Welcome

BabyCanWait.com was created with and for Milwaukee's young people, to help them access the knowledge & resources they need to prevent pregnancy.  Teens want straightforward answers to their questions about puberty, sex & relationships, but they aren't always comfortable asking their parents or guardians.

While we always recommend teens talk to a trusted adult, this site enables them get some straight answers.  It's our goal that this resource will help reduce teen pregnancy and enable our community's children to grow up healthy & safe.

Please explore this website that connects Milwaukee's youth to sexual health information & resources.  Learn more about your body's development, find health care providers, ask a doctor a question about sexual health & get information about pregnancy prevention.

 

This Valentine's Day, Send a Little Love: Nothing Says “Love” More Than Keeping Those You Love Safe!

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  Why not let your Valentine know that you’re thinking about them by making a gift to Advocates for Youth in their honor?

For each donation you make between now & February 14th, you will receive:

• A full-color e-card that you can e-mail or print for your special someone.
• Three latex condoms (please allow one week for delivery).
  

Click here to make an online donation to Advocates for Youth.

Why are we going to mail you condoms?   Valentine's Day, February 14th, is also National Condom Day (see below for more info)!  When used consistently & correctly, latex condoms are highly effective in preventing pregnancy & the spread sexually transmitted infections (STIs): including gonorrhea, chlamydia & HIV.

Please note: Liz Merck, Advocates’ Manager of Individual Giving, will e-mail the e-card to you.  Your condoms will be mailed to you at the address you provide.  If you prefer NOT to receive the condoms, please indicate “no condoms” when making your donation.

Since 1980, Advocates for Youth has educated & empowered young people to make responsible decisions about their reproductive & sexual health.  We believe young people have an inalienable right to accurate and complete sexual health information & services.  They deserve our respect as partners in prevention.  We believe that responsibility is a two-way street - society has the responsibility to provide young people with the tools they need to safeguard their sexual health and young people have the responsibility to protect themselves & their partners.

This Valentine’s Day, give the gift of sexual health.  Make a donation today & help Advocates for Youth create a more sexually healthy society.  Celebrate & stay safe!

 

Condom Facts

Other names you may've heard for condoms are prophylactics or rubbers.  Whatever you call them, if you're having sex, please use them!  Besides abstinence, they are the best protection against pregnancy, STD/Is & HIV/AIDS. 

Condoms are most often latex, but some are polyurethane & polyisoprene.  A female condom is also available in polyurethane.  Allergic reactions to latex condoms are rare, but they do occur. Changing to condoms made of polyurethane may help.

Click here for more information on allergic reactions.

Polyurethane can be considered better than latex in several ways: it conducts heat better, isn't as sensitive to temperature & ultraviolet light, so has less rigid storage requirements & a longer shelf life, can be used with oil-based lubricants, is less allergenic than latex and doesn't have an odor.  However, they're less elastic than latex, & may be more likely to slip or break, and are more expensive.  

Standard male latex condoms have the advantage of being inexpensive, easy to find & use, with few side effects. 

Condoms Work!

Like all birth control methods, condoms are more effective when you use them correctly.  If a condom is used regularly & correctly, it'll prevent pregnancy 98% of the time! 

With proper knowledge, application & use at every act of intercourse, women whose partners use male condoms experience a 2% per-year pregnancy rate.  Meaning, each year, only 2 out of 100 women whose partners use condoms will become pregnant if they always use condoms correctly.

The actual effectiveness among typical users is only 82-90%.  Annually 15 out of 100 women whose partners use condoms will become pregnant, if they don't always use condoms correctly.

You can make condoms more effective if you pull out before ejaculation. 

Click here for more information on spermicide.

 

How to Use a Condom

Click here or the image above, to watch a video from Planned Parenthood to learn how to put on a condom.

Practice Makes Perfect! It's best if both you & your partner know how to put on and use a condom.  It'll make using a condom easier, more pleasurable & will make the condom more effective.  Practice putting on & taking off a condom on a penis or a penis-shaped object like a ketchup bottle, banana, cucumber or carrot.  With a little practice, condoms are very easy to use.

1) Use a condom only once!  Use a fresh one for each erection ("hard-on").  Have a good supply on hand.

2) Read & understand the instructions.  Check the expiration date on the package.  If it is torn, brittle, stiff or sticky, throw it away & use another.  Long exposure to air, heat, and light makes them more likely to break.  Store them in a cool, dry place, not in a back pocket, wallet or glove compartment for extended periods. 

3) Put the condom on before the penis touches the vulva, anus or mouth.  Males leak fluids from their penises before & after ejaculation.  This fluid can pass STD/Is & possibly cause pregnancy.

4) Be careful you don't rip the condom when opening the package.  Don't use your teeth or sharp objects, like scissors, to open it up.

5) Make sure the tip of the condom points through the ring in a way that will let it roll down.  (Pull back the foreskin, unless the penis is circumcised.)

6) Put a drop or two of water-based lubricant inside the condom.  (Don't use a petroleum-based substance such as Vaseline.  Those substances break down latex.) 

7) Place the rolled condom on the head of the penis.

8) Leave a half inch space to collect semen.  Pinch the air out of the tip with one hand.

9) Unroll the condom over the penis with the other hand.

10) Roll the condom down over the tip of the hard penis.

11) Smooth out air bubbles.  Friction against air bubbles can cause condom breaks.  Add water-based lubricant to the outside, if necessary.

12) After ejaculation, pull out before the penis softens.

13) Hold the condom against the base of the penis while pulling out (away from your partner) to prevent semen from spilling.

