While I was in college, I was involved in sexual health issues internationally: HIV/AIDS, family planning, child marriage, etc.  After graduating I moved to the Texas-Mexico border to teach high school. Who would have guessed I’d have to continue those fights while trying to push my kids for academic success?

My first year teaching I had 9 parents in my classroom.  I taught at a 9th and 10th grade only campus.  When I did some digging to learn what kind of sex education my students received, I was shocked to learn it was damn near nothing.  Health was a semester-long required elective that my students could take at any point during high school. Students were taught directly from the textbook and when I looked up information on sexual health I found a ton of information on abstinence but NOTHING for students who were thinking of becoming or already sexually active.  You could learn how HIV was transmitted and how it effects the body, but not how to prevent it. One of the methods to prevent pregnancy was to “get enough sleep” so students could make good choices. 

There was, however, another elective my 9th and 10th graders could take.  It was on parenting.

But that’s the crazy part. My community was great at supporting our teen mothers…as they should be...but prevention was not a priority. If they became pregnant, we told them about WIC. Once they delivered, our young mothers were home-schooled until they could return to school full time. Once they were ready to return, the district would either pay for daycare or even give grandparents a monthly stipend to help care for the baby.  Mothers were offered the opportunity to enroll in an alternative school so they could finish their diplomas quicker. This system wasn’t perfect, but much better than anything I had seen before.

But back to the education, or rather, lack of.

Every week I’d have girls coming to my classroom, asking to go to the nurse so they could go home because they “stained” their pants.  They weren’t taught enough about their menstrual cycle, so they weren’t sure when to expect their period and come prepared with either a pads or tampons. Sometimes they had irregular periods, but their parents didn’t know about the pill to regulate periods, couldn’t afford it, or didn’t want their daughters on it.  There wasn’t a teen clinic nearby, and transportation was incredibly difficult because the area I taught in was both rural and poor. There was little to no public transportation.

My second year teaching I had a hard time locating one of my girls. The year had just started and she was nowhere to be found. I started asking around and someone told me she had put on a ton of weight. A couple days later I found her walking to class crying. She had just found out she was pregnant….6 months pregnant.  After a long hug and a cry, my roommate (a fellow teacher) and I sat her down, and we talked it out. She was scared and didn’t know what to do. She just thought she had been putting on weight. While this may seem shocking, when no one busts myths about “not being able to get pregnant on the first try” or you have irregular periods or you don’t learn what your body does when you become pregnant, this is what can happen.

But it doesn’t stop here. Throughout my years teaching, I had to correct myths such as: HIV is transmitted through toilets and tears, drinking sprite before sex prevents pregnancy and more.  I had students “dating” men in their mid-to-late twenties. Others were in unhealthy relationships and it took massive coordination with their friends, other teachers and administrators to keep them at a distance. I had girls who wanted to access family planning services, but were undocumented and unsure where to go for help.

But it’s not all bad news. And this is why I have so much faith in young Latinas.

The young woman who found out she was pregnant at 6 months took advantage of the help she was offered and graduated that Spring, two years ahead of her peers.  She buckled down and called me when she didn’t understand her homework.  After graduating, she went back to school to receive vocational training. She broke it off with her abusive boyfriend and most importantly, she’s an amazing mother.

One of my favorite moments teaching was at the end of my two years (when I knew I couldn’t get in trouble).  After a field trip, my girls and I had “girl talk” on the bus ride home.  Ooh the questions!  We talked about boyfriends, healthy relationships and consent, and of course, safer sex. Some of them were lucky enough to have supportive parents who took them to get birth control. Some had decided to wait to have sex until they were married. One in particular bought tic tacs to see if she could be responsible enough to be on the pill.  This was her way of trying it out. Awesome.

Even today, they continue to ask me questions.  Right before I went back for another graduation in June, I received a text asking where to get birth control. After a brief exchange, we decided I’d go with her to the doctor so she could get on the pill. I was so proud of her because she and her partner communicated and decided they weren’t ready to have a child yet. And while he was happy to take her to the clinic, I was honored to be asked instead.

In November during the healthcare reform fiasco, our member of Congress who is incredibly anti-choice, Henry Cuellar, was heard to side with Rep. Bart Stupak and his horrible abortion amendment. After an afternoon of lobbying on the Hill with other reproductive justice advocates, I got home and noticed quite a few of my girls who had recently graduated were on Facebook and Google chat.  To be honest, we hadn’t discussed abortion before, but I took a chance and asked if they were pro-choice.  All four that I saw online said yes and you know what? They took action to and contacted Cuellar. He still took an anti-choice vote, but now there are more pro-choice voices in his district calling him out.

