There are many innovative ways to make condom usage more appealing. Exotic flavors, ultra-thin latex, and textured condoms “ribbed for pleasure” all make condoms more exciting.

However, their rate of usage remains inconsistent.

Launching the Condom Design Contest

Faced with this challenge, Say It With A Condom partnered with Frannie Peabody Center to help make condoms more fun.

Frannie Peabody Center, a nonprofit in Portland, Maine, invited a class of students at the Maine College of Art to design condom packaging that raises awareness of testing and prevention on World AIDS Day.

Donna Galluzzo, the Executive Director of Frannie Peabody Center, sees World AIDS Day as an occasion to honor those lost during the AIDS crisis while raising awareness for modern prevention methods.

Creating the Condom Designs

For the graphic design class, this was an opportunity to gain real-world design experience. “This class treated us, Frannie Peabody Center, as their client,” says Galluzzo, “It’s a very real-world experience for them. We all meet together, they interview us, and they talk about what we are looking for.”

The more visually interesting a condom package, the more likely someone will pick it up to find out what it is. Frannie Peabody Center understood this, so they instructed the design students to combine positive messaging with unique patterns and colors.

After giving the class direction at the beginning of the fall semester, they had a mid-semester meeting to present their drafts and receive constructive feedback. This feedback culminated in the students’ final designs.

“We wanted the designs to be attractive and colorful, but they also had to spread the right message, respect our clients, and appeal to a large variety of groups,” Galluzzo notes, “That was a very fine line to walk, but I think the folks at Say It With A Condom really understood that. The class really got it as well, the designs all had something unique about them but they were all very respectful.”

Rocking the Vote

Once the entries were submitted, Say It With A Condom developed an online voting platform that allowed the community to vote on their favorite design. Not only did Frannie Peabody Center send people to vote online, they also went to events throughout Portland to conduct in-person voting sessions.

“It was really fun to engage the public,” says Galluzzo, “people of course were picking up the condoms and reading the messages. We got to hear what their thoughts were in real time. Some thought it was all about the style, while others thought it was more about the positive messaging. We even got to see parents explaining condoms to their kids right in the moment, so it was definitely quite the engagement!”

In total, over 850 votes were cast. The competition was close, but Hayden Jones’s “Every Connection Counts” design won!

Who Was Frannie Peabody?

Frannie Peabody, the namesake of her eponymous nonprofit, began her work as an activist at the age of eighty following her grandson’s AIDS diagnosis. “I wish that I had met Frannie,” says Galluzzo, “every time I talk to someone who did know her, she becomes a larger than life figure.”

Following the death of her grandson, she became involved in visiting support groups to meet with others who lost friends and loved ones during during the AIDS crisis. “She became an incredibly staunch advocate for people living with HIV and AIDS in the state of Maine,” Galluzzo says, “she went on a longstanding community campaign to raise awareness, to engage her personal community, to give, and to help.”

Asked what Frannie Peabody would have thought of the contest, Galluzzo says that “I’m sure she would have loved it.”

Visit Frannie Peabody Center’s Website, Facebook, and Instagram

Email contest@sayitwithacondom.com to Launch Your Own Condom Design Contest!

The post Frannie Peabody Center Hosts Condom Design Contest appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

According to the Department of Justice, an American is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds. While the #metoo movement has brought sexual assault into the limelight, these startling statistics reflect an ongoing problem. Although rates of sexual violence have fallen by more than half since 1993, survivors of abuse struggle to cope with the long-term emotional implications of sexual assault. For many survivors, including Sierra Dowd, this struggle has flowered into artistic catharsis.

Sierra Dowd is a polymath in the truest sense of the term. A lifelong entrepreneur and activist, Dowd has culminated her unique background into the world of fashion. Dowd’s label, 98society serves to acknowledge survivors of sexual assault while bringing about tangible action. That’s because 10% of the proceeds are donated to Darkness To Light, an organization which works to end childhood sexual abuse. By providing a nuanced and tasteful method through which to start a conversation about consent, Dowd can effectively spread awareness of her cause.

