, I can inform them of the facts of spreading diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other STDs and STIs. I can try and prevent them from having unsafe sex and give them the correct knowledge they need to survive in what this world beholds for them. In today's society many teens and adults do not understand that it is more than just getting pregnant: having unprotected sex can be fatal.

I will enjoy sharing information I have and the knowledge I embrace everyday about sexual health and rights with our youth.
 

Karachi

Although I grew up in a country where much wasn't said about homophobia, racism, or sexism, I witnessed my fair share of everyday injustice and inequality. I was raised as part of a large extended family; my grandparents, uncles, and aunts all did their best to make sure I did not feel the absence of a father - he had left my mother and I when I was only a year old and died the year I turned nine. Growing up as part of a bigger picture, I learned to understand the need for compassion and acceptance. I made friends with people around me quickly; I was a quiet but amiable child who constantly daydreamed about growing up to be wealthy and influential, but only so I could open my home to the beggars and destitute on the street as some kind of halfway house.

I was introduced to advocacy for the first time at the 2009 Advocates for Youth Urban Retreat. I had previously been working as part of a community-oriented organization dedicated to educating the students at Morgan State University about the dangers of STDs/STIs and HIV/AIDS but I'd never had any experience with policy advocacy. Learning that I had the right and the ability to speak my mind when I witnessed inequality and demand necessary changes was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. My personality and general philosophy have led me to naturally question phenomena around me, searching for reasons and causes, and lending a voice to the voiceless. I always ask myself "How would I feel if I was in the other person's shoes?"

When I am old and grey, I want to step out into a world where people's differences aren't questioned and stereotyped, where mediocre isn't the norm, and where people aren't dying from diseases they have the power to prevent. That might mean that people like me will not be needed anymore to spread the word. It would also mean that youth advocates and activists alike everywhere have done their work properly. I am a strong believer in individuality and diversity; youth need to know that they can stand out and make a difference without waiting for someone else to take the lead. As a youth advocate, I hope to provide a good example for those around me by showing how passionate I am about rights and responsibility.

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. - Albert Pike

Kathleen

My name is Kathleen and I am a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, but now I consider myself a "native New Yorker." I contributed to the website Teen Sisters' Health--A Black Girl's Wellness Guide for Mind, Body & Spirit. In my free time I dance on a hip hop team and volunteer in NYC as a member of the New York Junior League. I have a passion for combining art, activism, and social justice issues. I just finished a 6 week 1,800+ mile bike trip from New Orleans to New York City with 10 other women from across the United States for Reproductive Justice.

I am part of the Young Women of Color Leadership Council where I will make change not only in my community, but other communities as well. Last year I created Momma's Hip Hop Kitchen: The Soup Kitchen for the Hip Hop Soul, an interactive women of color hip hop and reproductive justice event. With this event I combined my love of hip hop to help educate the greater public on reproductive justice. This event also had a focus on HIV/AIDS in communities of color and using hip hop to reduce the number of new HIV infections.

Kayla

My name is Kayla. I am 19 years old. I grew up in a small rural community in West Tennessee. I am currently a sophomore, civil engineering student at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, located in Huntsville, Alabama. My involvement with the Young Women of Color Leadership Council began during the latter half of my freshman year at AAMU.

Prior to interviewing for a position on the council I assessed how much I thought I could contribute to HIV/AIDS awareness on my college campus. With no friends or relatives who openly declared they had contracted the disease, I was not sure whether or not I would be right for the position. In my community, comprehensive sex education was not a part of our high school's curriculum. Our school's administration invited several speakers to the school preaching abstinence-only and handed out virginity pledge after virginity pledge. I felt that relaying a message about STI prevention to sexually active young people would be challenging since virginity pledges were all that I knew. After talking to a few of my closest friends about the council, a couple of them disclosed that they were living with an incurable sexually transmitted infection. Their accounts of how they contracted their respective diseases, genital herpes and human papillomavirus, and how they were coping, persuaded me all the more to join the fight to stop the spread of STIs. Their reality finally hit home. It was then that I knew I wanted to become a part of the council.