14) Always throw out condoms after one use.  Flushing a condom down the toilet may clog plumbing.  Instead, wrap it in tissue, tie in a knot or put it in a plastic bag, before throwing them away.  Put the condom in a garbage that is out of reach of children & pets.

15) Wipe any ejaculate off the penis & wash it with soap and water before having sex play again.

If the Condom Breaks…

Sometimes condoms break, if it does, it's less effective.  Males should be able to tell if a condom breaks.  To learn what it feels like, men can break condoms on purpose while masturbating.

If the condom breaks during intercourse, pull out quickly & replace it.  Remember, ejaculation does not have to occur for a pregnancy to result or for a disease to be transmitted.  Pre-ejaculatory fluids can contain active sperm. 

If the condom breaks & semen leaks out, wash the semen away from the vulva or penis with soap & water.

If ejaculation occurs with a broken condom &/or semen leaks into the vagina, emergency contraception (Morning After Pill) is a good option.  

Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy if started up to five days after unprotected intercourse.  The sooner you start it, the better it will work!

Click here for more information on emergency contraception.

 

Find Baby Can Wait on Facebook & Become a Fan!

Baby Can Wait is on Facebook!

You don't even need a membership to view our page. 
 
If you are a member, please join us in working to prevent teen pregnancy by becoming a fan!

Check out the privacy setting tips below to make your facebook experience more safe.  

  

Let's Talk!

Need help talking with your parents? Or with your kids?

Let's Talk Month (LTM) is a community campaign that supports parents in their efforts to talk to their children, and youth with help talking to their parents, openly & honestly about relationships and sexuality.

LTM emphasizes the importance of a strong partnership between the community and the family in helping young people develop responsible and positive attitudes about sexuality.

Let's Talk Month is a time when faith communities, media, businesses, schools & community agencies can assume leadership roles in supporting communication between young people and the adults in their lives.

Learn more here.

The United Way of Greater Milwaukee (UWGM) still has Let's Talk! Family Communication Toolkits available!  Please consider distributing these at your events.   

The LTM folders are available in both English & en Español.  One side of the folder is aimed at parents/caregivers & the other side is designed especially for youth. 

For more information or to order a folder, please email the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative Coordinator of UWGM or you can call 414.263.8163.

     

"We're having a baby!" Greeting Cards

Imagine receiving a hand addressed envelope, with a sweet and realistic looking card inside, that has a picture of a baby on it announcing: "We're having a baby".   

It could give quite a shock, followed by a bit of relief.  Hopefully after the parent reads it, they'll realize that they still have a chance to prevent this unplanned teen pregnancy from happening in their family.  The inside talks about how parents should talk to their teens about sex.

We're asking agencies who have parent mailing lists to send "We're having a baby." greeting cards.  We will provide the stamps and all we ask is that you hand address them to any parents you might have involved in your programs or on your mailing lists.  

To order the cards please email the UWGM or you can call 414.263.8163.

  

Top 10 Parent Tips

1)  Don’t wait until they ask questions.

2)  Share your thoughts & values.  Express that loving relationships are the best part of intimacy.

3)  Start early.

4)  Reassure your kids that they can talk to you about anything.  (Then you have to be open, so they aren’t afraid to tell you    something later.)

5)  Listen.

6)  Coach them on how to get out of risky situations & let them know you’d rather them ask for help then not ask, because they think you’ll be mad.

7)  Use teachable moments to start a conversation.

8)  Be an example.

9)  Stay involved, even through their “I’m too cool for family” stage.

10)  Find an adult that you trust to talk to your teenager if they are too uncomfortable to talk to you.

 

Parents Speak Up National Campaign

The Parents Speak Up National Campaign (PSUNC) is an education campaign sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. 

Their goal is to encourage parents & guardians of preteens (9-12 year-olds) to talk to their children about sexuality.

Parents, more than the media or peers, have the greatest influence on young people’s decisions about sex, but many parents feel uncomfortable talking about this tough topic.

PSUNC was developed to give parents the resources & confidence to effectively communicate with their children about sexual issues.

Their campaign includes TV, radio, print & online advertising.  A major element of their campaign is working with community & member-based organizations that either work directly with parents or work on issues related to teen sex.

There are numerous handouts and resources for parents.  At the cornerstone of their campaign is their Ready to Talk train-the-trainer education kit.  The kit includes a DVD with videos for organizations and parents, a leader manual, campaign PSAs & multiple handouts for parents.

All of the campaign resources are free, and many are available in both English & en Español.

Click here to visit PSUNC’s web site to learn more about the Campaign.

 

A Stinky Scratch and Sniff!

This doesn't really stink.  But the consequences of teen pregnancy sure do. 

This is a new bus shelter that you will see in 4 select places throughout Milwaukee.

Read more about it here.

 

 

Be sure to visit the My Body, My Health page for all you need to know about contraception, pregnancy symptoms, your options & Kendra's Journals. 

 

 

What's New

 

April 14, 2010

Save the Date: Volunteer Celebration Luncheon Honors Awardees

The Volunteer Celebration is a countywide celebration of volunteerism hosted by the Volunteer Center.  It's being held during National Volunteer Week & will be attended by volunteers, community leaders and representatives from businesses & nonprofits. 

The Inspire by Example Awards are given at the event to an outstanding individual, teen, group & business volunteer and the Wile Volunteer Management Award is given to an exceptional volunteer manager.

For information on these awards please see below or email the Volunteer Center.