So you see why I love my girls? And why I love being Latina? We are mad complicated and there are a ton of issues our communities confront everyday, but we’re not stupid. When given an education, a chance, and sometimes just a hug or someone to talk to...amazing things can happen.


This blog is part of the Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice! 

Today about a dozen young people fighting for the passage of the DREAM Act, a bill that would give undocumented young people who graduate from high school and attend college or the military a pathway to citizenship, staged a sit-in in the Senate Hart Office Building. They had a sign that said, “Undocumented and Unafraid” and “DREAM Act Now.”

 

This was a brave act of civil disobedience to bring attention to the plight of undocumented youth who are often are brought here at a young age and know no other country than the United States as home.

 

Now of course we’d expect people to criticize this. There are those who are anti-youth, anti-immigrant, anti-immigration reform….the list could go on forever.  But I would NEVER have expected one of the DREAM Act’s largest allies, Senator Durbin (IL), to chastise this act.  Senator Durbin has introduced the DREAM Act for over 10 years, however a spokesperson from his office said,

 

"Today's demonstrations by some DREAM Act supporters ... crossed the line from passionate advocacy to inappropriate behavior. The tide of public opinion has long been on the side of the DREAM Act -- it has broad bipartisan support in Congress and poll after poll shows that people of all political persuasion believe in its goals. Sen. Durbin believes that we will win this fight on the merits, not through public demonstrations or publicity stunts."

 

Seriously??

 

What Durbin’s office clearly does not understand is how important this imperfect bill is (I say imperfect because there are still quite a few young people who would not qualify for a path to citizenship under this bill…but that’s another blog). We are talking about people’s lives here. Young people have been deported to countries they left when they were 3.  They are currently going through deportation hearings. They are living in the shadows. Families are being torn apart.  They are denied the opportunity to attend college.  They are denied the chance to give back to the country they love.

 

As a former teacher, I know quite a few young people that have tried everything possible to be the best they can be.  But too often they are told that they must wait for the federal government to take action.

 

So while it’s great that Durbin has introduced the bill, he needs to have the GANAS to get the bill passed NOW.  His spokesman said it.  There is "bipartisan support" and "people of all political persuasion believe in its goals."  So what are they waiting for?? For too long we’ve been promised this bill’s passage. How dare he critique young people who have been working far harder than him, who are willing to take larger risks, and who will be impacted even more.   It’s because of this attitude, lack of action, and broken promises by those on the Hill that make young people decide not to vote or (hopefully) vote people OUT of office. 

 

Do me a favor, Amplify readers. Call Durbin at (202) 224-2152 and tell him to apologize to the Dreamers. Then call YOUR Senators and tell them to pass the DREAM Act now.  All you have to do is call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for a Senator from your state.

Ladies, it’s time to get angry. Men, you can join too. In fact, for this one, we need all the help we can get.

Last week, HHS announced that abortion (except in the case of rape, incest or life endangerment of the mother) would not be covered in the temporary insurance pool established for those with pre-existing conditions. (One thing to note: this option goes away once it becomes illegal to deny people health insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions and they can enroll in the exchange in 2014).

Some may think, “Isn’t that the compromise that was reached with Stupak, Nelson and friends?” Nope!The health care reform law only applies to programs in the health exchange. Even the Executive Order only speaks to the health exchange and community health centers. This Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is neither.And many interpret the law to say, if it’s not mentioned, it doesn’t count.To clarify the legal why-it-doesn’t-count, I turn to Jessica Arons from the Center for American Progress,

“A common method of legal interpretation posits that when items in a legal document are specifically listed, they exclude any items that are not mentioned unless there is a catch-all statement that says unenumerated items are not excluded. Case in point: the Ninth Amendment says of the Bill of Rights, “The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” That means the Constitution can be interpreted to contain rights that are not explicitly designated.The Executive Order, on the other hand, contains no such statement indicating that it might cover more than the addressed items, namely the exchanges and the CHCs. In fact, when the Executive Order was signed, it was widely seen as simply reiterating what was already in the PPACA and current law.”

