by: Inez Woody

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in Assist Her, Inc.s 1st Annual I AM Conference. Assist Her, Inc., an Illinois nonprofit organization, is dedicated to raising the awareness of issues and concerns unique to the lives of all girls, though primarily Latina and African-American girls. The heart of the I AM Conference, which notes, I AM FearlessI AM PricelessI AM Love, was five different workshops focusing on Self Care, Self Defense, Physical Health & Nutrition, and Sexual Health & Responsibility. As a group leader, I was responsible for chaperoning and leading 21 girls to various conference rooms at one of the most prestigious universities in the country, the University of Chicago, located on the citys south side. It was an unbelievable event with an astonishing turnout of 100 Latina and African-American girls. I was definitely excited to be a part of this awesome event. 

As the girls received massages, make-up application and skin care tips, I watched as their initially nervous and skeptical facial expressions blossomed into confident and beautiful smiles.  As they interacted with each other during the Physical Health & Nutrition workshop, they bonded and learned that they each had more in common than they realized. Playing ice breaker games, learning about the food pyramid, and, in the Self Defense workshop, learning how to defend themselves if they are ever caught in a life-threatening situation was helpful, fun, and exciting for the girls as well as myself!   

It was in the Sexual Health & Responsibility workshop that I was a bit shocked. As a young twenty-eight-year-old woman, at first I really didnt feel a huge disconnection from the girls until we entered the Sex Education workstation. What I heard was alarming, but it was also educational. Many of the girls discussed their opinions of sex, which were strictly confidential, and what was going on in their communities. There were advertisements showing how marketers use sex to gear their products toward young people who have huge buying power. One of the presenters in the Sexual Health & Responsibility workshop encouraged the girls to be more aware of what the music lyrics are actually saying, as it has an impact in their lives, whether they want to believe it or not. She showed the lyrics to Mariah Careys Touch My Body song during her presentation, which happens to be a recent hit played on the radio day in and day out. As one of the young ladies read the lyrics aloud, many of the girls were surprised to hear what Ms. Mariah was really saying:

Touch my body/Put me on the floor/Wrestle me around/Play with me some more. Touch my body/Throw me on the bed/I just wanna make you feel/Like you never did. Touch my body/Let me wrap my thighs/All around your waist/Just a little taste. Touch my body/Know you love my curves/Come on and give me what I deserve/And touch my body.

The girls could not believe what they were hearing, and neither could I. They were asked by the presenter if they thought a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl should be singing these lyrics. Of course, there are many songs that are even more inappropriate and too vulgar to have been used as an example. The purpose was to encourage the girls to pay closer attention to what they are singing, dancing to, and purchasing. What I loved about the Sexual Health & Responsibility workshop is that the girls were allowed to be open and ask questions. 

Of course, they were presented with astounding statistics about STDs and HIV, but what hit home for them was when they were given a chart with many of their favorite celebrities. It showed how different stars were connected to each other because of their sexual encounters. The numbers were unbelievably high! The girls were disgusted by it. So many times, the media, including music videos, television shows, the Internet and movies, glorify the stars relationships. What they fail to discuss is the outcome of these encounters. It is so important for our youth to understand these things. If only one or two girls were reached in my group, it was definitely worth it. The presenters stressed to the girls that they are worth the wait, and if they are going to have sex at such a young age, to use protection. All of the girls received condoms and literature regarding sex, STDs, and HIV. 

At the end of the day, all of the girls received goodie bags, and they also made customized buttons that said I AMFearlessI AM PricelessI AM Love. The exposure that the girls received during the I AM Conference was unbelievable. For more information regarding Assist Her, Inc., please visit www.assist-her.org.