141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

287729
Storytelling, organizing and policy advocacy as a tool for supporting young pregnant and parenting Latinas

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Youth Presenter , National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, New York, NY
Youth Presenter , The Care Center, Holyoke, MA
Jessica González-Rojas, MA, BA , National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, New York, NY
Candace Gibson, JD, BA , National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
Elizabeth Guerra, BA , National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
Karina Garcia, MA, BA , National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
Aline Gubrium, PhD , School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Belchertown, MA
Elizabeth Krause, PHD , Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
The U.S. cultural and political landscape often presents young motherhood as a public health problem to be prevented or solved. In this session, we discuss a current collaboration between the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health to challenge advocacy and cultural frameworks that stigmatize young motherhood. The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and two activist/participants in Young Moms' Groups organized by the Latina Institute, one based in New York City and another in Holyoke, MA, will share best practices regarding their work aimed at shift policies from a prevention-only frame to a reproductive justice frame that includes comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care for Latina teens. Best practices discussed will include the formation of the Young Moms groups, storytelling, and the use of Photovoice and digital storytelling tools to elevate the conversation on young mothers in cultural and political rhetoric and as ways to build leadership capacity. Panelists will also discuss how these practices create networks of support and empowerment for young, pregnant teens and young mothers.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Public health or related public policy
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe young parenting Latinas’ participation in a reproductive justice and advocacy effort based on a narrative/storytelling (cafecitos) and new media approach to shift public/health conversations on young parenting and youth sexuality. Discuss key findings from one project involving young parenting Latinas based in New York City, organized by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. Identify and review the uses of digital storytelling for extending this work to a new advocacy network based in Holyoke, MA. Name best practices for strengthening community-academic partnerships in conducting this work.

Keywords: Youth, Advocacy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: The youth presenters are TBD. They will both have been youth organizers (one from NY, one from MA) in the Young Moms' group organized by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.