I recently had the chance to talk with Dowd about her life leading up to 98society, how she plans to grow the brand, and how frankly, condoms can open doors to having a conversation about consent as well.

This interview has been condensed and lightly edited

Tell me about your background leading up to the creation 98/Society

I ran an anti-bullying organization called Be More Heroic for five years. In doing this kind of work, I was able to understand the business strategy and development involved in the creation of a non-profit. When I built programming with Be More Heroic, I worked with psychologists, sociologists, and teachers at the ground level to build this very extensive production.

We also found activists from all over the country who could effectively cover the topic of bullying. After telling their stories, they each performed a variety of performance art. Even if the kids in the audience weren’t paying attention to the actual stories, they’d always pay attention to the performance art. We found it to be extremely effective!

What’s the 98 Society, and how did you come up with the idea?

I’ve been an entrepreneur for quite some time. I’ve worked with many businesses, particularly in the world of fashion. 98society has been a perfect blend of my entrepreneurial side and my philanthropic side.

I named the brand the 98society because every 98 seconds, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. This is a really baffling statistic, and it just goes to show the gravity of this issue.

When I was designing the clothes, I wanted to make sure that I was being intentionally ambiguous. As a survivor of sexual abuse, I wouldn’t wear a T-shirt that says “survivor” or #metoo. While I am very outward and open about sharing my story, I didn’t want my brand to be outward in the same way. In each design, the messaging is ambiguous, but it’s still tied to the issue of sexual assault.

Do you find that other survivors can relate to the ambiguity of your messaging?

Thus far, I have. I’ve also found that it’s something that allies are more comfortable wearing. That’s important, because we want to extend the conversation and, above all else, educate people.

If people are able to spread awareness with the clothing they wear by bringing attention to the statistic that every 98 seconds a person in the United States is sexually assaulted, this is a win for me. I’ve found that thus far, survivors are more likely to purchase designs that are more ambiguous.

For example, our crossword puzzle tee appears to be a series of jumbled words, but if you look closely it’s actually a series of words associated with sexual assault. These include “victim, survivor, trust, respect, and consent,” but the one word circled is respect.  

How do you get this message out?

The brand awareness has primarily been spread through word of mouth. Over the next year, I really plan on listening. I plan on listening, I plan on attending, and I plan on gathering as much insight as possible from those who have worked in this field for the last several years. The following year, I’d like to begin sharing my story and implementing activations throughout the country. This will ultimately showcase that 98society is challenging the social enterprise business model and hopefully encourage other brands to do the same.

What did you think of frankly, condoms?

I think they’re great! Particularly at the collegiate level, these will be so well-received. In a moment where consent hasn’t been discussed yet, I can absolutely see girls taking the initiative and bringing these out. Or I imagine them being given to a fraternity and inevitably they’re reading what it says before ripping off the packaging forcing them to think twice about consent before having sex.

It’s so important that we keep those lines of communication open and the best way to do that is to keep the conversation light hearted and digestible. It’s a wonderful concept! Everyone should be using condoms, and if they are, frankly, is a wonderful way to open the door for some much needed conversations around consent!

To learn more about 98/Society, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram

The post This Activist’s Clothing Brand Contains Hidden Messages that Promote Consent appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Revolución Con Don P Reaches a New Audience

The ubiquity of social media has created duality in health promotion. Raising awareness through traditional tabling methods remains crucial, but no campaign is complete without a visible online presence. Social media allows healthcare providers to overcome barriers in disseminating information to patients, and can also drive patient uptake for organizations like Fenway Health. Fenway Health is a healthcare, research, education and advocacy organization in Boston, Massachusetts whose mission includes serving the LGBTQ community. As social media grows more integrated in daily life, some providers have evolved their digital strategy to reach new audiences. Ricardo Holguin, the Bilingual Outreach Navigator at Fenway Health, has revolutionized outreach to the Latinx MSM (Men that have Sex with Men) population by developing an approachable persona on Snapchat.