Basically, this PCIP does not qualify for the restrictions spelled out by Sen. Nelson and the Executive Order. The Obama administration is going above and beyond restricting abortion access to women because in addition to not covering abortion, private and state money can’t be used to cover abortions (some states cover abortion with their own state funding for Medicaid) within the PCIP. UGH.

On top of that, the PCIP is hella expensive not just for young people, but for everyone. While I understand health insurance is expensive in general, the monthly premiums listed for the states do not start below $300 for those under the age of 34.So if I’m a 24 year old uninsured woman from Texas whose parents don’t have health insurance and I’m diabetic and want birth control, I have to pay $323 per month plus a $2500 deductible BEFORE my discounted prescription even kicks in (for birth control and other needs related to my diabetes). Otherwise, I’m left to search for another insurance plan that probably won’t cover me. Oh, and of course, if I get pregnant because I can’t afford the deductible nor the birth control without the discount, I’ll have to pay for an abortion out of pocket. Thanks.

*Medicaid expansion for single folks doesn’t kick in until 2014, which the person in this scenario could possible qualify for…as long as she made less than $15,000/year. Texas minimum wages at 40 hrs/week and 52 weeks/year totals $15,080 before taxes.

And finally, because this can’t possibly be it, HHS is still trying to decide whether or not contraception counts as a preventative service which means it would be available at no cost. I’m not reflecting back to conversations that keep happening about “preventing the need” for abortion…Apparently people need more time to think about whether or not birth control counts as preventative care. *sigh*

Let’s face it. Birth control is expensive, especially if you are looking for a longer-lasting form like an IUD.And not all health insurance plans even cover birth control (Remember the birth control fights a few years ago...time to start that up again!). It would have been AWESOME for HHS to step up and include birth control as a basic preventative service before this became an issue.Instead it’s off to a non-partisan group to decide whether birth control is included as a preventative service. We should find out in the next 6-18 months. Great.

I keep trying to get excited about HC reform, but my whole “being a woman’ is making it tough.

Last week a press conference was held by Congressional leaders to encourage their colleagues to support the passage of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) as part of any immigration reform legislation.

The Uniting American Families Act would allow a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their same-sex partner for immigration to the U.S. Currently this right does not exist for same-sex couples.According to Steve Ralls at Immigration Equality,

“There are an estimated 36,000 lesbian and gay Americans who have an immigrant partner. Nearly half of those families -- about 17,000 -- are raising young children who are American citizens. For those children, the United States is the only country they have ever called "home." Yet, because of discriminatory immigration laws, those same children face the prospect of losing one parent, or losing their home.” Immigration Equality also notes that “In 79% of binational families, the non-citizen partner is from a country that doesn’t provide immigration benefits to these couples, meaning neither partner is able to sponsor the other for immigration in their home countries.”

Clearly there is a need, but the question remains if Congress will step up to pass LGBT-inclusive immigration reform this year. What also is uncertain is if LGBT couples will be left behind as the Obama administration works closer with the evangelical movement to pass immigration reform.  Either way, it's up to us advocates to make sure both immigration reform moves forward with UAFA language.

There are, however, members of Congress who are stepping up to push for reform inclusive of UAFA. Reps. Nadler, Polis, Gutierrez, Honda and Quigley spoke out at the UAFA press conference last Thursday on the Hill. Videos are below.

 

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Last night I had the honor of attending a reception at the White House for HIV/AIDS Activists. It was in celebration of the release of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, a document that has been promised since the start of the Obama Administration, but needed for over thirty years.

To speak directly to the strategy, it’s not bad. Much needed benchmarks have been established and communities hardest hit by the HIV epidemic are both recognized and prioritized in the strategy. The Office of National AIDS Policy is talking about the needs of those most at risk: gay and bisexual men, African Americans, Latinos, injection drug users and those who identify as a combination of the categories mentioned above.

Young people were highlighted as the age group that represents 25% of new infections and the administration echoed the need for age appropriate prevention education for all Americans. To speak specifically to the needs of young people, the strategy said:

“Finally, educating young people about HIV before they begin engaging in behaviors that place them at risk for HIV infection should be a priority. Appropriately, it is a parent’s job to instill values and to provide the moral and ethical foundation for their children, but schools have an important role in providing access to current and accurate information about the biological and scientific aspects of health educa­tion. It is important to provide access to a baseline of health education information that is grounded in the benefits of abstinence and delaying or limiting sexual activity, while ensuring that youth who make the decision to be sexually active have the information they need to take steps to protect themselves.”

