Talking with the young people in our lives about their sexual and reproductive health can be a daunting responsibility. Many of us didn’t fill in our own gaps of understanding until we became sexually active, sometimes not until after we experienced some undesirable outcomes. Knowing where, when and how to begin such important conversations is something many parents, guardians and educators struggle with, and it can be hard to know who’s advice to follow.

During this panel presentation and Q&A session, you will hear from three high school students, and a Huckleberry Youth Programs sexual and reproductive health educator, as they share their insights on how to facilitate meaningful, thoughtful and engaging conversations about sexual and reproductive health with the young people in your life. This panel will be an excellent resource for parents, guardians, educators, teachers and healthcare providers – anyone who is invested in the health and wellness of teens and young adults.

Topics include:

• Initiating “The Talk”: why it’s important to talk about sex early and often
• Why confidence matters
• How avoiding assumptions about gender and sexuality can support a young person’s development
• How teachers can improve engagement from their students
• And much more!

When: Thursday, September 15 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Where: Zoom (link will be sent out to all who register!)

Moderator: Jackson Bowman. Jackson is Huckleberry’s former Director of Health Services. His favorite sex ed topic is gender identity and sexual orientation. “I love talking with young people about sexual and reproductive health! It’s amazing to see young people learn about not only the science, and how to protect themselves, but to be able to witness their exploration and curiosity when it comes to figuring out their place in the sexual orientation and gender spectrum. Young people deserve to learn about sexual and reproductive health from adults who are excited to teach them, and I hope this panel will jump-start the excitement in some parents, guardians and educators!”

 

Panelists will include:

Alba Alvarado – Huckleberry Youth Programs Health EducatorAlba is a queer, first-generation Latina who is deeply passionate about the intersections between racial justice and public health. Alba’s passion stems from the health-related injustices she witnessed in her youth and her work aims to center QTBIPOC. Her drive to alleviate this injustice led her to earn her B.A. from Wellesley College where she majored in Women’s and Gender Studies with a concentration in intersectional feminist theory. At Wellesley, she was the chair of education for the Sexual Health Educators where she wrote an inter-sectional sex ed curriculum and trained a large team of sex educators. Alba has experience working in nonprofits, government entities, and schools. Her advocacy work has been published in the historic feminist publication Ms. Magazine, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund blog, Sex Etc., Vice, and Glamour. She was born and raised in the Bay Area where Huckleberry played an integral role in her access to adolescent health services and she is now honored to be serving San Francisco Youth as a Community Health Educator.

 

Angelina Sorensen – a 17-year-old senior at Lick-Wilmerding High School. Her favorite sex ed topic is sexual orientation and gender identity. ” I’m passionate about sexual health because I think it’s a topic that doesn’t get the appropriate attention it deserves. Conversations about sexual health shouldn’t be uncomfortable or taboo because they’re just another component of living a healthy lifestyle. I want to be on this panel to help show adults that learning and social change is a constant thing. The next generation has more to teach the world than people expect and therefore it’s important to respect what everyone has to offer.”

 

Desiree Siti – a 15-year-old 10th grader at Independence High School. Her favorite sex ed topic is safer sex and STI/HIV prevention. “People grow up and hormones start to kick in, teens are going to be confused about a lot of things. So learning about sexual health/sex education is going to help them in the present/future, plus they learn more things about themselves. The reason why I want to be on this panel is to give tips to adults that have teens on how to be open with them and give them the support they need as their body changes”

 

 

Questions for the panelists can be directed to our panel facilitator, Jackson Bowman at jbowman@huckleberryyouth.org.