 

April 3, 2010

Save the Date: The Cinderella Project MKE Dress Event

The dresses will be distributed at an event at the Bradley Center April 3rd.  This will be a very special day!  Food, beverage & music will be provided while they shop for their perfect dress, with personal shoppers to aid in their selections.  Based on the girl’s stories some of them will be selected to receive a full prom package, including but not limited to hair, makeup & jewelry!

Please donate your used, cleaned prom dresses!  April 3rd is the last day dresses can be dropped off.  See below for more information.

 

February 15, 2010

Register Now!  Teen Dating Violence Awareness Event 

True love doesn't hold you back: Break the Chain of Teen Dating Abuse

Are you in an unhealthy teen relationship or could it be True Love?  Love is not control. Come find out what a healthy relationship should look like.

MUSIC, FOOD, FUN & LEARNING

Date: February 15, 2010

Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Location: Serb Hall, 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave.

Seating is very limited!  To register please RSVP ASAP by email to Eileen Alvarado: Eileen.Alvarado@umos.org

Sponsored by Verizon Wireless, UMOS and Safe & Sound

 

February 8, 2010

The Cinderella Project MKE

Applications Must Be in to Qualify for Your Free Prom Dress

Prom is an important time for any high school student & it can also be expensive.  To alleviate costs, The Gadzuric Foundation has created the Cinderella Project MKE, which will collect & distribute donated prom dresses to young women throughout the Milwaukee area.

Their aim is to foster self-esteem for high school girls & teach valuable life lessons.  They hope the teens reached will gain knowledge through workshops with leaders in our communities.

In order to receive a free prom dress, the girls must complete an application package by February 8th, consisting of a short essay on why they deserve a dress & a letter of support from an adult mentor (teacher, pastor, employer or community center employee).  Participants will attend a 2 hour workshop on topics like nutrition & fitness, self-esteem, healthy relationships & prom choices, between February 22nd-25th from 6pm-8pm.

Please donate your used, cleaned prom dresses!

Click here to apply &/or learn more about The Gadzuric Foundation.

Click here to see them on facebook, become a fan & find out who'll host drives for prom dresses to be dropped off thru April 3. 

Please contact: cinderellavolunteer@gmail.com for volunteer opportunities &/or contact: cinderellaprojectmke@gmail.com if you'd like to set up a drive at your business or school.

Monetary donations are also being accepted for dry cleaning, additional dresses & event fees.  Please send to P.O. Box 9, Mequon, WI, 53092.

 

February 8-12, 2010

Sexual Responsibility Week
2010's Theme: "Sexology 101: Great Sexpectations"

Sexual Responsibility Week (SRW) is a long-standing campaign of The BACCHUS Network™.  It's purpose is to promote youth/student friendly sexual health & healthy relationship information, with a highly visible spark for what we hope is a year round commitment to sexual health issues & programming in your community.
 
Many people like to create their own SRW in February during the week of Valentine's Day.  Some people like to do their sexual health awareness on the week before Spring Break.  Others find it difficult to conduct an entire week of sexual health events, but instead try to do a day or two of programming. 
 
For some, a sexual health campaign program effort includes the choice to be sexually active & information about safer sex.  For others, the relationship consists of love & friendship with the commitment to wait before engaging in sexual activity.
 
Here is the BACCHUS Network's statement on sexual responsibility:
 
Sexual Responsibility begins with values, communication & knowledge.  One must define their personal values with regard to engaging in sexual activity.  These values are supported by maturity, self-esteem, knowledge, self-control & healthy attitudes and behaviors.  The values of a sexually responsible person include:

• Understanding that sexuality is a natural & healthy aspect of human life.
• Communicating personal thoughts & feelings to one's partner, and seeking to know & understand a partner's thoughts & feelings
• Working to achieve consensual, healthy relationships through honesty & openly valuing the rights & limits of one's self and others.
• Being non-manipulative and only practicing safe & mutually consensual sexual behaviors.

No matter what your program of choice & message you deliver, in all cases, include issues such as respect, honesty, trust & intimacy.
 
Click here to get more info from their website, like promotional materials, Health Promotion and Prevention Theories & Models, STD/I Awareness & Prevention and HIV/AIDS Facts & Resources.

Click here for even more great sexual health information.

 

February 7, 2010

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

To commemorate this day, which marks the 10th anniversary of mobilizing African Americans throughout the Diaspora around HIV/AIDS, the Health Institute of Milwaukee (H.I.M.) is organizing a Testing & Health Fair.  There will be multiple agencies offering free & confidential services, testing for both HIV & STD/Is (GC+CT).  
 
Click here to learn more at their national web site.  
 
Click here to find them on facebook & become a fan.

 

February 5, 2010

Applications Must Be in for the Inspire by Example Awards

Nominate a volunteer for an "Inspire by Example" Award!  Everyone knows an extraordinary volunteer: a young person, co-worker, board member or company that deserves to be noticed for their commitment to & active engaement in volunteering.  Please give that person, group or business a chance to be honored.  The deadline is by 4pm Friday, February 5th.  

The winners will be recognized at the Volunteer Center's celebration luncheon Wednesday, April 14th.  Winners will receive a $500 donation for the nonoprofit where they volunteer! 

Awards are given in the categories of Milwaukee County adult, youth, team & business.  The Wile Volunteer Management Award honors a professional volunteer manager.  The Fran Swigart Board Leadership Award recognizes an exceptional leader of a nonprofit Board of Directors. 

Click here to nominate an outstanding volunteer for the Fran Swigart Board Leadership award.

Click here to nominate someone for all other categories of awards.