There is also language that specifically address stigma and discrimination faced by those in regards to age, race, sexuality and yes, even gender identity.

It was good. But as an activist who works directly with young people and those who are HIV positive, I want great.

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This makes me soooooooo happy!  I can't believe I just saw it and it's been on YouTube for three months.  Anyway, enjoy!

This week, HIV/AIDS advocates announced a campaign for a youth advisory council to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). PACHA is responsible for working with the Office on National AIDS Policy (ONAP) to monitor the development and implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

While we at Advocates for Youth support every effort to have meaningful youth input, the idea of a youth advisory council to PACHA brings up larger questions that must be resolved.

First, why do we need to have a youth advisory council to the President’s advisory council? Shouldn’t there be young people on PACHA to begin with? Having a youth advisory council to the President’s advisory council tells me and other youth that we aren’t important enough to be at the table in the first place.

Perhaps there is something wrong with the systems that exist when it comes to selecting members of the PACHA. If it’s too small to represent the diversity of communities most affected and infected with HIV/AIDS, then maybe it should be expanded. If the application process relies heavily on years of work experience in this field, perhaps life experience should be taken into account. We may not have been working on HIV/AIDS since it was called GRID (gay-related immune deficiency), but our generation also doesn’t know a time without AIDS. 

Young people are doing amazing work when it comes to HIV prevention, treatment and care. They are sex educators in their communities, navigating government systems to get housing for themselves and their HIV positive peers, and fighting for change on Capitol Hill. Fewer years in professional experience should not discount young people simply because we have lived shorter lives and may be doing this work in less traditional ways.

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National Call-in Day
Wednesday, May 26th
Demand that President Obama and Congress Address the ADAP Crisis

AIDS Drug Assistance Programs provide medications to over 166,000 individuals. Unfortunately, many state ADAPs have been forced to put in place barriers to access such as reducing the eligibility, changing the formulary, and closing enrollment. Over 1,000 individuals in ten states are on waiting lists to receive their life-saving and life-sustaining medications through this program. Without immediate additional funding the situation is going to get much worse. We need your help to ensure that the Obama Administration and Congress takes action to help those in need!

How you can help:

Please call your Elected Officials on Wednesday, May 26th. We ask that you call President Obama, your two Senators and your Representative. Please see contact information below. 

Call the White House at 202-456-1111 and leave the following message:

My name is                 and I am calling today to ask that President Obama take action to address the current crisis in AIDS Drug Assistance Programs. These programs provide life-saving medications to HIV-positive individuals who have no other access to care. However, over 1,000 HIV-positive individuals are on waiting lists to receive their medications. Action must be taken to ensure that ADAP clients can receive their medications and the situation does not get any worse.

Call your Members of Congress. To find your members of Congress click here and enter your state and zip code. You will receive a list of your two Senators and your Representative along with office phone numbers. If you know your Members of Congress you can dial the Congressional switchboard at 202.224.3121. When you’ve reached the offices leave the following message:

My name is                and I am writing today to urge Senator                   (or Representative           ) to take action to address the current crisis among AIDS Drug Assistance Programs. These programs provide life-saving medications to HIV-positive individuals who have no other access to care. However, over 1,000 HIV-positive individuals are on waiting lists in ten states to receive their medications, and the situation is going to get much worse if there are no additional immediate resources. Many other states have reduced eligibility or removed drugs from their formularies. Please support all efforts to increase resources to ADAP in order to help people living with HIV/AIDS.

While I am only 26, I have to admit…there are some shows I enjoyed that may be, eh, a little out of my age group. I love “Brothers and Sisters.” It’s a great show and occasionally they take on socials issues I’m passionate about. This Sunday the topic was HIV. Saul, the uncle who is in his 60s, had a discussion with his nephew and his partner about HIV testing. Saul, who only recently came out after being closeted most of his life, confessed he’s never been tested. This conversation was started because one of his previous partners found him on Facebook. In reading his profile, Saul learns that his previous partner has had HIV for over 20 years. I’ll put what follows into three different areas categories…

The Good
Saul, his nephew and his partner had a great conversation about the importance of being tested for HIV. The couple, who are in their late 20s/early 30s, mentioned they are tested every 6 months (which I admit confused me as they are portrayed to be in a monogamous and long-term relationship). And they encourage their uncle to get tested, even volunteering to go with him to the clinic.  Saul does decide to go to the clinic where the clinic staffer who appears to be a doctor explains that those 50+ are becoming infected with HIV at much larger numbers than ever before. She reiterates the importance of being tested after Saul asks if he could be asymptomatic for 20 years (since that was the last time he has sex with his friend from Facebook). She says yes. He agrees to get tested.

