In the past couple weeks with NOAF I have been preparing for my culminating internship experience, a story sharing house party, which just happened this past Wednesday (4/26). The party went really well and we had some great conversations about some of the challenges associated with contraception and the disparities in sexual education and access to contraception. I learned from the experience of marketing the event and inviting the guests, and plan to use those lessons to inform the planning of future OurLoud house parties. Parallel to this, I have been promoting the OutLoud program at events such as NOAF’s annual Game-a-thon and by tabling in front of the LBC. We are working on establishing a greater social media presence by using the hashtags for the National Network of Abortion Funds and the 1 in 3 Campaign. I also volunteered to be a campus representative for the 1 in 3 campaign’s week of abortion promotion through sticker art, and I hope to find new places within the community to spread the message and spark conversations on reproductive health and access to abortion.
I find this work meaningful because it allows me to have profound conversations regarding reproductive health with smart and interesting people who I would likely not have organically encountered or spoken to had I not been given the opportunity by NCI to join this field of work. I have been empowered to be a greater advocate for reproductive rights on campus through the connections I’ve made with some of the pro-choice student organizations such as SURJ (Students United for Reproductive Justice) and through my association with the 1 in 3 campaign. There is so much support among the Tulane and New Orleans community for the reproductive justice, and it gives me great confidence and a sense of agency to be able to participate in this movement.