Education United States Project #2164

Cultivating Young Women Leaders in Northern CA

by Women's Health Specialists

Project Report | Sep 23, 2019
Intertwined

By Abigail Rangel | Peer Outreach Worker

Intertwined Youth Leaders

Intertwined is a youth-led space where teens can have honest conversations about a plethora of issues that impact us. It’s about learning more and initiating conversation we hope attendees continue outside of Intertwined.

The creation of Intertwined came about when young women in our peer education group saw the lack of youth spaces in our community. Creating a space where youth are able to comfortably share their thoughts and opinions without being subjected to the invalidation of adults was one of our main objectives. We strived to have a place where youth can empower themselves with knowledge and take the lead when talking about these important issues that heavily impact their lives.

Intertwined is a space to hold heart to heart conversations while forming new connections with passionate youth. In the 1st meeting of Intertwined, we talked about the importance of self-love and self-care connecting it to our organization of Women’s Health Specialist’s which was founded of those ideals. Just like our founders we talked about taking back our power that our bodies hold. Not only that but also spreading it to a more relevant to the obstacles we face as young people today. We talked about how things such as social media have changed the way we perceive ourselves in the new digital age. We had interactive activities such as: creating lip scrubs and creating a “self-love box.” Whilst attendees did the activities the young women lead a conversation on the need for self-love, self-care and the important role it has on our overall health.

This space grasped all types of personas and unique minds. There were no restrictions to the ideas and experiences shared. It was a free space just for youth. Overall Intertwined is about empowerment and self-development that society sometimes doesn’t take into consideration.

Thank you for your donation and continued support of young women.

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May 31, 2019
Celebrating International Women's Day at the Intersections

By Danielle Brewster | Public Relations Director

Celebrating International Women's Day at the Intersections

Women's Health Network and Women's Health Specialists are proud to join forces on our 5th Annual International Women's Day Celebration that featured speakers, local artists and performers, booths featuring women-connected businesses and vendors. This year's theme was championing gender equity #betterforbalance.

The event was organized by a committee of young women, community volunteers and staff. One of the highlights of our committee was the youth leadership that took place. Several youth providing community outreach and recruiting sponsorships and donations, preparing event materials and coordinating on the day of the event.

International Women’s Day featured several local performers and community activist and artists from all different backgrounds. Each of them speaking and sharing their truth in celebration of this day. The evening included an opening by the Indigenous people of the land with a prayer and song followed by three staff members of Women's Health Specialists that provided a welcome done in their traditional languages, Mien, Spanish and Pauite.

The evening speakers included a variety of topics such as sexual violence, abortion, immigration, racial justice, transgender rights, white supremacy and reproductive justice. Each person sharing their own lived experiences with the community. We even had one of our own youth leaders speak at the event and share her story on three generations of women. Local performers sang songs, danced, read poems and each one of these performances shared a message related to women’s rights, gender expression, emotional and mental health and more.

The keynote speech was a conversation with renowned feminist activist and Professor Loretta Ross, who draws on half a century of activism. Dynamic and insightful, Dr. Ross's conversations inspire the transformation of apathy and anger into activism for social justice. Loretta held the attention of everyone in the room. Sharing her life experience on the barriers to accessing contraception, rape and incest, abortion and teaching on white supremacy. Loretta broke down reproductive justice and shared what it means to do work as a feminist.

It was a powerful space for activism! We celebrated at the intersections, uplifted community voices and stood in solidarity together. We look forward to continuing our support for youth and women in our community and with your help this is possible. Thank you for supporting this work.

Links:

http://www.cawhs.org

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Mar 1, 2019
Camp Fire Outreach Driver Program

By Danielle Brewster | Public Relations Director

Women's Health Specialists Outreach Driver Program

Over the past few months our communities have been devastated by two of the largest wild fires in Northern California. Two of our clinics are located in the counties where the fires occurred, the Carr Fire in Shasta County and the Camp Fire in Butte County. Both of these fires leaving thousands of individuals homeless in our services area. In response to this event, Women's Health Specialists has been working hard to support individuals affected by the fires and continue to make sure that reproductive health services are available during this crucial time.

Women’s Health Specialists has recently started a temporary program called the Outreach Drivers. This program began to support individuals who were affected by the Camp Fire in Butte County. The project has 4 women outreach drivers who were directly affected by the fire themselves coordinating and leading this program. These 4 women work as community outreach drivers to support Carr Fire victims in accessing their health care needs. The outreach drivers provide free rides to and from Women’s Health Specialists for anyone affected by the Camp Fire. The purpose of this project is to help support women who don’t have transportation get to and from their appointments.

Women's Health Specialists Outreach Drivers are connecting women to a wide range of services which include birth control, pregnancy testing, abortion, pre-natal referrals, trans health referrals, services for men, STI testing and treatment, HIV testing, free condoms and safe sex supplies. Free Rides are offered Monday- Friday to clients. The drivers have discrete business cars that pick-up clients and drop them off anywhere in Butte County.

Outreach Drivers work to promote this project throughout Butte County by distributing flyers, condoms, service cards and provide education sessions. These women are working to connect women to care during this time. Our communty is strong and women are empowered to help others.

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