Click here to visit the Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee-A Service of the Nonprofit Center's webpage for more information.

Click here to find them on facebook & become a fan.

 

February 3, 2010 

How to Talk about Sex: The Importance of Parent-Child Communication about Sexuality

For some it's a touchy topic, too hot to handle for many parents.  Experts agree that parents need to & the majority of teens prefer their parents to be their primary sexual health educators.  Studies show when parents have talked to teens about sex, they're less likely to engage in risky behavior.  If you're not talking, it can mean trouble. 

Dr. Stephanie Eken is a pediatrician & a child psychiatrist who recommends that parents begin early by changing their lingo: "Those[penis and vagina] are all normal anatomical terms that are appropriate just like we call our nose our nose, and our lips our lips."  

If you don't start using the correct words for human anatomy, some kindergarten teachers will.  With parental consent, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Human Growth and Development Curriculum teaches kids to use the right terms for their body parts, because it gives them respect for & demystifies their private parts.

PEARLS for Teen Girls, Inc. is a dynamic & innovative non-profit leadership development organization serving at-risk, primarily African American & Latina girls, ages 10-19.  They were featured in this news segment for the outstanding work they do in Milwaukee.  PEARLS helps girls achieve in school, avoid teen pregnancy & use their personal power to achieve their goals and dreams. 

PEARLS administers Making Proud Choices!: A Safer-Sex Approach to HIV/STDs & Teen Pregnancy Prevention to 5 MPS middle schools.  This curriculum was chosen by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and is endorsed by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, as a “Program That Works”. 

Dr. Eken urges parents to talk to their kids about sex prior to middle school.  "Because you have 6th graders who are new to middle school, but you have 8th graders who may even have sexual intercourse at that point. 

So how do you say it?  Explain it simply & share your values.  If they don't' want to talk about it, give them a little space.  Don't forget to go back and check in with them.  If your child isn't comfortable talking with you, there might be a trusted family member or pediatrician they can talk with. 

Remember it's about their health, not only possible pregnancy, but sexually transmitted diseases.  A child's actions depend greatly on yours.  Don't be indecisive, be brave & start talking!

Click here for more information about this topic or anything related to your child's development.

Click here to read the full article &/or watch the newscast.

 

February 2, 2010 

Policy Alert: Update on Obama's Proposed Budget for 2011

President Obama submitted to Congress today his budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2011, kicking off the annual federal budget & appropriations cycle.
 
The budget request includes $129.22 million in discretionary funds for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Initiative, a $19.22 million increase over the FY 2010 appropriations level!  The President's budget also requests $50 million in mandatory funds to states for TPP activities.  The President's budget proposes to spend $4 million of current funds from a larger evaluation funding source on TPP evaluation.
 
The President's budget for the recently re-constituted Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) is $750,000, an increase of $250,000 over FY 2010!  OAH is the administering office for the TPP initiative.
 
The Adolescent Family Life (AFL) program, which funds demonstration projects providing care to expectant & parenting adolescents as well as research in care projects, is slated for level funding in FY 2011 at $16.658 million.
 
The Runaway & Homeless Youth Act, which includes funds for maternity group homes for homeless youth & young adults with children, is slated for level funding at $115.7 million.
 
In addition, Title V Maternal & Child Health Services Block Grant are slated for an increase of $11 million with a new funding level of $730 million in FY2011.
 
For additional details on proposed FY 2011 investments in adolescent pregnancy, parenting & prevention, view the congressional justification for the Department of Health and Human Services, General Department Management.  Use the search feature in your PDF file reader to search "adolescent" and find pages (p. 63) within the document that address the above programs & accounts.
 
Stayed tuned to alerts from Healthy Teen Network for action opportunities to support or strengthen the President's budget request in the areas of adolescent & young adult pregnancy, parenting and prevention. 

The United Way of Greater Milwaukee is eager to see these funds trickle down, so that we can help fund agencies in the community that are doing great work, providing services to youth like you!

 

February 2010

February is National Condom Month, Feb. 14-21, 2010 is Natl. Condom Week & Natl. Condom Day is Feb. 14, 2010

Valentine's Day was chosen for National Condom Day, because the messages connect- Love safely: passion & prevention are both important.  Celebrate & stay safe!  
 
The American Social Health Association (ASHA) urges Americans to Get Passionate About Prevention!  "STDs remain one of our nation's biggest public health threats, & it's high time that we as a nation get serious, get passionate about addressing the problem," says James R. Allen, MD, MPH, ASHA's President & CEO.

"Humans are sexual beings.  Abstinence & monogamy are important public health messages, but to think these messages alone will fix the problem is shortsighted at best & dangerous at worst," states Allen. "Research continues to demonstrate that condoms, used consistently & correctly, are one of the best tools in the prevention of STDs, including HIV."
 
Here are some of the facts: 

• Annually there are more than 18 million new cases of STDs.
• Over the course of a lifetime, at least one in four Americans will contract an STD.
• One in four new STD infections occur in teenagers.
• Two-thirds of all STDs occur in people 25 years of age or younger.
• More than 65 million people in the US are living with a chronic viral STI, such as genital herpes or HPV.
• At least 15% of all infertile American women are infertile because of tubal damage resulting from an untreated STD.
• Each year it costs more than $8 billion to diagnose & treat STDs & their complications.

Information about condoms, their role in reducing the risk of STD/Is (including HIV), preventing pregnancy & the facts about STD/Is are available on ASHA's site.

ASHA's online material was recommended recently in a condom write-up by Consumer Reports.  ASHA's site has a video you can watch to learn how to use condoms along with a pre & post quiz on condoms where youth can test your knowledge.
 