Forming a local council at AAMU, an HBCU, has allowed me to help equip young Black women, like myself, with the knowledge and tools to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS on our campus and in our community. My fellow council members and I believe that with every safe-sex kit we distribute and program we present, we're helping to protect another Sister from the dangers of unprotected sex. Although the council is a fairly new organization on campus, I am optimistic about its future. I am hoping that the AAMU Young Women of Color Leadership Council will ignite a flame within our Sisters on campus and naturally the flame will spread throughout our community, especially the surrounding high schools.

Since the Young Women of Color Council is in its initial year on our campus, we are looking for a successful jumpstart to the program. Our first outreach to the community was with the Huntsville, Alabama AIDS Coalition through a fundraiser and informative program. It was the first of many activities we have planned for the future.

Upon the end of my tenure with the Young Women of Color Council on my campus, I will remain dedicated to the prevention and awareness of HIV/AIDS in my community. This program has opened my eyes to so much and I will continue to help other spread awareness. The fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS does not end with me.

Mimi

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Love is what inspired me to become involved in activism and peer education regarding sexual health. Love of my sisters because they might not have access to the right information to maintain themselves healthy. Love of my community because I'm tired of us being number one in all the wrong places, like statistics for HIV infection. Love of intimate partners around the world because it's healthy with the lights on, and it's never supposed to hurt. Love of word because when it comes from my sister it's a language I understand, as opposed to the reprimands of some patronizing, condescending adult. Love for our sexual health.

While working with Advocates for Youth I hope to educate other young women regarding sexuality issues including health, identity and expression. I hope to accomplish educating our sisters and brothers through word and technology. I believe communication is the/our revolutionary tool to use in order to create safer, healthier, and happier communities, especially regarding sexuality. Nothing is more intimate and raw than word, and that's exactly what we need to use.

I feel with Advocates for Youth I can spread knowledge and be able to communicate with young people throughout. I think youth can play a primary, creative, honest role in the sexual and reproductive health movement. As youth we are constantly exploring our sexuality and pushing through questions, doubts, and desires. The movement is currently beginning to make ripples in this ocean of oppression and stagnation. If we were allowed the power that we inherently possess to lead this movement, tsunamis of love, education and health would wash away bad policies, cultural norms, and misinformation. Just as in any tribe, young blood and elders must work together. Youth have communication, innovation, passion, and energy - elders contain experience, wisdom, and guidance. Young people have to play those bridge builders — we need to step up and show that we want to reclaim our responsibility to our bodies and that of our brothers, sisters, and children to come.

I am a young queer Latina who believes in: the power of youth, reproductive justice, elimination of borders, popular education, all forms of art expression, multi-generational learning, positive lyrics, swaying on the continuums of gender expression, identity and orientation, singing out-loud, leaving to come back, dancing in revolution, Latina sisterhood, and sana-sana-colita-de-rana...  

Ryan

I grew up in a predominantly black community where it seemed children were always getting into trouble, skipping school, gambling on the corner, smoking, drinking, and talking about sex. I've often asked myself, "What is wrong with this picture?" Why are black men always getting arrested, why are teen mothers getting younger and younger, and with all the information available nowadays why is HIV/AIDS so rampant among my people?

Of all the social ills in my community HIV/AIDS is the one that has personally impacted my life the most. When I was seven years old my uncle died of AIDS. I have three other relatives who are living with HIV. Everyday I hear about the growing number of those infected. In 2007, South Florida was number one for the highest HIV/AIDS cases, and now in 2010 South Florida is number one again. Being a resident of South, this motivated me to join a local group called MotherWit, a program for young women of color to act as peer educators to not only their peers, but their community as well. I later became President and dedicated myself to educating people about how to protect themselves, stay healthy and free of HIV/AIDS and various STIs. As a result of being involved with MotherWit, I also joined the Young Women of Color Leadership Council (YWOCLC) which I have been a part for 3 years now. Along my journey, I have learned so much, and am still learning. I've learned more by educating than any student can learn in school. The ideas, experiences, discussions, and lifestyles of the people I educate has allowed me to grow into the person I knew I could be─ a person of purpose, dedication, motivation, and inspiration. When I first started peer educating I was shy and unsure of myself, but now, as many will tell you, I have blossomed into a person who stands up for what she believes, isn't shy to speak, and has developed a passion to make change rather than sit back and wait for change to happen. And I give that to my community, in hopes that I can be that inspiration to another girl or boy to take a stand and make their mark, too.

