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ach year, Healthy Teen Network recognizes individuals and organizations for their achievements in adolescent sexual and reproductive health. With these awards, we celebrate the essential, amazing work they do every day, providing honest, affirming care and education, and empowering the next generation to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

We’re so excited to announce this year’s awardees.

*drum roll*

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here’s an invisible battle many of us fight every day—one that goes unnoticed because the scars aren’t visible, the symptoms aren’t obvious, and the struggles aren’t openly discussed. This battle is the reality of living with hidden disabilities. For many, the lack of understanding and awareness is a daily burden, but when you add the complexities of being a woman of color in a position of leadership (or power), the struggle becomes even more pronounced.

More than 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some type of disability, and there are countless individuals navigating life with disabilities that are not evident to the naked eye. These hidden disabilities range from mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, to chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia, and neurodivergent conditions, such as ADHD and autism. The invisibility of these conditions often leads to misunderstanding and a lack of empathy from others. Unlike visible disabilities, these hidden struggles can be easily dismissed or ignored, making those who suffer from them feel isolated and invalidated.

For women of color, these challenges are compounded by the already difficult fight against systemic biases. How can we fit into a world that was not created with us in mind? Well, you cannot; the best that one can do is try to navigate it and fail while trying. The more I have tried, the more desensitized I become to what people can gauge, learn, or simply ask. Society often overlooks the additional layer of difficulty that hidden disabilities bring. The effort to manage these conditions while also dealing with racial and gender biases in the workplace and society can be overwhelming.

Society often overlooks the additional layer of difficulty that hidden disabilities bring. The effort to manage these conditions while also dealing with racial and gender biases in the workplace and society can be overwhelming.

Being a woman and a person of color is already a battle against a system that wasn’t created with you in mind. The professional world is rife with biases and barriers that make it difficult for women of color to advance and be recognized for their talents and contributions. When you add hidden disabilities into the mix, the struggle becomes exponentially harder. It’s like running a marathon with weights strapped to your legs, while everyone else is running without any burden.

As a woman of color, you’re not just battling your own internal struggles, but you’re also fighting against external perceptions and prejudices that manifest in many ways in the workplace, such as microaggression and racial gaslighting. There’s an expectation to be twice as good to get half the recognition, and hidden disabilities make this an even taller order.

The mental and emotional toll of managing these intersecting identities can be profound, leading to burnout and mental health challenges. I have started feeling that those intersection identities alone can be hard to navigate in a society that was not created with you in mind, but what makes it harder is being in a leadership position. You must wonder why? Well, your needs become secondary, and you don’t have somebody but yourself to advocate for you.

When you lead a department, an organization, a team, a coalition, or any similar body encompassed by multiple individuals, part of your job is to ensure the well-being of those under your supervision or leadership. But what about you? Who advocates for you? And who supports you? Unfortunately, we live in a hierarchical society where, more often than not, organizations have ladders and tiers, so the higher up you get, the more power you seem to get, but the fewer protections you have.

As leaders, we strive to create environments where our teams feel safe, valued, and heard. But how do we create these safe spaces for those under us when the system doesn’t even recognize us as individuals, and we ourselves don’t feel heard or seen? This is the paradox many women of color in leadership face. We are tasked with fostering psychological safety for our teams, while we might not have it ourselves. Women of color are more likely than white women to face disrespectful and othering microaggressions which makes it harder to speak up, take risks, and surface concerns at work.

Psychological safety is the belief that one can speak up, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of negative consequences. It’s hard to cultivate this environment for others when you are constantly guarding against the very system you operate within. The effort to shield your team from biases and discrimination, while simultaneously navigating them yourself, is an exhausting and often thankless job.

The struggle to create a psychologically safe space for your team can come at a personal cost. Many women of color in leadership find themselves losing their own sense of safety in the process. The weight of ensuring others feel secure and supported can lead to neglecting our own mental and emotional well-being. It’s a precarious balance, and the cost can be high.