ASHA also has a site especially for teens & a Spanish-language site for teens as well.  

 

February 2010

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month

The purpose of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) is to bring national focus to the issue of teen dating violence, highlight the need to educate youth about healthy relationships, raises awareness among those who care for them & provide communities with a critical opportunity to work together to prevent this devastating cycle of abuse.

The repercussions of teen dating violence are impossible to ignore.  The issue affects not just youth, but their families, schools & communities as well.
 
The Teen Dating Violence Prevention Project Project (TDVPPP) is coordinated by Break the Cycle & they are the National Resource Center for TDVAM.
 
TDVPPP's site offers links to several organizations national & local campaigns designed to help raise public awareness about teen dating violence.  Use these campaigns to help you, your school, organization or community raise awareness about the issue.
 
Their site also offers lots of great materials on topics like: The Basics, Legislation & Policy, Curricula & Resources, Posters and Newsletters & Films.
 
Help raise awareness about dating violence by agreeing to distribute free Dating Pledge Cards.  Take charge to make your realtionships healthy & Take the Dating Pledge.

On February 10, students from across the nation will hear a message of healthy relationships as part of their morning announcements.  The first 100 schools to register online, by February 5th, will receive a free copy of Break the Cycle's [Ending Violence] curriculum, courtesy of Mary Kay Inc.

Healthy Teen Network's Interpersonal Violence and Adolescent Pregnancy report examines the links between interpersonal violence & teen pregnancy and explores the implications for practice & programs and offers possible next steps for the field.

Together we can help stop dating violence!

 

February 2010

February is National Relationship ♥ Wellness Month

Approval Addiction is rampant these days.  Many people try endlessly to please others at the expense of themselves & their families.  If you've altered your behavior to cater to someone else in order to gain their approval, it may be time for you to set some boundaries.
 
Domestic & sexual violence are serious problems, & they aren't just adult problems.  Teens experience abuse in their relationships, too.  In fact, teens & young adults are often the most at risk for domestic violence.  It affects many people in many ways & it can happen anywhere and to anyone.
 
Are you are concerned about your own relationship?  Someone else's?  Do you just want to be more informed?  Whatever your motivation, educating yourself about the issue is the first step to ending domestic violence.
 
They offer several quizzes to learn more about your own relationship, a friend's relationship or simply to test your knowledge of dating violence.  At the end of each quiz you'll find out what your score means.  Everyone deserves to be in a safe & healthy relationship.  Do you know if your relationship is as healthy as you deserve?
 
Click here to take a quiz to find out!
 
Click here to check out: TheSafeSpace.org it's a project of Break The Cycle: The most comprehensive resource on the web to learn about dating violence.
 
Click here to access their information in Spanish.

If you or someone else is in need of help now, please call the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474 | 1-866-331-8453 TTY
 
Click here to find them on the web.

 

February 2010

February is National Black History Month,
2010's Theme: "The History of Black Economic Empowerment"

 The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) celebrates this month by holding The 21st National African American Read-In.
 
Schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community & professional organizations and interested citizens are urged to make literacy a significant part of  this month by hosting & coordinating Read-Ins in their communities.
 
Hosting a Read-In can be as simple as bringing together friends to share a book, or as elaborate as arranging public readings & media presentations that feature professional African American writers.
 
To be counted as participants, simply: select books authored by African Americans, conduct your Read-In(s) during the month of February & report your results by submitting the African American Read-In Report Card.
 
The goal is to make the celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities.
 
It's an inexpensive programming idea for February.  You can download the Read-In Packet (includes recommended booklists, a News Release, Host Invitation & information on how to submit the Report Card) at the NCTE website.
 
Click here to go to their site. 

 

February, 2010

Urban Underground is Currently Accepting Applications 

Urban Underground is now accepting applications for their 2010-2011 program year!  Join them in celebrating 10 years of building leaders & changing lives. 

Urban Underground is promoting a new generation of young leaders committed to building safe and sustainable communities, advancing their mission through effective programs, strategic partnerships & youth-led social change in the areas of health, education & restorative justice.

If you or someone you know is a youth between the ages of 14-18 please consider this great opportunity!

Please visit their website to submit an application for membership.

For questions email David Bowen, Program Director, or to apply by phone call: 414-444-8726 Ext. 13

Click here to find them on facebook & become a fan.
 
 

January 25, 2010

One-Third of Teen Mothers Do Not Earn High School Diploma or GED

New Child Trends research finds that one in three (34%) young women who had been teen mothers did not earn a high school diploma or a GED, compared with only 6 percent of young women who had not had a teen birth.  Among the other findings presented in a fact sheet entitled "Diploma Attainment Among Teen Mothers":

• Slightly more than one-half (51%) of teen mothers received a high school diploma by the age of 22, compared with 89% of young women who hadn't given birth during their teen years.
• A higher proportion of teen mothers earned a GED (15%) than did their counterparts who hadn't experienced a teen birth (5%).
• Younger teen mothers are less likely than older teen mothers to earn a diploma.  Among young women who had a child before the age of 18, only 38% earned a high school diploma by the age of 22, compared with 60% of those who were 18 or 19 at the time that they had their 1st child.
• African-American teen mothers are more likely than Latino or Caucasian teen mothers to earn a diploma or GED by age 22.  More than two-thirds (67%) of African-American women who had a child before the age of 18 earned either a high school diploma or GED, compared with 55% of Caucasian women & 46% of Latino women.