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Check out the piece about GenderBloc's GenderF*ck Drag Show featuring your favorite and mine...Heywood Jablowme.

Genderf*ck

By Jayna Barker | The News Record

The bathrooms adjacent to Catskellar in Tangeman University Center are exactly the same — two stalls, two sinks, towel and soap dispensers. There isn’t even a urinal in the men’s bathroom. Most people can’t tell the difference between the two. Yet, within 30 minutes of two signs being posted rendering the bathrooms gender neutral, they were ripped down.

There are many people who aren’t comfortable with the idea of gender-neutral bathrooms.

GenderBloc, a radical activist group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and allied students, focuses on gender issues, including transgender and genderqueer activism. They put up the gender-neutral signs in honor of the Genderf*ck Drag Show hosted Friday, May 7.

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• You do not have to be in school.
• You do not have to live with your parents.
• You do not have to be a dependent on your parent’s tax return.

For more info, check out info from HHS.

I haven't seen this movie as it was JUST released, BUT it looks A-MAZING.  I'll admit...I teared up during the preview.

 

If you have seen it, please share your thoughts on it! If not, I'm hoping you're as excited as I am for it to come to your city! 

Review to come...but I couldn't resist sharing the preview.

Yesterday the President took a historic step in signing health care reform into law. There are many things in that legislation that will benefit young people. This new bill:

• Allows young people to remain on their parents’ health insurance until their 26th birthday.
• Expands Medicaid to cover every American earning less than 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), providing coverage to 9 million currently uninsured young adults.
• Bans denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
• Ends discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.
• Requires new health plans to provide preventative care without additional costs.
• Provides $75 million/year for five years to states for comprehensive sex education programs.

*These provisions take effect at different times.

However, as sweet as these victories may be, it’s important to note that they were not achieved without significant costs to women and young people across the country.

After over a decade of fighting and a short-lived victory, abstinence-only-until-marriage funding has been renewed. Title V provides $50 million per year to states for abstinence-only programs. In the next five years, a quarter of a billion dollars will be spent on these programs that are not effective and reinforce gender stereotypes.

We will continue to fight to end this wasteful spending, but we’re going to need your help. It’s up to your state governor to decide whether or not to apply for this funding and your voice needs to be loud and clear. Turn down Title V!

It’s also important to note that a pro-choice President and a pro-choice Congress turned their backs on low income women by codifying the Hyde Amendment into law. Each year Congress had to make the decision not to provide women on Medicaid, in the military, women who work for the federal government and who get their health care from Indian Health Services coverage for abortion except in the cases of rape, incest or life endangerment of the woman. Instead of that annual fight, the decision is now written into law and once again, abortion has been demonized instead of recognized as a part a women’s basic healthcare.

Many questions also remain about the impact of the Nelson amendment which requires a separate check for abortion coverage for those who receive federal subsidies to help purchase health insurance in the health exchange.

Advocates will continue to fight to overturn the Hyde amendment as well as the restrictive Nelson amendment language. We must show this “pro-choice” democratic leadership that we all believe that all women must have access to abortion services, not just those who can afford it.

This is a time to celebrate the advancements of health care reform, but also get ready to fight for the long haul. Congress has shown that they believe it’s okay to bargain away young peoples’ sexual and reproductive health rights. We will show them how wrong they are.

Last week I was invited to attend the Latino Commission on AIDS' Reunion Latina in Albany, NY. This annual training institute brings together AIDS service providers, activists, and people living with HIV/AIDS mainly from New York state but also other communities.

What an amazing experience!

I arrived after Teatro El Puente's performance during the opening.  While I was sad to miss the performance, it was incredible to walk into a room of 200 of the most diverse group of Latinos I've ever seen, nearly all in tears, giving thanks to the performers for sharing stories they all knew too well.  Teatro El Puente is a bilingual HIV/AIDS educational theater troupe by young people and for young people. I saw what everyone was talking about when they performed at the Pachanga that night.  This piece was about two young men who fell in love and soon learned they were a HIV-discordant couple.  Choosing to stay together, the audience saw a story about the power of love.  And yes, I think most of us teared up...again.

