Cultivating Young Women Leaders in Northern CA

The Sacred Snag Bag—Decolonizing Sexual Health

Have you ever heard the term "snaggin'?"

In our Indigenous communities, "snaggin'" is the fun, humorous way to talk about hooking up or dating. At Women’s Health Specialists (WHS), we recognize that cultural conversation is the most powerful tool for healing and empowerment.That’s why weapplied this philosophy directly to a fun cultural concept, recognizing that the fight for sexual health is an act of body sovereignty and decolonization.

For too long, conversations around sexual health have been defined by shame, judgment, and the colonial mindset that seeks to control our bodies. In our Indigenous communities across far northern California, we refuse to accept that. We are driven by the profound belief that your body is sacred, and that our path forward requires us to break down the shame surrounding sexual health through creativity and laughter.

Honoring Our Futures: Our Young Relatives Lead the Way

The key to engaging our communities is simple: be creative, honor our culture and always celebrate our bodies.

Our Native Youth Leadership Development program, which supports young people aged 15–29, saw "snaggin'" as a perfect opportunity to empower their peers. They developed the concept of the Sacred Snag Bag as a culturally relevant, humorous, and necessary way to promote free, accessible safer sex supplies at pow wows and cultural gatherings.

These bags, which contain internal and external condoms, lubricant, instructions, STI/HIV materials and clinic information, are designed to spark laughter, not judgment. They feature custom, irreverent condom stickers like "Rez Dog," "Auntie Slayer," and "Greasy Warrior." These names create immediate humor paving the way for a culturally responsive, liberating approach rooted in cultural pride and sex positivity.

The response has been overwhelming and immediate: Relatives come to the tables, seeking the bags, aunties, uncles, and elders proudly stock up for themselves and their grandkids. The youth didn't just create a product; they created a successful model of community engagement that works for all our relatives. The ultimate affirmation of our purpose to connect our communities to empowering information and resources came at one pow wow when the MC announced over the speaker system for everyone looking to snag that weekend to stop by the Women's Health Specialists table and pick up a Sacred Snag Bag! This opened the door to more face-to-face conversations about STI/HIV, condoms, and more.

Culture: The Path to Body Sovereignty

The success of the Sacred Snag Bag is proof that culture is the foundation of body sovereignty.

By delivering health resources in a fun, desirable, and shame-free way, we actively support the healing of our relatives. This approach reclaims body sovereignty, ensuring our people—especially our youth—are informed, empowered, and connected to a community that is taking full, loving control of their own wellness and destiny.

When we center our community with culture, accessible resources and laughter, we honor our people and build a path toward collective healing and strength. So, remember: if you are going snaggin' this weekend, pack your Sacred Snag Bag!

Thank you for supporting WHS and our young leadership program. With your support, we don't just invest in programs, we make a profound, tangible difference in the well-being and future of our communities.

Women's Health Specialists