"Earning a high school diploma or GED reduces the risk of subsequent teen pregnancy, which has been linked to even poorer outcomes," said Kate Perper, M.P.P., lead author of the study.  "Higher parental education is also linked to improved outcomes among children that may reduce their risk of early sexual activity & teen pregnancy, thus reducing intergenerational cycles of disadvantage."

Click here to read the full report.  

  

January 20, 2010

The 3 Facebook Settings Every User Should Check Now

This is a helpful article warning about the dangers of sharing too much personal info on facebook & how to fix it.

While you may think these sorts of items aren't worth your time now, the next time you lose a job because the HR manager viewed your questionable facebook photos or saw something inappropriate a friend posted on your wall, you may think again.  Why wait until something bad happens before you address the issue?

In December facebook made a series of bold & controversial changes regarding the nature of its users' privacy.  Once known for protecting privacy to the point of exclusivity, now they seemingly want to compete with more open social networks like Twitter. 

If you edited your privacy settings prior to December you have nothing to worry about, if you elected to keep your personalized settings when prompted by facebook's "transition tool". 

The tool, a dialog box explaining the changes, appeared at the top of facebook homepages last month with its own selection of recommended settings.  Unfortunately, most users chose the recommended settings, without understanding what they agreed to. 

If you did, you may find that you gave them the right to publicize your private information including status updates, photos & links. 

Want to change back?  Click here to read the article & find out how. 

Other resources on facebook's latest changes worth reading include: Make Use Of' 8 Steps Toward Regaining your Privacy, 17 steps to protect your privacy from Inside Facebook, the ACLU's article examining the changes & DotRights.org's comprehensive analysis of the new settings.

If you're unhappy enough to protest facebook's privacy update, you can sign the ACLU's petition.  The FTC is also looking into the matter.  Click here to add your voice to the list of complaints.

 

January 20, 2010

Sons of Teen Dads More Likely to Become One Too:

Sons Born to Teenage Fathers May End Up Following in Their Father's Footsteps

Although research has shown that girls whose mothers gave birth as teens are more likely than their peers to become teenage mothers themselves.  Comparatively little has been known about the factors that matter in teen fatherhood. 

Researchers from Yale, are now reporting that they found that sons of teenage fathers were 80% more likely to have a child before age 20, compared with their peers born to older fathers.  The finding suggests that "something about teen fatherhood, itself, affects the likelihood of a son becoming a young dad".

African-American & Latino boys were roughly twice as likely as Caucasian boys to become teen fathers.

These findings support the need for pregnancy prevention interventions specifically designed for young males who may be at high risk for continuing this cycle.  Interventions that address multiple levels of risk will likely be most successful at reducing pregnancies among partners of young men.

Click here to read the full article.

 

January 19, 2010

2028 - Can You Handle It?

Hear a Wisconsin mom's thoughts on 2028, along with her teen & preteen sons' reactions.

Thankfully it got their family talking & hopefully it will encourage your family to start talking as well!

It's never too early to begin the conversation, but it can definitely become too late...

Click here to read her blog.

 

January 18, 2010

Fake Movie Promotion (PSA) Punks Teens
2028 “Movie” Addresses Harsh Realities of Teen Pregnancy

After the premier this weekend, Milwaukee teens learned the truth.  The 2028 movie isn’t real, but the twist is.  The fake flick, complete with official movie trailers, theater posters, soundtrack, website etc. is really a PSA about teen pregnancy in disguise.  When teens see the movie trailer for 2028, they will get the message that if they become pregnant as a teen today, the next 18 years of their life will never be the same.  The elaborate hoax focuses on sending teens a message about the harsh realities of teen pregnancy, which for some teens, stands in stark contrast to Hollywood’s often positive portrayal of teen pregnancy.

The bold effort, which is part of a long-running series of provocative communication tactics targeted to change teens’ perceptions about teen pregnancy in Milwaukee, was created by Serve Marketing in partnership with the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. Milwaukee ranks 7th in the nation for births to teens & although sometimes controversial, ongoing Serve/United Way education efforts seem to be working as the City of Milwaukee Health Department recently announced that the city’s teen birth rate dropped for the second year in a row (a 10 percent decrease overall).

Click here to see the new trailer: 2028. It Finally Ends. on youtube.

Click here to become a fan of 2028 on facebook, or to view their page.

 

January 17-23, 2010

Healthy Weight Week

The 17th Healthy Weight Week is a time to celebrate healthy living habits that last a lifetime and prevent eating & weight problems, rather than intensifying them, as diets do.

Many Americans begin a diet the 1st week in January & blow it the 2nd week.  Healthy Weight Week, the 3rd week, is a time to stop dieting for good & help people normalize their lives.  It's a welcome antidote to the dieting & binging that typically begin the New Year.

Now is a time to promote healthy non-diet lifestyles for children & adults of every size.  Helping them move ahead to healthy habits they can live with long term: sound, reasonable ones that will allow them to live well.  Eat well, live actively & feel good about yourself & others!
 
Advocate to celebrate this week by making healthy choices & integrate ways of respecting yourself & others:

• Identify & build on your strengths, talents, traits & interests.
• Make peace with your genetic blueprint & accept your appearance, size & shape.
• Like yourself & others regardless of what's not perfect.
• Think critically of media messages that portray unrealistic standards or suggest happiness is based on appearance.
• Celebrate diversity: beauty, health & strength come in all sizes.
• Recognize that size prejudice hurts us all.
• Make lifestyle changes gradually, one step at a time: small changes you can live with.
• Nurture yourself & experience enhanced self-esteem.
• Use positive language: think of joy, self discovery, respect, appreciation, healing, adventure, freedom, fun, celebration etc...
• Expect & extend respect, tolerance & acceptance.
• Promote good relationships & communication with family, friends & acquaintances.