Holguin built his campaign with a federally funded grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The grant’s name is “Llegando a Cero,” which translates to “Getting to Zero” in English. This project was awarded to Fenway Health to enhance targeted outreach, social media marketing, and on-the-ground navigation services in order to help increase awareness of HIV and substance abuse prevention services, in part through the creation of Holguin’s current position as Bilingual Outreach Navigator. “Many campaigns adopt a very serious tone which can scare people away,” Holguin notes. “I asked myself how I could best engage with 18-24-year-old Latinx MSM.” Holguin knew that the best way to spread information is through social media, but he wanted to create something different. After weeks of deliberation, Holguin had a genius idea: Revolución con Don P. “Condom in Spanish translates to condón,” Holguin explains, “I separated the word and realized it translates to ‘with Don.’ In Spanish, Don is the male form of a courtesy title placed before the first name of someone as a way of showing respect. The name Don P is a play on words. Revolución Con Don P means ‘Revolution With Condoms.’” The “P” in Don P is variable, it can mean prevention, precaution, or even PrEP.

Don P is the face of Holguin’s social media campaign, which spans across Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and dating apps such as Grindr. The persona primarily targets young Latinx MSM , a population that’s disproportionately affected by HIV. Research from the CDC projects that “one in four Latino gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetimes.” Holguin’s goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV while providing them with links to needed services. The anonymity and transience on Snapchat provides Holguin’s followers with a sense of privacy and freedom, emboldening them to ask questions they may otherwise feel uncomfortable asking.

Holguin acquires followers through word of mouth, but he also spreads awareness of Revolución con Don P by attending outreach events in person. As he began attending more events, Holguin realized he needed a memorable way to stay in touch with people. Fenway Health already provides safe sex kits, but Holguin needed something that included information about where people can get tested.  Holguin says that “as I began researching potential options, I found Say It With A Condom! It was exactly what I was looking for.”

After enlisting their services, Say It With A Condom connected Holguin with Gilberto Perez, the manager of the company’s graphic design team. “What I like about Ricardo is that he knows exactly how to approach the target demographic,” says Perez, “I found that his Snapchat campaign is a great way to interact with young people.” Benjamin Sherman, the founder and CEO of Say It With A Condom, remarked that “We’ve worked on a lot of campaigns, but this one is something that’s really special and what I hope will be very successful. It’s a lot different than everything else that has come to us or that we’ve designed.” The design, which includes Don P’s snapcode image on the back of the trifold, makes it easier for Holguin to gain followers.

“If people don’t want to give me their information, I have them follow Don P on Snapchat and let them know that they can always speak to him confidentially,” says Holguin, “Once that happens, I can build rapport with them and gain their trust. The more I start posting, the more people relate to the content.”

Add Don P on Snapchat by Using this Snapcode

The Don P condoms have already helped drive patient uptake. “People love the engagement,” says Holguin, “I get lots of people asking where they can get tested. Fenway Health has already had an influx of Latinos aged 18-24 coming in for testing since we launched the campaign.” Holguin hopes that by providing a space for people to engage his health expertise anonymously, he’ll be able to prevent risky behavior. Additionally, the campaign was created to bring more resources to the large population of Spanish speakers throughout Boston. By providing culturally sensitive care, Don P is able to confidentially connect more people from the Latinx MSM community to the resources that they need to protect their sexual health.

The post Fenway Health Maximizes Outreach with Custom Condoms appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Whitney Bell, a feminist polymath with a distinguished presence on social media, uses her platform to spread conscious messaging that concerns gender equality, consent, and the de-stigmatization of family planning. You may remember Whitney from a number of her widely-publicized events; from challenging the defunding of Planned Parenthood by live-streaming her IUD insertion to participating in an empowering photo series funded by the Amber Rose SlutWalk, Bell is an undaunted voice for social justice.

More recently, Bell made waves by hosting a gallery event that highlights the harassment of uninvited nude photography. “I Didn’t Ask for This: A Lifetime of Dick Pics” features approximately two-hundred framed photographs of dick pics that Bell and other women have received.  “I wanted to show how invasive and pervasive sexual harassment is,” Bell says in a Bustle interview, “and how it affects every part of a woman’s life.”

