REACH LA NEWS

HIV YOUTH Coalition of LA County (HYLAC) held its annual conference at the El Camino Compton Community Educational Center on December 7th, 2007. REACH LA along with coalition members from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Whittier Rio Hondo AIDS Project, East LA Women’s Center, LA County Department of Epidemiology, Planned Parenthood-Pasadena, ALTAMED and El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center developed a unique conference opportunity that would work towards bridging the gaps between HIV prevention, reproductive healthcare, substance use, criminal justice, intimate partner violence, HIV testing and care and create an action plan for best practices and integration for young women of color, ages 12-24. Providers Addressing Young Women’s Health Disparities: A Call to Action brought together HIV service providers, reproductive justice advocates, mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse professionals, students and community leaders to develop a 5-step integration plan in five key reproductive justice areas – reproductive health services, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health and juvenile/adult incarceration. Conference attendees, led by volunteer HIV and/or issue area professionals, facilitated lively and proactive discussions for reducing infection rates among young women of color. Each issue area presented their recommendations to a panel consisting of representation from the LA County Office of AIDS Programs and Policy, the City of Los Angeles, LA County Office of Women’s Health, Association of Planned Parenthood Leaders in Education, Office of the Speaker of the House Assemblyman Fabian Nunez, LA County Sheriff Office, LA Unified School District and the California Endowment. The report back plans presented will be compiled by the HIV Youth Coalition of LA County and disseminated to attendees at a later date.

The opening of the conference was highlighted by monologue performances by Diann Marchlewski & Maureen Piquette from the REACH LA Women’s Writing Workshop under the direction of Cathy Kay. G2G Leader Jasmin Harpe’s video about fears of seeking reproductive health care was also featured.

The 2007 G2G Leadership Class Graduates!!
On November 1, 2007 REACH LA had the privilege of graduating 7 young women from the Girl 2 Girl Leadership program. These young women received legislative recognition from state assembly member Fabian Nunez for dedicating a whole year to empowering and educating not only themselves but also hundreds of their peers on issues that affect their communities directly. (more…)

Tara Perry of the Girl2Girls Leadership team makes her mark at the Governor’s Conference .

On October 23, 2007 the Girl 2 Girl Leadership crew attended the California First Lady and Governors conference on women. The conference, held at the Long Beach convention center, boasted over 4500 attendees. G2G was chosen and honored as a part of the Minerva Leadership program. The youth had the opportunity to hear many powerful women speak and share their stories including, Michelle Obama, Maria Shriver, Vanessa Williams, and Laila Alli. (more…)

On July 19, 2007, The Women’s Foundation of California accepted LaDawn Best into the Women’s Policy Institute. The Women’s Policy Institute provides intensive advocacy and leadership training for 30 Californian women chosen through a very competitive interviewing process. The women chosen will play an important role in advocating for public policy that advances a positive agenda for women and girls. Over the course of one year participants will attend several four day working retreats, be involved in a team policy project, participate in frequent teleconferences, meet with legislators, plus other activities aimed to provide it’s participants with a vast knowledge in policy making. Congratulations LaDawn!

The dedicated and enthusiastic members of the Girl 2 Girl Leadership team met at LAX at 5:30 am on the morning of May 5th to begin a journey that they would remember for a lifetime. In the days to follow at Sistersong-Women of Color Reproductive Health Conference, the G2G leaders met with hundreds of other women of color who are active in the reproductive justice movement from all over the United States. They attended workshops on issues such as, birth control, midwifery, wellness, pleasure, LGBTQ sex, erotica and STD prevention. In addition to attending this national conference the G2G leaders facilitated their own workshop and screened their video shorts. The youth were able to build relationships with other youth organizers like The Urban Butterflies from New York and Khmer Girls in Action from Long Beach. Not only did this experience expand G2G’s view to a nationwide scope, it was exciting and fun too! Did I mention while in Chicago they managed to attend the Broadway musical The Color Purple!

The young women’s Leadership group held a three-day intensive video workshop at REACH LA. During the workshop the girls learned the basics of camera use through fun exercises like video scavenger hunt. After getting used to using the camera, they were able to critique and analyze short videos made by other young women of color, looking for both content, as well, as camera technique. Towards the end of day one, participants got in touch with their inner self be engaging in an emotional free writing process that included such topics as, my first trip to the gynecologist and why I like/dislike my body. Day two consisted of on location shooting and sound recordings, with the office transformed into mini movie sets. On the third and final day the G2G Leaders learned first hand the basics of final cut pro and begun the lengthy process of editing their own personal short video. Some of the youth were later given the opportunity to screen their films at Sistersong for a nationwide audience!

The young women involved in the G2G Leadership group attended the annual Human Rights Campaign Awards Gala hosted by Bill Mauer. Sharing a table with Liliana Perez, LGBT liaison to speaker of the house Fabian Nunez, and Bambi Salcedo from the Children’s Hospital made the night full of laughs and surprises! The youth who attended this Beverly Hills black-tie event listened to the first Latino presidential candidate and Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson speak, while feasting on a scrumptious four-course gourmet meal.

Members of our G2G Leadership group flew to the state capital to attended Reproductive Freedom Day. There they got the opportunity to meet up with hundreds of women from all throughout California, who are also interested in reproductive health and politics. The youth participated in legislative visits where they had the empowering experience of meeting with state elected officials to discuss issues that are affecting them as young women of color. The girls met with officials from the offices of: Fabian Nunez, Senator Edward Vincent, Senator Gloria Romero, Assembly Member Ted Lieu, as well as, others.

The G2G Leadership Team facilitated their first workshop for a group of twenty excited young women in Tulare County. Girl-to-Girl Leadership group drove up to Visalia, located in Central California, to attend the Female Leadership Academy. ACT, Advocacy Coalition of Tulare County for Women and Girls, sponsored the event. In addition to participating in the training academy the G2G Leaders had the opportunity to meet youth from rural areas of California and discuss the issues facing them as young women. They even got to meet some cows!!

After a long and intensive search ten new G2G Leaders have been chosen. We received over 30 applications. The girls submitted an application, wrote an essay and were interviewed. The ten young women who have been chosen possess strong leadership skills, drive, passion, and commitment. The group is comprised of 10 young women between the ages of 14-24 who are interested in reproductive justice and making a difference in their community through policymaking. Congratulations to the new G2G Leadership Class of 2007!!!