Hello Amplify! I have some exciting news to share.. just got my first op-ed published today in South Carolina's "The State" newspaper!!!! Check it out:



The debate surrounding Title X family planning funding and the concern over MTV’s popular “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” reality shows is predictable enough: Does access to abortion encourage young mothers to terminate pregnancy? Does MTV make being pregnant look cool? But like so much of the discussion of teen pregnancy, it neglects the root of the matter: the teens who are becoming pregnant.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is a great time to realize that one of the best things that we can do for teens is teach them how to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy reports that between 1991 and 2004 there were more than 119,000 teen births in South Carolina, costing taxpayers a total of $2.7 billion. This report also shows that while it has decreased over the years, our teen pregnancy rate is still above the national average.

I am a member of the S.C. Youth Activist Network, made up of young people in Columbia, Charleston, Spartanburg and Greenville, working to educate and empower our peers about sexual and reproductive health. One of our main objectives is to reduce the number of unwanted teen pregnancies through peer-led initiatives. We have three strategies: pizza protection parties, SEXT text messaging and social media.

•  Face-to-face … with pizza. Pizza protection parties are free presentations facilitated by local youth activists. An activist such as myself comes to a gathering of at least 10 young people (ages 13-24) and talks about sexual and reproductive health. We go over everything from anatomy to contraceptives. We keep the conversation interesting with our series of games to make sure everyone is enlightened and has a good time. Did I mention we bring free pizza?

•  Omg! Lol! TTYL? Recognize the text lingo? Young people definitely do. Another way we reach out to our peers is by going into the community. Are you planning a health fair, talent show or conference? The Youth Activist Network can come out with information on our free and confidential text messaging line. By texting “SEXT” to 74574, young people can instantly get information on teen-friendly clinics or receive more information on keywords they text in. While we promote this great tool at your event, we also answer questions young people may have about how to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. (We always call them “unplanned,” never “unwanted.” We don’t want to make it seem like a child is not wanted.)

•  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube … we’re there. I don’t think I can name five friends who do not have a Facebook or Twitter page. And I definitely can’t think of anyone who doesn’t utilize YouTube. The S.C. Youth Activist Network is on each of these sites. We post videos, Tweet and Facebook post a wealth of information for our peers to have access to at the tips of their fingers. (Check us out on Facebook: SC YAN; Twitter: @TheSCYAN; YouTube: The SCYAN; and www.southcarolinasafersex.org.) Blogging? We’re on it. Specifically on our very own blog site at Amplifyyourvoice.org/SouthCarolina. We post about sexual and reproductive health, current events or things that simply spark our interest.

The Youth Activist Network is committed to teaching our peers the facts. The fact is: Teens are getting pregnant in this state, and we have the tools to prevent unplanned pregnancies.

Ms. Chisolm is one of three youth activists in Columbia; she also works for the S.C. HIV/AIDS Council.

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/05/13/1816858/chisolm-we-have-the-tools-to-reduce.html