Click here for more information & handouts.

 

January 15, 2010

2028 Premiers!

Veteran Indie filmmaker Carlo Besasie (Cherry Tree, Wishtaker) exposes us to the grim realities of life, taking us on a suspenseful 18-year thrill ride through the disturbing life of one young woman who’s world gets turned upside down when she discovers a shocking secret.

Tormented by the demons of her past & burdened by a disturbing family development, Colleen Foy (There Will Be Blood) tries to make sense out of her newfound life, but a series of unfortunate events cause her world to spiral out of control.

The soundtrack is all local artists from Milwaukee, just as the film was shot entirely in Milwaukee!

Click here to go to the film's website.

 

December 18, 2009

Policy and Funding Update: Congress Approves
Funding for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs

The U.S. Senate passed its package of FY 2010 Appropriations bills, including the Labor HHS appropriations bill, which contains funding for a new teen pregnancy prevention initiative. 

President Obama signed these bills into law on December 18th, at which point $100 million was made available for competitive grants to organizations in states and communities for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs!

This is an exciting step forward in providing much-needed funding to states & communities for these critical programs. 

This initiative is the first & only large scale federal investment dedicated to preventing teen pregnancy through proven, effective efforts. 

Click here for more information about the initiative, and to read The National Campaign’s statement on this important legislation.

 

December 15, 2009

Gaps Found in Young People's Sex Knowledge

A survey of 1,800 people age 18-29 was conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
 
"What is surprising is just how wide the gap is between single young adults' intentions & behavior on this very important issue," said Bill Albert, chief program officer at the organization.
 
The discrepancy between both wanting to plan pregnancy & having unprotected sex may have something to do with a focus in recent years on abstinence-only education, said Laura Lindberg, senior research associate at the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute.
 
"Abstinence-only curriculums have gone explicitly out of their way to teach misconceptions about contraception," she said. "This generation of 20-somethings have missed many opportunities to get medically accurate & correct information."

Myths about pregnancy & sexual activity continue to permeate circles of youth: 2 condoms offer more protection than 1.

About half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned.
 
Study calls for more education on contraception & family planning, and more sex education for adults, given that about 1 in 5 participants said they never had sex education in school.

Parents can also play a big role in helping educate their children about these issues, Albert said.

Click here to read the full article from CNN.
 

December 10, 2009

Human Rights Day

All human rights work can be viewed through the non-discrimination lens. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, disability, property, birth or other status.

People everywhere should seize the opportunity to join hands to embrace diversity and end discrimination. The realization of all human rights - social, economic and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights - is hampered by discrimination. All too often, when faced with prejudice and discrimination, political leaders, governments and ordinary citizens are silent or complacent. ... See More

Yet everyone of us can make a difference! You are encouraged to celebrate Human Rights Day by advocating non-discrimination, organizing activities, raising awareness and reaching out to your local communities on this day and throughout 2010.

What will you do to commemorate this day?

Click here for more information.

 

December 9, 2009

MPS Committee Approves Condom Distribution!

After an hour and a half of spirited public testimony late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, a Milwaukee School Board committee voted in favor of a proposal that would allow for the limited distribution of male condoms in many of the city's public high schools.

A good number of teenagers stayed up in the district office auditorium Wednesday morning to tell the School Board how important it was to have access to contraception.

"Everyone's not going to choose abstinence, so give them the next best solution," Shakia Rayford, a sophomore at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, told committee members before the vote at about 1:10 a.m.

New data collected by the district indicate that more MPS students are having sexual intercourse as compared with six years ago, and more students are also reporting that they did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse.

"Students' access to condoms outside of school may be limited by cost or embarrassment," Kathleen Murphy, MPS health services coordinator, told the committee and audience members.

Murphy added that about 4.5% of high schools nationwide have a condom distribution program.

In MPS, the condoms would be available only in high schools that have registered nurses, and the students would have to talk to a nurse before receiving a free condom.

Click here to read the full article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Great job making your voices heard!

 

6:30pm, December 8, 2009

Innovative/School Reform Committee Meeting:

Should Nurses Distribute Condoms in MPS High Schools?

 

There is a proposal on the table that would allow nurses in MPS high schools to distribute condoms, including instructions and additional health information, to students.

This proposal will be brought before the MPS Innovative/School Reform Committee on Tuesday evening, and we need your support!

Students be aware - you can attend & make your voice heard too!

Based on early feedback, we anticipate that this will be a hot topic and we are expecting many speakers who will give public testimony on both sides of the issue.

The meeting agenda is not posted yet, but here is a link to the board calendar where the agenda will be posted. 

Here are the details of the meeting:
ISR School Board Meeting: 6:30 P.M., December 8, 2009
Central Services Building Auditorium: 5225 West Vliet Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

If you cannot attend but wish to express your support for the curriculum you can send a letter to the entire Committee or Individual members @:
The Office of Board Governance
P.O. Box 2181, Milwaukee, WI 53201-2181

Thank you all for your commitment to the health of our community and please remember to make your voice heard!
  

December 7, 2009

Half of Teen Girls Have STIs by 2 Years of First Sex

Researchers followed 386 urban adolescent girls aged 14-17 for up to 8 years.  Within 2 years of having sex for the 1st time, half of teenage girls may be infected with at least one of three common sexually transmitted infections (STIs): chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis.

