On Thursday, the science atrium was filled with colorful posters and bright pink balloons for Students for Reproductive Justice’s (SRJ) annual Sexual Wellness Fair, an event co-sponsored by several campus and community organizations.
The fair featured games, mocktails, informational tables and free sexual health products. Pontiac senior and SRJ co-president Khalila Simon said the goal of the fair was to “gather as many organizations as possible” and bring “all that information into one space where it can be shared.”
Simon added that each year, the fair provides students with access to any sexual health items they may need.
“We have condoms, dental dams, tucking tape and period underwear,” Simon said. “Ideally, everyone would come and get stocked up.”
Champlin, Minnesota, senior and SRJ treasurer Nico Alfahed said the fair is “a day to honor and educate” about sexual health.
“It’s our biggest event specifically focused on the intersectionality of sexual reproduction and sexual wellness,” Alfahed said.
An ‘Awesome Opportunity’ to Learn
Simon said their favorite part of the Sexual Wellness Fair is “engaging with everybody that comes through.”
“It’s really cool to see what everyone else is so excited to be there for,” Simon said.
Fair attendee and Dallas sophomore Symia McGee said she attended the fair last year too, and “had a lot of fun.”
“I came with a few friends, and we really enjoyed ourselves,” McGee said. “There’s fun vibes here.”
McGee said their favorite part of the fair was the mocktails, adding that “the ring toss is also really fun.”
Fellow attendee and Warren junior Mya Duhart said the fair is “important” because it helps students “know their options and spread the word about safe sex.”
“I feel like your general sex-ed in high schools doesn’t go into depth about these things,” Duhart said. “Events like this can help stress the importance of safe sex.”
To McGee, the Sexual Wellness Fair is an “awesome opportunity” to learn about sexual wellness.
“The fair helps us gain more knowledge about sex in general,” McGee said. “That’s why events like this are so important.”
Behind the Scenes
Director of the Anna Howard Shaw Center for Gender Equity and SRJ staff advisor Lisa Winchell-Caldwell said there are “multiple different budgets” for collaborating with community and campus partners.
“Preparation for the Sexual Wellness Fair includes navigating those partners,” Winchell-Caldwell said. “That’s making sure they have the resources they need to participate, managing a budget for a large-scale event and managing outreach.”
Alfahed said each member of SRJ’s executive board “has different steps to follow” based on their position in the club, adding that his role as treasurer involves “submitting all of the budgets” and making sure “we have all the items we need.”
Chicago junior and SRJ outreach chair Jay Booker said their role is to “reach out to the organizations SRJ wants” to participate in the event.
“If they want to be a part of it or if they have any questions, I’m the one they email back,” Booker said.
This year, participating organizations included the Black Student Alliance, Organization for Latinx Awareness, LGBriTs, Albion College (AC) Drip, the Center for Gender Equity, the Office of Integrated Wellness, Planned Parenthood and Calhoun County Sexual Assault Services.
Students in SRJ have been working “really hard” on the event, Winchell-Caldwell said.
“They’ve spent a lot of time and energy making the Sexual Wellness Fair informative for students about their sexual health, wellness and reproductive rights,” Winchell-Caldwell said.
Beyond the Fair
While Simon said the Sexual Wellness Fair is SRJ’s “biggest event of the year,” they added that the club hosts “a lot of other educational activities.”
“We do trivia, and occasionally a movie night,” Simon said. “Those events help us promote sexual health and wellbeing on campus.”
According to Alfahed, SRJ’s events typically focus on “whatever facet of reproductive justice is coming up in current events.”
“A couple of years ago, when abortion was on the ballot, we did a lot of campaigning,” Alfahed said. “We focused on signing people up to make sure they were able to vote.”
Alfahed added that “a lot of events focus on queer health.”
“We want to make sure it’s not just cishet information that’s being offered,” Alfahed said.
Winchell-Caldwell said the main focus of SRJ’s events is to “make sexual wellness fun and engaging” while also “sharing knowledge and information with students.”
“There are things people may not have learned about before arriving on campus,” Winchell-Caldwell said. “These events really help with the stigma and awareness surrounding them.”
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