During the conference, I attended workshops on community mobilization, educating young people, outreach to Latino MSM, and legal issues facing PLWHA (people living with HIV or AIDS).  What made this conference different from many others I've attended was seeing peoples' lives change during the workshops.  During the community mobilization workshop, staff from an ASO were literally planning how to reach out to religious institutions with their newfound knowledge.  During the workshop on legal issues, presented by an attorney, PLWHA were learning how to be better advocates for themselves when it comes to supplementary income and housing assistance.

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Awesome work, Joe!! 

Student provides free condoms

by Ashley Jobe, February 23, 2010

The national community pleads with its youngest generation to be safe about sex, and Elon University students fall well within the demographic that receives that message, but safer sex options are not always readily available.

Two years ago, SGA was faced with a proposal to make condoms available in dormitories.

"This was voted through the Senate but vetoed by the Executive President Rob Saunders," Justin Peterson, current SGA executive president, said. "Since then the idea has not been discussed by SGA."

Because condoms are not conveniently accessed, students are left to their own devices. One place where students can look to for quick protection is the R.N. Ellington Health and Counseling Center.

The Health Center stresses the importance of accessibility to the Elon community and availability in times of need. But sometimes seeking out the "rubbers" can be a bit embarrassing, and even taboo. Additionally, the Health Center is not open after business
hours.

Joe Kiernan, a sophomore, participates in Advocates for Youth, an organization founded in 1980 that focuses its work on youth aged 14-25 both in the United States and in international communities.

Kiernan's chapter is not affiliated with the university, but seeks to prevent consequences associated with unprotected sex.

"Some students voiced that they feel more comfortable asking a fellow student for condoms rather than an Elon staff member," Kiernan said.

"I don't want students options to be limited to one location, one brand of condom or one set of office hours."

He and those who support this particular cause can create "SafeSites."

SafeSites are individual condom distribution points. If students or an organization becomes registered as one, they are given condoms by the Great American Condom Campaign to make available to students to get protection, at any time, and they are recognized in their community as safe zones. Kiernan is given 500 Trojan condoms once a year to distribute to the student population.

"I haven't heard anything negative from the students and the sheer volume of students using the service makes me think I am helping out the Elon community," Kiernan said.

Information about sexual health awareness events and reproductive health issues are also available both by SafeSites and through the Web site.

Information can be found there about condom effectiveness, state profiles and tips for finding SafeSites near you.

Though Kiernan does not identify as a spokesperson for Advocates For Youth, he says that the organization realizes that abstinence is not a typical choice for college students.

"College students are adults and are able to make their own choices about sex, reproduction and reproductive health," Kiernan said. "Our goal is to inform and provide protection."

I'm absolutely disgusted.

I'm so tired of anti-choice organizations, usually lead by old white men and women, talking about the supposed "black genocide" because women in this country are allowed to make decisions about their personal health. Yes, I'm talking about abortion.

In Atlanta, the Georgia Right to Life has erected the following billboard.


Stating that all the abortion clinics in Georgia are located in black urban areas, they try to make the connection that the fertility rates are declining. BTW-according to the CDC, that is false.

Here's what drives me crazy. If this movement actually cared about black children in this country, there would be more action on the following: 

1. Teen pregnancy in this country is on the rise among all ethnic groups (up 3% in 2006).  Communities of color are still particularly affected as there is a big gap between white teens and black and latino teens.  Abortion rates among teens also went up 1%.  Yet another example of how we are living in a sexually unhealthy nation.  While teen pregnancy rates went down in the nineties, Bush administration abstinence-only education, much of which has been targeted to youth of color, has denied young people important and life saving information about their sexual health.

2. But it can't just be about education.  We also must make sure that young people, and especially young women of color have access to condoms and contraception.  CVS locks up condoms.  Family planning clinics are closing and facing financial strain due to the economy. We must make sure that those who decide to have sex are able to do so in the safest manner possible.

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Every now and then I hope to have the opportunity to share awesome job announcements to the Amplify community. 

To kick this off, I'd like to introduce you all to one of our closest partner organizations, Choice USA, located here in the beautiful and soon to be super snowy Washington, DC!

