I cannot believe I am over halfway through the Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Internship for the semester. My work with Dr. Lederer has been an invaluable exposure to sexuality health education. Last blog, I wrote about the strides I have made in my scientific writing. At each weekly meeting, Dr. Lederer and I add to the manuscript, refining the introduction, methodology, and results. I value the collaborative process, as I have learned from her feedback and writing style, and I hope these skills will inform future projects. Once, these sections are more solidified and polished, we will begin the work on the discussion where we can not only interpret findings and compare results to previous work, but also explain the implications of the research of sexuality education knowledge gaps and how health professionals can mitigate knowledge deficiencies.
As discussed previously, working on the manuscript has improved my scientific writing. The final product will be submitted to a scientific sexuality health education journal whose readership is primarily composed of researchers, clinicians, and educators to hopefully guide improved education practices. Nevertheless, writing for public audiences can be just as important as academic groups. Over the summer, the Media Specialist at the Newcomb College Institute asked to feature my work as a Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Intern in NEWCOMB Magazine. I was elated at the opportunity to share my internship experience with others. Over Homecoming weekend, the magazine was distributed and Newcomb alumni and Tulane parents read about my personal and academic progress from the internship.
In my short article, I discussed the individual projects that I completed or was working on with Dr. Lederer as well as the broader implications of the internship experience. I wrote of connection to a group of women leaders that shares the same passion for reproductive justice, but developed the interest from diverse pathways. I discussed the inspiring professionals who took time out of their work days to speak about health, housing, economic, and criminal justice issues and explained the obvious and (often) not so apparent connection of their work to reproductive justice. I am so grateful to be featured in the magazine and not only share my development as a researcher, but also my growth as a reproductive rights advocate. I will continue to share my engagement with the field whether it is in print, online, or in person.
The full article can be found below on page 20.