This event took place April 6 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am

“You don’t need to be passionate about periods—but if you believe in an equal opportunity regardless of gender or sex, or you believe in the fact that we need gender equality to achieve global development and empower a hundred percent of our global population, then you have to be a period warrior.” 

– Nadya Okamoto, Founder of PERIOD

Imagine if you walked into a public bathroom and there was no toilet paper, paper towels, or soap? You would be annoyed! Periods are just as natural as going to the bathroom; however, 92% of the time, there are no period products available in public restrooms.

Period poverty is the limited or inadequate access to menstrual products or menstrual health education as a result of financial constraints or negative socio-cultural stigmas associated with menstruation. In the U.S., 1 in 4 menstruating people struggle to purchase period products, and ⅓ of low-income people report missing school, work, or similar commitments due to a lack of period product supplies. This is not just a women’s issue but a human rights issue and one that we must address to ensure women’s and girls’ health and well-being!

As part of our advocacy efforts, The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade supports SB334 & HB389, otherwise known as the “Learning with Dignity Act,” introduced by Senator Lauren Book and Representative Kelly Skidmore, which would require Florida middle and high schools to provide FREE menstrual hygiene products available to all students.

Join your Women’s Fund virtually via Zoom Webinar on Thursday, April 6, from 9:00 am- 10:00 am as we bring experts together to discuss multi-pronged efforts to help put an end to Period Poverty!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

PANELISTS

Nicky Dawkins is a full-spectrum Doula and feminine health influencer based in sunny Miami, FL. She is the founder of Werk it Moms LLC, Vice President of the Miami Diaper Bank Board, and President of PeriodMiami. Nicky is also a Mama Glow graduate and currently serves as the network’s Director of Community. Over the past 3 years, Nicky has had a huge impact on Miami’s mom community and has launched several local partnerships in support of working mothers. She regularly advocates for reproductive rights and hosts monthly educational workshops to address issues surrounding period poverty. Nicky currently runs her own Doula business full-time and is a loving mother to her 4-year old son, Nasir.

Currently enrolled in Hillsborough High School IB Program, as a teenager Aanya Patel is looking for ways to break the barriers other girls her age face while also bringing new perspectives to the table.

Through the Global Girls Initiative, Aanya hopes to introduce her generation to advocacy. Her goal is to end period poverty and remove the stigma.

Steven is a queer trans man and a second-generation Colombian immigrant. These identities are integral to his work for social justice causes, as he strives to center the perspectives of underrepresented groups and to demonstrate the intersectionality of LGBTQ issues.

In his free time, Steven enjoys western animation, gaming, and studying languages. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Languages & Literatures from the University of Miami with a minor in French language. He hopes to pursue a legal career and apply those skills to the fight for LGBTQ liberation.

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