Choice USA is working to empower the diverse, upcoming generation of leaders who promote and protect reproductive freedom – both now and in the future. We are dedicated to the right of each person worldwide to decide when and if they will have sex, when and if they will be pregnant, and when and if they will have a child.  Choice USA provides tools, training and leadership opportunities to young people aged 15 – 30 to mobilize for reproductive information and services and winreal victories for their campuses and communities!

Communications Director:
Choice USA seeks an experienced, creative Communications Director who is passionate about reproductive justice and community organizing!  In close partnership with our Field and Development Departments, the Communications Director will implement a comprehensive strategy to integrate and reach our programmatic, policy and fundraising objectives.  Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Communications Director is a senior management position and key component of the executive management team.  The ideal candidate will be a skilled, compelling writer with a keen eye for detail; comfortable with online technology, content management systems and social networking; experienced with a broad variety of contemporary media; and highly motivated in a fast-paced environment!  
 
Midwestern States Field Associate:
Choice USA seeks a committed, experienced individual who is passionate about reproductive/social justice to organize and develop our Midwestern States Field Program. The Midwestern States Field Associate will build a diverse base, lead and create trainings, build relationships with field partners and implement campaign strategy. Candidates must have knowledge of and commitment to reproductive health and rights and/or social justice issues, knowledge of the Midwestern region, experience with national and/or state organizing and excellent training skills. This entry-level position reports to the National Field Director. 
 
Western States Field Coordinator:
Choice USA seeks a committed, experienced individual who is passionate about reproductive/social justice to lead and coordinate our Western States Field Program. The Western States Field Coordinator will build a diverse base, lead and create trainings, build coalitions and relationships with colleagues and partners as well as create and implement campaign strategy. Candidates must have knowledge of and commitment to reproductive health and rights and/or social justice issues, knowledge of the West and/or Southwest regions, experience with national and/or state organizing and excellent training skills. This mid-level position reports to the National Field Director.

Okay. I have a confession. I’ve never taken a womens studies class.  Well, I guess technically I did, but it was more international than an intro.  So when people start to name some of the great feminists of the past and discuss various waves of feminism, sometimes I get confused.  Let’s be honest, unless you take a class, and that class is most likely only offered in college, it’s intimidating to jump into the wealth of information around women’s history.

So I recently decided to attack my ignorance. I work in the women’s movement. I consider myself a feminist. Time to get grounded in the history and theory.  With the help of Marcela and Deb at Advocates and my friend Shelby Knox, I now have a booklist.  If you don’t mind, I’d like to share my journey with you Amplify readers, hear your thoughts and get your suggestions for other must-reads.

To start off with, over the holidays I read Angela Davis’ “Women, Race & Class.”

Holy crap. What an awesome book.

Speaking as a former teacher, we suck at teaching history to our students. Everything is segmented.  Textbooks split history into thematic chapters and itty-bitty sections.  Multiple-choice tests are used to test knowledge (thank you NCLB).  We teach the abolition movement, suffrage movement and industrial revolution as separate events when in reality they all happened at the same time (sorry folks, “intersectionality” is not a cool new way to think of things).  Each movement impacted the other and racism, sexism and classism were present throughout. 

Angela Davis broke it down. Aside from realizing how much textbooks suck, some other points that stood out include:

1. Frederick Douglas was a feminist and should be remembered as such in addition to his abolition work.
2. Many of the heroes of suffrage movement were actually really horrible to people of color.  I was upset for awhile that the anti-s have the home where Susan B. Anthony was born, but after reading what she said around the 15th amendment, they can have it.
3. The North had plenty of pro-slavery crazies. There was even a massacre where 1,000 black people were killed in New York City in opposition to the draft for the Civil War.
4. America’s problem of incarcerating black men goes back to reconstruction when plantation owners used incarcerated men as laborers.  So they were extra excited to arrest folks.

The largest lesson is that history does in fact repeat itself. I wish that teachers had more freedom to challenge their students to learn the real history of the United States. I think that we would be able to engage students about our failures as a country, all the progress that has been made, and how they can work to make the US a better country…But considering how much health care reform has sucked, it’s probably going to be awhile before substantial changes are made to education reform. Sigh.

So in conclusion, this book was awesome.  I couldn’t put it down. It changed my life. I’m excited to read more.  And no, those weren’t the only points I took away from the book, but you’ll have to read it to see the rest =P

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? And do you have any other must-reads to share?

Props to Michele Buzzelli and all her great work!

