OUR
INITIATIVES
CURRENT PROJECTS.
FemEd x Pad Project
FemEd recently became a Pad Project ambassador in the Fall of 2022. The Pad Project’s Ambassador Program draws individuals and groups who are passionate about breaking the stigma surrounding menstruation by learning about the impact of period poverty on youth. They believe that a period should be the end of a sentence, not a girl's education, and are well-known for developing the film Period. End of Sentence. Over the past year, ambassadors have hosted drives for shelters, advocated for state legislative change, and organized documentary screenings among other things. This year, we packaged over 250 menstrual kits for the Feminist Majority Foundation, participated in the Pad Project's Gender Justice Summit, created a raffle for the Pad Project's "Pads for Schools" initiative, hosted a school advisory lesson for over 600 students on the state of menstrual equity in the United States, and worked alongside climate advocates to host a Q&A with Nadya Okamoto, the "period fairy."See the specifications of each of these events below. We cannot wait to continue our partnership this upcoming year!
Alexandria House After-School Care Program
Alexandria House is a transitional home for women and children located in Los Angeles, California. In the Fall of 2022, FemEd launched a partnership with Alexandria House in which members had the opportunity to volunteer at the nonprofit's after-school program and serve as tutors, proposed by one of the organization's employees. In December of 2022, FemEd members began tutoring K-6 grade students and assisting them with their math, science, English, and history classwork. All of the tutees who take part in Alexandria House’s after-school care program are students formerly experiencing homelessness. Generational homelessness hinders students’ access to quality education and predominantly impacts women, nonbinary individuals, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people of color. In order to address generational homelessness experienced by girls and nonbinary youth, our efforts continued throughout the course of the year. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts prevented FemEd members from tutoring after February, but we hope to resume our volunteer program this upcoming year! Our further integration into the nonprofit's after-school care program will hopefully ensure that every student attending the program has one-on-one tutoring and access to mentorship free of cost.
PAST PROJECTS.
FemEd x THRIVEfund x Madison Brown Ice Cream
THRIVEfunds is a nonprofit dedicated to investing in the infrastructure of America’s working-class familiar to increase economic mobility for all. What does this have to do with feminism? We recognize that mainstream feminism has failed to include conversations about intersectionality. FemEd has embraced Nikki Kendall’s definition of feminism, coined “hood feminism.” Hood feminism puts forth that hunger, poverty, education, housing, and reproductive justice, among other things, are all feminist issues because these issues impact the well-being of women that have been historically excluded from “feminism.” In an effort to incorporate “hood feminism” into our advocacy, we decided to host an item sale with the intention that all of our proceeds would go to THRIVEfunds. FemEd received full sponsorship from Madison Brown Ice Cream in hosting the event, and we thank Madison Brown Ice Cream for their generous contribution to our biggest item sale to date. We raised over $650 for THRIVEfunds and could not be happier about the fantastic outcome of the event!
FemEd members serve ice cream to their Marlborough peers
CEC Partnership: Nadya Okamoto Q&A During Earth Week
Nadya Okamoto is known as “The Period Fairy,” the founder of August, the founder of PERIOD, the former executive director of Period Inc., and a Harvard graduate. Marlborough was lucky enough to have Ms. Okamoto as a guest speaker during Earth Week via a “Pushing Perspectives.” Working alongside FemEd, the Campus Environmental Committee (CEC) brought Okamoto to Marlborough in order to highlight her work as a period activist and environmentalist!
A FemEd member educates the Marlborough community about Okamoto's work
Students listen to Okamoto during the Q&A
Gender Justice Summit Participation
Oakwood students at the Pad Project brought human rights activists from around the world together for their inaugural Gender Justice Summit. The event featured speakers on education accessibility around the world, menstrual and reproductive rights, and understanding how gender-based violence affects transgender individuals. FemEd worked with the Pad Project to make the Gender Justice Summit accessible to all FemEd members, free of charge.
FemEd members attend the Gender Justice Summit
Packing Party!