For me, most things in life end up with the question: How can I make things better, so my daughter doesn’t have to navigate and go through the same struggles that I do? How can I make an impact, so she doesn’t have to worry about the things I do? What do I need to do, so she can be seen and heard without having to ask for it?

To truly support neurodivergent individuals and those with hidden disabilities, we need systemic change. This change includes greater awareness, understanding, and accommodation of these conditions in the workplace. It means recognizing the unique challenges faced by women of color and addressing the biases that make their journey even harder.

It’s time for organizations to step up and create inclusive environments where everyone, regardless of their visible or hidden disabilities, gender, or race, can thrive. Creating inclusive environments involves training, policy changes, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion that goes beyond lip service.

For those of us in leadership, it means advocating for these changes, not just for our teams, but for ourselves as well. We need to ensure that the systems we operate within recognize and support us as whole individuals with diverse needs and experiences. Only then can we truly create safe, inclusive, and empowering spaces for all.

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or people who menstruate, this change can bring up all kinds of feelings, especially when you’re a young person! Questions that may come to mind are: What is happening to my body? Why am I so hungry? Why have my friends had their period, but I haven’t? There are so many products to use—which one is best?

I remember, around 5th grade, my friends and I were sitting on the floor in front of a TV that had been wheeled in, watching a video all about menstruation that, honestly, raised more questions than it answered. After the video, we were handed a pamphlet with anatomy and basic menstruation facts, like symptoms. I went home and asked my mom—who, as a nurse, could be trusted for medically accurate answers—so many questions. I left with more understanding, but I was still uneasy about when I would start my period.

Once I did start my period, my mom took me out of school and to lunch to celebrate. She made me feel proud and unashamed, which changed my uneasiness to confidence. I was surprised to discover that my mom’s period story was not at all like mine, which led me down a path of wanting to change that experience for other people who menstruate.

Fast forward a few years to my first job out of college where I was in charge of facilitating various community health topics. I felt especially passionate about incorporating menstrual health into a workshop. It was important to me to have an intergenerational conversation, so people could speak openly about their period stories and what they hoped for their teens in the room.

Part of this workshop highlighted a young person who presented their period story, along with a collection of stories from their friends that they were working on, to normalize talking about the lived experience of menstruation as a young person. We shared an array of menstrual health products, including pads, tampons, and menstrual cups, and provided free samples to the attendees. We aimed to create healing and an opportunity to combat the stigma that sometimes comes with menstruation.

Learning and teaching about all that comes with puberty can take many forms, but how can we, as youth-supporting professionals, normalize topics like menstruation?

Learning and teaching about all that comes with puberty can take many forms, but how can we, as youth-supporting professionals, normalize topics like menstruation? Is standard practice still that video and pamphlet or a long lecture-based lesson in one of our evidence-based programs? Are period products readily available for young people to ask questions about and use if they don’t have any? Are we considering the cultural implications that young people experience? Is our menstrual health education inclusive regardless of gender and sex?

I encourage you to take the time to ask yourself these questions and make menstrual health a supplementary lesson whenever possible. At times, we are charged with going beyond the curriculum and if resources are needed, Healthy Teen Network is available to support you and your organization in this dialogue.

In the meantime, here are some resources to get you started:

• Menstruation Sensation: All About Getting Your Period
• Menstruation Stigma
• Period. End of Sentence. Documentary
• PERIOD
• The Period Project
• Periodt Power

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ince the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, there have been numerous legislation changes related to sexual and reproductive health. Thirteen states banned abortion care, and 39 states enacted policies regarding reproductive health in 2023 alone. Sexuality continues to be a hot topic on ballots, for better or for worse. There are currently 12 states looking to get sexual/reproductive health measures on the ballot, and countless political candidates who are committed to either protecting or squandering reproductive rights and sex ed. While dangerous initiatives have popped up all across the nation, some states are wracked with both abortion bans and little to no sex education. You don’t have to sit back and watch these changes unfold, though. The upcoming election offers an excellent opportunity to make your voice heard and weigh in on important decisions. With all the hubbub, misinformation, and legalese, we know that elections can be hard to navigate. Read on for some tips on how to ensure you vote in alignment with your values.