They found that a quarter of the women had acquired their 1st STI by age 15, most often Chlamydia.

"Repeated infections were very common," study investigator said, "Within 4-6 months (depending on the organism) after treatment of the previous infection, a quarter of the women were re-infected with the same organism."

Here are a few tips to avoid becoming infected with a STI:

• Young ladies: cut back on douching or don't do it at all!  Our bodies naturally cleanse themselves & douching has been linked to increased risk of STIs.
• You & your possible future sexual partner need to get tested for STIs.
• If you choose to have sex - protect yourselves & use a condom!

Click here to find more information about how you can protect yourself from STIs.

Click here to find a clinic to get tested at. 

Click here to read the full article from Reuters Health.

 

December 7, 2009

Parents' Sex Talk with Kids: Too Little, Too Late

The sex talk is never easy. It's not comfortable for anyone involved - parents are afraid of it, children are mortified by it, which is probably why the talk so often comes after the fact.

In the latest study on parent-child talks about sex & sexuality, researchers found that more than 40% of adolescents had intercourse before talking to their parents about safe sex, birth control or sexually transmitted diseases.

That trend is troublesome, since teens who talk to their parents about sex are more likely to delay their 1st sexual encounter & to practice safe sex when they do become sexually active.  Ironically, despite their apparent dread, kids really want to learn about sex from their parents, according to study after study on the topic.

There's a primary problem in the parent-child dialogue about sex: "A lot of parents think they had a conversation, and the kids don't remember it at all," "Parents sometimes say things more vaguely because they are uncomfortable and they think they've addressed something, but the kids don't hear the topic at all."

Parental talks about sex & sexuality need to occur much earlier than they do, but that doesn't necessarily mean that parents have only one shot at getting it right. To make things easier, & to take some of the pressure off the situation, parents should think about sex talks as an ongoing dialogue, rather than one uncomfortable discussion that they must cross off their list. 

Parents should discuss certain issues with their children at age-appropriate times & the discussion should evolve as children mature. 

The conversations should focus on what the child is capable of absorbing & what the child asks about.  Parents should also take advantage of every excuse to broach the difficult subject: a mention of sex or sexuality on a TV show, a pregnancy in the family, sex-education classes in school or a visit to the doctor around the time of puberty.  "If you just get over the hurdle of starting, then once the conversation gets going, you often find it's easier than expected," "So use any excuse you want, but just get over the initial hurdle and start talking to your kids, because it's really important."

Click here to read the full article from TIME.

See above to order a Let's Talk! Family Communication Toolkit to get talking!

 

December 5, 2009

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development

This day gives volunteers a chance to work together on projects and campaigns promoting their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels.

Recognizing the crucial role volunteers' play, the United Nations Volunteers program is inviting everyone to join the "Volunteering for our Planet" campaign. Together with UN's 'Seal the Deal' movement, the campaign aims to gather the number of volunteering hours and report this at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (7-18 December) in Copenhagen.

Remember, every action makes a difference & every hour counts!

What will you do?

Click here for more information.

Visit Volunteering for our Planet to register your volunteer work & commit your number of volunteering hours.

So far they have 1,095,638 registered volunteering hours and still counting!

 

December 3, 2009

Health Officials Announce Drop in Teen Birth Rate

The City of Milwaukee Health Department announced that we are one step closer to reaching our goal to reduce Milwaukee’s teen birth rate among 15-17 year olds by 46% by 2015 (which would be only 30 births per thousand teens).

Milwaukee’s teen birth rate remains at a historically low level!  Data shows that there were 46.73 births per 1,000 females aged 15-17 years old in 2008, which is a slight drop from 2007 when there were 47 births per 1,000 in the city.

In response to the drop Mayor Tom Barrett said: “The education and prevention campaigns have done a commendable job of reducing the teen birth rate. Teenage pregnancy reduces educational and economic opportunities to the youth of our community, and we must continue our efforts to reduce the prevalence of teenage pregnancy.”
 
Click here to read the full press release & learn what the decline was attributed to.

 

December 1-7, 2009

Tolerance Week

Tolerance week is a week of learning to accept others for their differences.

Let's aim to understand and embrace people from different backgrounds and those who have different beliefs by not judging others based on superficial qualities.  

Some schools, organizations & families may use this time to discuss diversity with youth & to teach about anti-bullying policies to build tolerance.

What will you do to make a difference?

Click here for some activities you can try at home, school or with your friends.

    

December 1, 2009

World AIDS Day

 

This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day.

Get involved! Take time to speak about the importance of HIV & STI prevention.

Click here for more information.

Get responsible & get tested!

Click here to find a clinic. 

 

December, 2009

Testimonials: Parenting Youth Speak Out on Life Challenges & the Need for Policy Solutions

Healthy Teen Network (HTN) collected testimonials from young parents describing the challenges their families face, & tied those challenges to public policy recommendations offered in: A Policy Platform to Promote Health and Success among Young Families.
 
The platform offers a set of federal policy recommendations aimed at establishing or reforming programs & systems that influence whether or not young families may achieve health & success after a teen birth.
 
While the platform is broad in scope, HTN focused the youths' testimonials in these areas:

• Access to young family support programs & services.
• Access to education & income security.

HTN urges its members & supporters to view the brief testimonials in order to educate themselves about the contents of the platform & how it responds to real needs of parenting youth today.

Click here to see the videos.

They also encourage their members & supporters to use the testimonials to educate policymakers about the opportunities available to them to improve the health & well-being of young families.
 
Take action now!