Modelled after her own apartment, the gallery space uses an eclectic collection of personal items that are juxtaposed with jarring photos of genitalia. This contrast confronts the regularity of sexting harassment. Even when women are alone at home, they are liable to receive a torrent of unsolicited sexts via online dating apps.

While sexting can potentially be a normal, healthy part of burgeoning relationships, it’s still necessary to receive consent before sending explicit images. Although women are equally capable of sending an unwanted sext, statistics indicate that the trend is heavily skewed toward men. Research from McAfee, a software security firm, found that “61 percent of men partake in sexting and suggestive photo taking, while 48 percent of women do.”

What can account for such a discrepancy?

Dr. David Ley theorizes in Psychology Today that “in an anonymous environment, people, and especially men, are more likely to engage in sexualized behaviors,” also noting that “men notoriously misperceive women’s sexual interest in them and project their own sexual interests and desires onto women.”

Frontiers in Psychology research by Evita March and Danielle Wagstaff correlates the likelihood of sending an unsolicited explicit image to “dark personality traits” such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism: “the positive association between dark traits of personality and sexually exploitative behavior could extend to sending unsolicited explicit images, which have previously been defined as a form of online sexual harassment.” Interestingly, the study also notes that sending explicit images “may act as a signal of one’s willingness to engage in risky behaviors,” such as not using protection, which is corroborated by research from The Journal of Adolescent Health.

Bell emphasizes in a Vice interview that her gallery isn’t about “dick-hating or man-hating,” it’s about harassment. “All of these dicks are unsolicited,” Bell says, “they didn’t come from requests.” Underscoring the issue of unsolicited dick pics is the suppression of female sexuality and a fundamental misunderstanding of consent, which Bell hopes to alleviate through educational programming at future gallery events.

A New Promotional Campaign

Last March, Bell took on a new project. Utilizing the services of Say It With A Condom, Bell created a clever campaign that uses custom condoms to celebrate the virtues of consent and sexual positivity. The condoms are designed with the intention to make people consider feminism, LGBT equality, and the risks of unprotected sex.

The condoms, which include slogans such as “pleasure is power,” “open with consent only,” “don’t be a dick,” “respect women,” and “women don’t owe you shit,” are an easy and fun way to initiate a conversation about important feminist issues.

With a cute retro design, Bell’s condoms also serve to de-stigmatize female sexuality: “women were embarrassed to carry condoms,” says Bell, “but I’m going in the other direction by demanding that there be no shame.” In addition to spreading an important message, 100% of the proceeds from Bell’s condoms are donated to  amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research).

The condoms are sold on Bell’s unique online clothing store.

Getting The Word Out – Custom Designed Condoms

With the help of a “dream team of sexologists, activists, and influencers,” Bell organized a professional photoshoot to promote her charity campaign. Photographer Brandon Barnhart shot the series.

Kiran Gandhi, an activist and musician who toured as a drummer with M.I.A

GabiFresh, a businesswoman and blogger who runs a popular online store

Stephanie Beatriz, an actress famous for playing Detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jazzmyne Jay, a producer at BuzzFeed

Curly Velasquez, a writer for BuzzFeed

Dewanda Wise, an actress who plays Nola Darling in Spike Lee’s Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It

Gaby Dunn, the New York Times best-selling author of I Hate Everyone But You

Arisce Wanzer, a transgender supermodel

The post Learn How This Activist Uses Custom Condoms to Fund AIDS Research appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Below is a lightly edited transcription of an interview we did with Brett:

What exactly is WeHo Life?

WeHo Life is a program that is specifically targeted to gay men’s and transgender women’s health.

The overall organization targets much more than that, but it is divided up into specific branches in order to implement the most effective strategies in advocating for LGBT rights. The entire program is actually funded by the city of West Hollywood, and they are very proactive in making sure that everyone is receiving the proper care they need.

What are some services offered by the center?

The program offers services for testing, PrEP, mental health services, programs targeting homeless youth, transgender services, and more.

This organization really is all encompassing. WeHo life specifically also offer strip surveys, which is a unique and fun way to interact with the program. For every question on the survey someone answers, a porn star takes off one article of clothing. Who wouldn’t want to participate in that?