Student gives away condoms
By Lily Oberman, the Ithacan Online

 Junior Michele Buzzelli was recently selected to participate in the Great American Condom Campaign, an underground, grassroots network that distributes condoms on college campuses around the country.
    Buzzelli is considered a “SafeSite,” meaning she offers students a safe place to get free condoms, as well as information on sexual health. Two weeks before Thanksgiving break, Buzzelli received a shipment of 500 Trojan condoms to distribute to students for free. Now, Buzzelli, a business administration and management major, is giving away condoms to promote safe sexual practices.
    Staff writer Lily Oberman spoke to Buzzelli about the application process to help the GACC and her work spreading the word about sexual health at Ithaca College.

Lily Oberman: How did you get selected to work for the GACC?

Michele Buzzelli: The application process was in September, and I’ve always wanted to be involved in something really important like this, especially with pregnancy and STDs being a little too rampant in college. I found the program through a friend and decided to apply, but I doubted I would be chosen. A thousand students are chosen each semester. I never thought I would be one in that thousand.

LO: How are you promoting your campaign for the GACC?

MB: When I got the box, I sent out a mass Facebook note to as many Ithaca students that I could that basically said, “Hey guys, spread the word.” I included a link to the Web site, gave my phone number and e-mail. I announced it in my classes and gave 250 condoms to Reslife to distribute in dorms. I’ve gone to some programs … . I’m trying to spread the word in a more underground, urban kind of way because people don’t look at posters. They don’t. So, I thought word of mouth was the best way.  

LO: How long do you work with the program?

MB: It’s just for the semester, and I’m going to apply again in the spring and next fall and next spring. This is something I really enjoy doing.

LO: How has your campaign been received so far?

MB: It’s been received really well. My roommates were so excited about it. In class people have come up to me, asking if they can have a couple. Whenever we have people over at my apartment, we have a bowl out.  

LO: Were you involved in anything like this in high school?

MB: Not really. I’ve done a lot of service work, but I’ve always wanted to actually take part in something that really would make a difference. Whether one student in a school of over 6,000 with a box of 500 condoms is going to make a difference or not, you never know, but if there’s even a chance that it’ll make a difference, I really want to try and do it.   

LO: Have you been met with any negative responses to your campaign?

MB: Not at all. Ithaca is definitely the greatest place to do something like this. Everyone is so open-minded to begin with. I announced it in some of my classes, and my professors were so cool about it. One of my professors even asked for a couple to put in a bowl in her office.  
 

Today we received great news in the battle for needle exchange programs. The federal funding ban on syringe exchange programs was lifted in the appropriations bill AND does not have the crazy restrictions we saw in the House version.

*Note-the bill still needs to be voted on, but at least we have good language for a vote! This vote should happen before the end of the year.

Previously, there was a federal funding ban on syringe exchange programs even though these programs have been proven as an effective HIV prevention tool for injection drug users (and organizations that run these programs are also great at getting IDUs into treatment programs!).  In the Senate version of this bill, the ban continued.  In the House version there was crazy language which stated syringe exchange programs could not operate within 1000 feet from spaces like parks, youth centers and schools.  This policy that would have been detrimental in many communities, especially those located urban areas and where needle exchange programs already exist. 

Instead the new law would permit needle exchange programs except in locations "that local public health or law enforcement agencies determine to be inappropriate."  Not too bad. Sounds like local control, right?  Normally a principle argued for by Republicans...unless you are a Republican. According to CQ:

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., said he was disappointed that some effort wasn’t made to accommodate concerns underlying the 1,000-foot restriction about children getting too close to illegal drug use and used needles.

“I’m sorry to see it be just completely vaporized,” Kingston said.

I'm sorry some members of Congress think they know better than those who work on the ground in HIV prevention. 

Either way, this is a victory that many organizations, and not just HIV/AIDS organizations (yay NAACP!) worked hard to win.  On to the vote!

On Wednesday I had the privilege of being on Capitol Hill for the Stop Stupak Day of Action.  Organized by dozens of progressive organizations, pro-choicers of all ages gathered to lobby members of Congress, rally and make sure it’s known that we will not accept Stupak-like language in any kind of healthcare reform.
 
From a youth perspective, it was an…interesting day of action.  I arrived to see fellow youth organizers (coordinated by Edith from Choice USA!) leading guerilla-style lobby trainings in the auditorium where everyone gathered for the morning briefing. It was incredible to see the excitement and energy of the trainers as well as the participants soaking in the tools necessary for the day of action.

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