Aside from my community work, I am a sophomore at the University of Miami, where I am double majoring in Biology and Psychology on a Pre-med track. I plan on pursuing a Masters in Public Health, and going to Medical School to be a physician. Most of all, I enjoying living life and discovering what this world has to offer, to take it and make it my own.

Jerusalem

My involvement with sexual health rights began when I had my own scare.

I was the stereotypical naïve virgin all throughout high school. I had a close circle of friends who were sexually active but during those 'intimate talks' would leave me out--I guess doing me a favor by not tainting my innocent ears. But I do remember one of my girlfriends swearing she would never go to the health dept and get tested because "it's like the only ones who end up with HIV are the ones who go in there."

Fast forward to the end of my freshman year of college, after a hard break-up with an ex who I caught cheating, and the Wellness Center at my school was offering HIV tests for free. I remember being tested for the first time and waiting those looong couple of weeks being so scared of what I would do and who I could tell and...what would my mom think...what if I turned up HIV+.

The whole rollercoaster of emotions I experienced drew me to this topic.

Clearly by everyone's reaction to getting testing there is a fear surrounding this topic. But it is very relevant and a threat to anyone who does have sex, regardless if it's one or many partners. My biggest issue was, why did I have to go through this scare to learn about how it's transmitted and the importance of condoms?!? Granted I wasn't completely oblivious to condoms and STDs but for the most part I never had a lecture on it growing up--seriously.

So from there I began volunteering with UCF's Wellness Center and in time became a peer educator/HIV counselor. The next summer I interned for Florida's Bureau for HIV/AIDS's Area 7 office and helped with planning community events surrounding this topic, which eventually led to my working for a local comprehensive AIDS organization here in Orlando, the Hope and Help Center. I'm the youth health educator, and still an HIV counselor/tester. I educate the youth in my school district and the local community centers.

Our mission is to save lives by treating and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Central Florida and my personal mission is to find teen girls with that same old mindset (both high-risk and low-risk) and educate, educate, educate; and offer a test too, of course.


Taina

“I am Taina, a member of the distinguished Young Women of Color Leadership Council. I am 24 years old. I graduated from Valdosta State University. In my free time I enjoy volunteering and spending time with family and friends.”

Veronica

Veronica is currently a senior at DePaul University majoring in Political Science and Women's and Gender Studies with a double minor in Latin American and Latino Studies and Psychology.  On campus, she is a sexual health educator in DePaul's Student Sexual Health Advocates, a mentor in the Students Together Are Reaching Success program, among others.  As a youth herself, she has always believed that youth have not been able to receive the proper knowledge on sexual health, their opinions and rights. She witnessed many of her peers in school having children and rumors about having a STD. Additionally, she witnessed youth not being able to comprehend what it meant to have a sexual lifestyle, more specifically peers who have a physical disability, like herself. This finally led her to become involved in youth activism regarding sexual health the summer of 2008 with the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health ICAH. Since then she has continued to work towards the greater goal of outreaching youth and educating them on sexual health and their rights. She currently works with ICAH as a youth organizer, a youth leader and facilitator for ICAH’s School of Social Justice.  She aspires to attend graduate school to obtain a Ph.D in Sociology in order to advance academia work around identity politics, focusing on Latina Feminism, Reproductive Rights, and Ableism.


Kanesha
Greetings! My name is Kanesha Simmons. I’m 20 years old and I attend the University of Virginia. When I was young I heard someone refer to my generation as the “X generation”, meaning there was no hope for us. Since then I have been motivated to prove them wrong. I wanted to prove that we were much more capable and able then they thought. Before I began being an activist for sexual health and rights, I was an activist for young women of color, primarily African American women.

I am currently on the executive board for the United Sisters, for UVA in Charlottesville.  I also started my activism by mentoring to young adolescent girls about how to carry themselves and be successful. I wanted to become an activist for sexual health because of the large amount of people, specifically young women of color, who were infected with HIV/AIDs or have contracted some other type of STI.  Young women of color are the most affected by HIV/AIDs due to many reasons, some of the main reasons being lack of knowledge about the risks of sex and lack of resources. I wanted to improve on these conditions. I wanted to make young women more aware of the resources available to them and the risks associated with risky sexual behavior.  This was the reason I decided to join the Young Women of Color Leadership Council. I believe with the help of God, dedication, and hard work we can improve these conditions and help many young women. God bless!!