The Wording

The language used in sex education bills can be intentionally complex, often filled with jargon and seemingly innocuous terms that can mask hidden agendas. Don’t be intimidated by lengthy policy; legislators are people like us. For example, in sex education measures, watch out for phrases such as “opt-in,” “parents’ rights,” “gender ideology,” “bringing the focus back to education,” and anything that equates sexual education programs to “sexualization” or claims that sex ed can make children more sexually active or promiscuous (not true, by the way, and we know this from extensive research). These terms are often used as “dog whistles” to signal a particular ideological stance on sex education. Luckily, EducateUS has compiled a list of these terms to watch out for in their Opposition Glossary, found at the end of this guide. Advocates for Youth, a national nonprofit, has also created a glossary of popular and key terms in sex ed policy, to empower individuals to make informed decisions on the ballot.

The Buzz

Look to reputable sources–what are they saying about this legislation? Reliable sources you trust can often be a great tool for understanding candidates and proposed legislation measures. Political Action Committees (PACs), such as EducateUS, often endorse policies or candidates, and their support can be a valuable indicator of a bill’s alignment with progressive sex education goals. Additionally, investigate who is championing the bill. Do they have a history of supporting or shutting down progress in sex education? Finally, consider subscribing to newsletters from organizations, such as Healthy Teen Network and related groups. These newsletters can keep you informed about relevant policy developments and provide valuable resources for understanding complex legislation.

The Reps

Sex education is primarily a local and state-level issue, so attending forums, such as town halls and school board meetings, is crucial. These events provide a unique opportunity to interact with your representatives face-to-face.

Sex education is primarily a local and state-level issue, so attending forums, such as town halls and school board meetings, is crucial. These events provide a unique opportunity to interact with your representatives face-to-face.

Take advantage of this time to ask clarifying questions and gauge the overall state of sex education policy in your community. By actively engaging with your elected officials, you can play a vital role in shaping the future of sex education. Be sure to check your registration status, make a voting plan, and do your homework on ballot initiatives before Election Day. Also, check out the resources below for more information on how to prepare for the upcoming election!

Resources

• Check Your Voter Registration Status
• Make a Voting Plan
• Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit 
• How to Judge a Candidate
• Map of LGBT support groups/resources by state
• Sex Education Laws and State Attacks
• Take the Sex Ed Voter Pledge

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t #HealthyTeen24, we believe in the power of meaningful conversations and authentic connections. Our national conference is dedicated to reimagining the ways we engage, recognizing that the needs and voices of today’s young people and professionals in the ASRH field are evolving.

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e’ve been paying attention to The Pregnant Student Rights Act (H.R.6914/S.2974), which Congress is currently considering. When it comes to most written works, including legislation, it’s important to read below the headline (in this case, the bill title) and get the full story.

This legislation, if passed, would require institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disseminate information on the rights to and resources (including protections and accommodations) for pregnant students to carry a baby to term.

But the bill isn’t really about that.

This bill restricts IHEs from disseminating information to pregnant students about their right to and resources for abortion care. The anti-abortion intention of this legislation stigmatizes, restricts, and shames people’s choices. It’s more of the same—as attacks on abortion access, reproductive freedom, and bodily autonomy persist.

Instead, it restricts IHEs from disseminating information to pregnant students about their right to and resources for abortion care. The anti-abortion intention of this legislation stigmatizes, restricts, and shames people’s choices. It’s more of the same—as attacks on abortion access, reproductive freedom, and bodily autonomy persist.

Healthy Teen Network believes young people deserve access to the information they need to make educated decisions about their bodies and health. They also deserve access to comprehensive reproductive health care—which includes full options counseling, contraceptive care, abortion care, and prenatal care.

College students who experience pregnancy are faced with obstacles to accessing information and comprehensive health care. They may fear being stigmatized. Colleges and universities have varying levels of health care on campus. It may be especially challenging for students attending colleges and universities in more rural locations or locations in states with low access to reproductive health care following the overturn of Roe v Wade and severe abortion restrictions. Additionally, faith-based institutions may present greater obstacles that increase stigma and reduce access to information and care. Pregnant and parenting students of color are much more likely to experience discrimination.