About halfway through the school year, three members of FemEd packed menstrual kits at the Feminist Majority Foundation! We bagged over 6000 menstrual products and sent over 300 menstrual care packages to students and families in underfunded districts throughout Los Angeles. Stay tuned for future partnerships with the Pad Project, and we look forward to more up-and-coming “packing parties.”
FemEd member pose for a picture after participating in the packing party
6000+ menstrual products are boxed up and ready to ship
LARGEST EVENT TO DATE: Advisory Lesson, Letter Writing, and Raffle
Advisory Lesson
-
In February, FemEd members at Marlborough created a 30-minute advisory lesson on the state of menstrual equity in schools for over 600 students. We covered menstruation federally, in California, and in the Marlborough community. We then explored organizations like The Pad Project and how they effectuate change. Interested in educating yourself or your students? This 30-minute lesson is a quick and efficient way to learn more about access to menstrual products in schools and how you can join the narrative of combatting menstrual stigma.
Letter Writing
-
Simultaneously, Marlborough students had the opportunity to write to state legislators in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, and Arkansas during lunch. Students advocated for the exemption of the “tampon tax” and the institution of menstrual products in schools by writing over 100 letters.
Raffle
-
Last, FemEd hosted a raffle. All proceeds went to The Pad Project’s “Pads for Schools” initiative. “Pads for Schools” is a fundraising effort that works to provide schools in underfunded districts throughout the US with menstrual products The raffle was a tremendous success, and we raised almost $900 for The Pad Project. The raffle featured items like a Little Market Gift Box, a Starbucks gift card, four Angel City tickets, a Sephora Favorites kit, a Frankie's on the Park gift card, and Charlotte Tilbury blush set. A special thanks to the Little Market, Angel City Football Club, and Frankies on the Park for donating items!
Club members learn about the letter writing opportunity during their advisory lesson
<-CLICK HERE!!
FemEd X RallyGirls Voter Guide
On November 3, 2022, FemEd launched its first dual-organization initiative in direct partnership with Rally Girls. Rally Girls is a student-led club at Marlborough School that encourages student-led advocacy on leading social challenges facing teenage girls such as gun violence, climate change, and the threat to reproductive rights. Rally Girls encourages volunteering at events led by local charities, group marches in Los Angeles, writing letters, and phone banking. When Marlborough School launched its mock midterm elections to prompt civic engagement, Rally Girls and FemEd jumped the opportunity to get involved. Both organizations used our platforms to encourage student volunteering at the polls, yet, more significantly, we collectively drafted an extensive voter guide that addresses the governor race, the Senate race, Prop 1, Prop 26, Prop 27, Prop 28, Prop 29, Prop 30, and Prop 31. As of 2023, over 70% of Congress is male. FemEd and Rally Girls hope to encourage more female representation in politics by rearing the next generation of civically-informed youth. Below is a link to the guide devised by over 15 members...
click above to access guide ^
Alexandria House Field Trip
Alexandria House provides transitional housing for women and children located in Los Angeles. The mission of Alexandra House is to "empower victims of domestic and sexual violence, and inspire social change, through education, support, and advocacy." FemEd provided members and their friends with the opportunity to visit the nonprofit on May 11 in hopes of establishing a more long-term partnership with the organization. We toured Alexandria House's two transitional homes and one apartment complex, learned more about the women that the nonprofit serves, and took a dive into their educational program.
A social justice head holds a foster kitten raised by the children living in Alexandria House's facilities.
Club members gather to take a photo in front of Alexandria House's After-School Care Program
Shero's Rise Giving Day Donut Sale
Shero’s Rise’s Ignite the Force Within Program is meant to provide girls from underserved communities with the essential skills to become empowered agents of change and foster their inner “Shero!” This transformational year-long program provides girls with the tools and resources to dismantle habitually negative messaging, discriminatory practices, and the systematically limited resources they are surrounded by. Shero’s Rise collectively spends about $600,000 on their educational programming yearly. Once a year, they hold "Giving Day", a large fundraising effort hoping to raise 1/6 of their annual budget, $100,000. FemEd successfully contributed over $500 to "Giving Day" through a donut sale featuring Hungry Bunny Donuts. Every dollar generated on "Giving Day" in March of 2022 was doubled, and, therefore, FemEd was able to raise over $1000 for the organization.