How has this organization influenced the West Hollywood area?

People have learned to become more accepting to this culture. The gay population in WeHo is a very prominent one, and being able to advocate for them has allowed people to become more open-minded and accepting to this community.

Our online programs have reached people in all fifty states, and even different countries. People in Russia are watching our videos, and it’s incredible because gay men there don’t have a safe haven like this, but we can give them that through our online program. It’s amazing what technology can do nowadays!

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while working with the Los Angeles LGBT Center?

West Hollywood is not a very diverse area. It consists of mostly caucasian people, and the majority of the gay population here is muscular, white males. However, there is a latino population as well, and they do not receive the proper attention that they need due to their background.

The LGBT Latino population between the ages of 19-25 still has a disproportionately higher rate of HIV, but it is something that the Los Angeles LGBT Center is actively working to change!

How did your partnership with Say It With A Condom help enhance the delivery of your message?

The customized condom foils provided by Say It With A Condom are terrific and actually very popular. People want to take them because of the creative packaging. And that accomplishes our goal of making sure people have access to and are making use of these tools.

Where do you see the program going in the future?

I am focusing on pushing the use of condoms despite the introduction of PrEP. I also want to make sure that there is a continued sense of awareness surrounding the LGBT community and HIV. People need to stay informed so that they don’t feel ashamed. Inclusion is key, especially in West Hollywood considering the discrimination people face due to their body type or ethnicity.

The post Getting People On PrEP With Brett Holland of the LA LGBT Center appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Designing the Message for More Impact

With a focus on starting a conversation about PrEP geared towards heterosexual women of color, Mégane Simões, Brand and Marketing Associate at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. (PPMW), was looking for lubricant with credible product packaging to spread awareness and information about PrEP. She found exactly what she needed via Say It With A Condom. Since using these custom lube packs, PPMW has increased the effectiveness of their PrEP engagement significantly. Mégane has continued to order the lube packs to keep PPMW’s PrEP initiative going strong.

The Difference Maker

PrEP is a once daily pill that decreases a patient’s risk of HIV by over 90%. Heterosexual women, especially women of color, have long been overlooked in the discussion of HIV reduction initiatives. Custom lubricant was identified as one way to encourage women in the District to seek out PrEP. Condoms have always been a sex conversation starter and the addition of lube packets reaches individuals who are sexually active without condoms.

PPMW’s PrEP initiative increases conversations about HIV within this overlooked demographic. They educate residents about the high risk of HIV in the District to normalize and increase the interest of PrEP. The lifetime risk for HIV diagnosis, the likelihood a person will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetime, is 1 in 13 for D.C.*, the highest in the U.S. The national average is 1 in 99. Increased use of PrEP is a key strategy to prevent the spread of HIV in the District. Planned Parenthood is seeking new and innovative ways to get the information to the populace.

Taking Charge

Mégane’s role focuses on assuring creative collateral and community marketing outreach meets the brand criteria of Planned Parenthood across the board. She chose our lubricant in order to successfully deliver the message to their target audience in an effective and engaging way.

“I am always breaking down reproductive health information in a user friendly way to engage a variety of audiences: students, patients, community members, social media followers, and donors. With such a broad audience it’s important to select materials to keep them engaged.”

With Mégane’s guidance, the campaign has given out thousands of lubricant samples, everywhere from concerts to community events. It all goes back to getting people into health centers to get the information they need to make health reproductive health decisions, like getting on PrEP.

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. has been providing high-quality, affordable healthcare, awareness and education to individuals in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area for over 80 years. Their experienced and supportive medical staff gives each patient medically accurate and high-quality care, as well as the knowledge and tools to make the decisions that fit their lifestyle.

*CDC 2016 Lifetime Risk of HIV Diagnosis report

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In this day and age, there are a plethora of resources out there for women’s rights. However, it is not a topic that is talked about nearly as much as it should. Here at Say It With A Condom, we’ve done our research and we know that people need to start important conversations and get the facts about what sorts of controversies surround this topic. We love to keep up with the latest and greatest organizations of our time to see what campaigns are out there for various public health matters.  This month, we decided to talk about the NOW Foundation.