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published an article sharing stories of pregnant and parenting undergraduate and graduate students who faced discrimination from faculty, ranging from pressure to leave college to creating more difficulty for them to finish coursework by shifting deadlines. College students need more, not less, information about pregnancy and their rights.

For example, if a student chooses to take leave, the student is “legally entitled to it for as long as medically necessary, at minimum.

When students take medical leave, their institutions must allow them to “resume studies without penalty,” (U.S. Department of Education), including pregnant students who have complications or other disabilities related to pregnancy.

When students take medical leave, their institutions must allow them to “resume studies without penalty,” (U.S. Department of Education), including pregnant students who have complications or other disabilities related to pregnancy. If campuses provide services to students with temporary medical conditions (such as homebound instruction), they must provide them to pregnant students. Of course, any “mothers belong at home” hostility is blatant sex discrimination. It is illegal for the professors to do it, and for administrators to keep turning a blind eye to it.

We must protect the rights of pregnant and parenting students and support their educational success without bias or harassment due to their pregnant or parenting status – and many organizations spearhead these efforts. In our case, Healthy Teen Network is a co-chair of the Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy. The coalition has taken an opposition stance to the Pregnant Student Rights Act.

If supporters of the Pregnant Student Rights Act are truly interested in supporting students who are pregnant and parenting, they should place their energies elsewhere. How about:

• Increasing appropriations for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, which awards funds to institutions of higher education to support or establish campus-based child care services that primarily serve the needs of low-income students.
• Co-sponsoring and urging passage (or introducing and passing a companion bill in the Senate) the Helping Student Parents Succeed Act (H.R. 9185), which would ensure students expecting a child and student parents are made aware of child care, leave options, and other accommodations that are available to them at their schools.
• Co-sponsoring and urging passage (or introducing and passing a companion bill in the Senate) the Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act (H.R. 6309), which would improve data collection related to student parents pursuing higher education.
• Writing the state secretary of education, college and university presidents, and public school district superintendents of their states urging them to faithfully implement the recently issued improvements to the regulation implementing Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. (Here’s resources on the Title IX rule compiled by the Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy.)

The Pregnant Student Rights Act doesn’t work as the name implies. It will result in perpetuating bias and shame that contradicts public health. Pregnant and parenting students should be supported in their education endeavors, without fear or harassment, and we will continue to advocate until their needs are met.

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ith just two months to go until #HealthyTeen24, excitement is building! We can’t wait to reconnect with familiar faces and welcome new ones. We’d like to introduce you to our featured speakers, so you can get to know a little more about them and the journey they plan to take us on.

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often hear the praise—”Your English is so good!”—when people find out that I’m an immigrant who speaks English as a second language. Sometimes, they add, “You don’t have an accent!”

But what does it really mean to not have an accent? Doesn’t everyone have one? In America alone, there are about 30 major English dialects, and globally, around 150. If having “no accent” means sounding American, why is that seen as a compliment?

I first learned English when I moved from Indonesia to Singapore. The local dialect, “Singlish” (Singaporean English) blends English, Hokkien, Cantonese, and Malay in a very efficient way. It’s what you hear in coffee shops, food courts, and on public transit. But Singlish is considered broken English, while British English is seen as “proper.” The government even runs a Speak Good English Movement to promote British English and discourage people from speaking the local language.

When I moved to America, I had to relearn English. I grew tired of the perpetual foreigner stereotype that came with my accent, thanks to xenophobia and the anti-immigrant rhetoric. So, I adapted.

I switched from British to American words and learned to emphasize certain syllables. I picked up American idioms like “right off the bat” and “cross your i’s and dot your t’s” (did I still get that wrong?). I learned big words like “assuage” and “gregarious” for the SATs, though I still haven’t found the right opportunity to casually drop “sagacity” in conversations. I’ve also used corporate jargons like “touch base” and “circle back.”