Shero's Rise Junior Facilitator Program
Bill Memo for Congressman Ted Lieu's Youth Advisory Council
What does this educational programming look like? Each monthly workshop is
centered around...
-
Shero's Rise Affirmations
-
Inspiring female keynote speakers
-
Small Shero’s Circle discussion groups by age
-
Self-reflective journaling and intentional storytelling
-
Pillars in Action: options may include meditation, yoga & creative movement, group-dynamic games; drawing & painting, music, dance, drama, poetry, design & build challenges, experiences in nature, service learning, field trips, and more
-
A healthy communal lunch
-
Ongoing mentorship from trained facilitators and volunteers throughout the year
Overview: Shero’s Rise is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering girls in underserved communities through educational programming and meaningful mentorship. They work to activate the girls' inner strengths and guide their journey of internal discovery, as a girl's confidence peaks, on average, at age 9. In March of 2022, Shero’s Rise initiated their educational programming. In partnership with the non-profit, FemEd established a program in which members could serve as "Junior Facilitators" who help lead discussion circles, introduce activities and games, and assist the President and Founder of Shero's Rise, Sonali Bridges, in any way possible. The meetings occur at the Mt. Saint Mary’s Downtown Campus (near USC). Being that there are many college students volunteering as "Facilitators," FemEd created the Junior Facilitator role hoping that club members would shadow and learn from the older, knowledgeable Facilitators. At FemEd, we hope members participate not only to help facilitate the educational programming, but to learn from the inspiring keynote speakers, programming, and Sheroes as well!
Overview:
In February of 2022, the president of FemEd presented a bill memo to Congressman Ted
Lieu's Youth Advisory Council on behalf of FemEd. Being a member of the council herself,
the president thought that the bill memo would be an excellent way for members to think
about federal policy, and discuss ways in which educational gender inequities could be
combated uniformly across America. Members worked together to draft ideas and collect
evidence substantiating two policy proposals within the memo. Our outlandish fantasy
was that the council would propose the bill to the Congressman who would then
introduce it to the House of Representatives! Although the council members did not
select the bill as their first choice, our fight for educational gender equity does not stop
here. We understand that legislative action is not simple, so we have decided to write to
state legislators regarding various topics of interest in the coming year.
Bill Specifications:
The bill proposal contained two smaller policy proposals. One area of interest referenced by many members was how accessibility to menstrual products impacts the education of young menstruators. We ultimately devised the following two proposals:
Policy 1: All public schools within the United States of America serving students from grades 6 to 12, community colleges, and state universities shall prove the school's female-identifying or gender-neutral restrooms with an adequate supply of menstrual products on a no-cost basis as a condition to the receipt of all federal education funding from the United States of America.
Policy 2: The United States of America may withhold funding from any block grant program otherwise available to any State or municipality located in the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories which imposes any form of sales tax, value-added tax, or consumption tax on the purchase or use of menstrual products (collectively, the “Period Tax”) in an amount equal to the average Period Tax collections by such State or municipality over the prior three fiscal years.
IMPORTANT NOTE*** Federalism became a tremendous obstacle in the drafting process, and members had to work together in order to problem solve and overcome this complication. We ultimately settled on the notion that the federal government may withhold funding from states that do not comply with certain conditions/standards.
Click below for the full bill memo text...
A member of FemEd takes notes on the expressed areas of interest for the bill memo
Milk Tea for the Malala Fund Sale
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
In the Fall of 2021, FemEd held a boba sale featuring drinks from BobaTime; all the proceeds went directly towards the Malala Fund’s COVID-19 Initiative. Over the next two years, one of the primary goals of the Malala Fund is to raise money for over 20 million girls who are at risk of not being able to return to school due to the pandemic. Through re-enrolling girls to catch up on missed lessons, supporting teachers with the necessary resources to ensure quality education, keeping girls learning through school closures, and more, FemEd worked alongside the Malala Fund to support this incredible project.