NOW stands for “National Organization for Women Foundation” and this organization is doing wonderful things for women all over the country. They have a variety of different programs that are aimed at helping women with a multitude of situations. Their well-known “Love Your Body” campaign targets young women and engages people through a unique poster drawing contest. Other than this, they have programs such as their “Crisis In Family Courts” project, which is aimed at helping women going through divorces on issues such as custody battle, and their “Global Feminism” projects. They also have “Voter Mobilization” efforts that are aimed at promoting women in politics. This organization truly is an all-encompassing organization, and we are greatly inspired by The National Organization For Women.

The National Organization for Women along with other great women’s rights organizations have inspired us to create a line of Feminism Condoms. We know how powerful a condom is in starting a conversation, so it was only necessary that we created awareness for a topic of this magnitude. We have also worked on a variety of Pro-Choice condoms to tie into this. Check out some of our designs below!

The post Women’s Rights Are Human Rights appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

We’re back with our second ‘back to school’ edition article! Keep reading to learn more about how condoms have been implemented on college campuses all over the country to effectively raise awareness and spread important messages! This time we’ll be talking about the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tufts University, UCLA, and California State University Northridge.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has an amazing organization on campus called ‘Sex Out Loud‘ This organization is meant to promote sexual education in an open, healthy way. The organization provides students with the proper education and tools necessary to make smart decisions. The organization also has many programs all over campus, and stays really involved with the student body. Say It With A Condom was able to partner with The University of Wisconsin-Madison. The University started a contest on campus to allow students to create their own condom designs centered around consent. They did a great job, and we’re so happy to have worked with such a wonderful student body. #consentissexy

Tufts University wants to ensure that all of their students have the proper education needed to make healthy life decisions. They wanted to spread pro-consent messages throughout campus, so Tufts University partnered with Say It With A Condom to modify one of our pre-designed Consent Condoms. They are able to hand condoms out on campus while also delivering an important message. Tufts believes in spreading awareness, having proper resources, and education. Keep up the great work Tufts! We can’t wait to see what we can do together in the future.

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has a very diverse campus with lots of opportunities. They have a large variety of clubs and extracurriculars to keep  students engaged beyond the classroom setting. They started an organization in 1965 that is knows as the Campus Events Commission. This organization was actually able to partner up with Say It With A Condom, and together we designed condoms to allow the Campus Events Commission to spread awareness for their events. They wanted to promote the activities and entertainment they provide on campus, and what better way to do so than with a custom condom?!

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is a public university located in a neighborhood of Los Angeles. The university provides students with the opportunity to engage in many extracurricular activities. The CSUN Young Democrats were able to go above and beyond by partnering with Say It With A Condom. Together, we raised awareness about the events that they hold on campus. These efforts were successful, and they have ordered custom condoms from us several times over the past few years. It’s great to see young students making a real difference by starting a conversation and raising awareness about activities that they are passionate about. Keep up the awesome work CSUN!

It’s wonderful to see that these custom condoms are being used for all types of important causes all over the nation. We can’t wait to further our work with these amazing universities, and we wish them all the best of luck during this upcoming school year!

The post Back To School: College Spotlights Part 2 appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

With back to school season right around the corner, we couldn’t think of a better person to recognize than youth sexual assault activist, Venkayla Haynes. With the world (google.com) at our fingertips, we’ve been able to learn all about the amazing campaigns Venkayla has been contributing to. We’re especially impressed that this dedicated individual can balance her college career at Spelman College while also being a Summer Research Intern for Break The Cycle, an Ambassador for No More, and a Student Advisory Committee Member for It’s On Us. She, along with other youth activists, met with the Biden Foundation earlier this month in an attempt to combat gender-based violence. Learn more about what motivates Venkayla here.

Twitter I Linkedin

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Break The Cycle

Break The Cycle is a national not-for-profit organization and its main aim is to provide youth (ages 12-24) with dating abuse programs. The idea behind this campaign is to support the youth in building healthy, lasting relationships. Break The Cycle wants to create a culture without abuse and volunteers and partners alike advocate for this important cause in classroom settings, within the courtroom, and even in Congress!

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NO MORE

No More is another leading organization that aims to end domestic violence and sexual assault. The idea behind this campaign is to raise more awareness on the issue and increase bystander intervention. Organizations and individual advocates all over the nation have partnered up with No More to join the fight against domestic violence and sexual assault. This organization also conducts research to better gauge how to go about achieving the overall goals of this campaign!

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It’s On Us

It’s On Us is a national campaign designed to end sexual assault. The campaign is designed to engage community leaders, parents, teachers, and students on campuses all over the country to take the It’s On Us pledge. Supporters are able to advocate for ending sexual assault, and survivors of sexual assault are given a safe place to overcome their demons. It’s On Us also focuses on consent and bystander education, two very important topics that people need to be educated on for sexual assault rates to decrease. It’s On Us is a powerful movement that lets people start a conversation about a controversial topics such as sexual assault!  

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The youth is our future, and it is incredible to see young folks just like Venkayla Haynes taking charge and letting their voices be heard. If she can do it, so can you! It’s as easy as bringing these organizations and their messages to your campus or community. Become an advocate and join the fight against sexual assault today!

The post Combating Sexual Assault With Youth Activist Venkayla Haynes appeared first on Say It With A Condom.

Elizabeth Schedl is the Deputy Director of the Hudson Pride Connections Center located in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her organization partnered with Say It With A Condom to spread awareness on PrEP as part of their preventative service program. The Hudson Pride Connections Center caters to the LGBT community within Hudson County, and gives this community a home and a voice. Hudson Pride Connections Center has made some major changes to Hudson County, so read on to learn a bit more about what they do!

Elizabeth Schedl

Condoms Designed by Say It With A Condom

What types of services does the Hudson Pride Connections Center offer?

“We offer so much, but some of our most popular services are peer led social support groups, public events such as the youth prom and holiday dinners, drug and alcohol preventative services and workshops, residential housing, and HIV and PrEP services.”

We can see why so many people consider the Hudson Pride Connections Center a second home.

Luckily enough, this center also has a very good relationship with the police department. The police department offers their time and services at no cost to accompany employees when they do their ‘Ryan White’ HIV late night outreach program. “We’re lucky to have such a good relationship with the police. It makes us feel more safe when we’re doing our work, and considering many of our clients are from the inner-city, they feel a lot more comfortable too. They feel as if they are being accepted.”

How did you get started in this line of work?

“It’s something i’ve been interested in for quite a long time. I actually started the first ever LGBT organization on my college campus, and it received major support. We ended up winning an ‘organization of the year’ award within the first year. Then I worked for the Victory Fund in D.C. before moving back to Jersey. I’ve been working at the Hudson Pride Connections Center since then, and I’ve worked my way up to where I am now.”

It’s great to see that the employees at this center have a comprehensive background and are really devoted to their work.

What have been some major obstacles your organization has faced?

“Thankfully, Hudson County is very accepting of the LGBT community. However, it is very frustrating to see that there are still people out there today that will not acknowledge this community, or do not even know that they exist.”

We agree Elizabeth, especially with technology being at our fingertips every second of the way. Google.com is a beautiful thing.

How did your partnership with Say It With A Condom help enhance the delivery of your message?

“People love the PrEP condoms created by Say It With A Condom. They’re very informative, and I think it’s extremely important that people are being handed a direct solution to some of these issues we’re trying to combat.”

We’re happy to hear that our PrEP condoms are raising awareness and starting important conversations.

What do you hope to see happen in the future?

“I would love to see more awareness regarding PrEP. It is fairly new, but not new enough that people shouldn’t know what it is. People need to get educated and know their options.” Elizabeth also talked about how topics such as bullying and HIV need more attention.

“People still have a 1980’s understanding of HIV, but we’ve come so far since then.”

We cannot wait to see what new campaigns we can launch with the Hudson Pride Connections Center and other LGBT organizations in the future. Stay protected, and Say It With A Condom!

The post Say It With A Condom & Hudson Pride Connections Center On PrEP appeared first on Say It With A Condom.