The RYSE Youth Innovation Advisors ensure that our Hub centers youth voice and cultural relevance in sexual health innovations. Read on to learn more about our current Youth Innovation Advisors supporting our Hub!
Hi, my name is Arely, and I am a feminist studies student at the University of California, Santa Cruz. With five years devoted to sexual health education and birth control counseling, I have refined my knowledge on youth outreach and health education. Currently I work as a Youth Advisor/Educator for ETR and peer sexual health educator for UCSC. In my free time I love hiking beautiful trails or dancing with friends. In recent years as an advocate, I have worked with individuals aged 13-25 and am very passionate about health education due to my community's lack of it. Due to this, I aspire to create a more accessible health future for individuals like me. My commitment to empowering individuals through knowledge and public health underscores my journey, with that I promise to reshape the landscape of sexual health and education for generations to come.
I am a Public Health professional and Doctor of Public Health student from Coffee County, Douglas, Georgia. I am pursuing my DrPH concentrating in Behavioral Science and Health Education at Florida A&M University. I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Morehouse College, and my Master of Public health degree concentrating in Health Promotion & Behavior from the University of Georgia. I desire to decrease disparities for youth by developing holistic health programming for youth simultaneously promoting education, leadership and personal growth.
I have worked within ETR, CDC, Yale School of the Environment, the University of Georgia's student health center, and the affordable housing company Columbia Residential. Additionally, I have served as a consultant to Gilead Pharmaceuticals on HIV prevention programs on HBCU campuses. Most recently, I have developed a contraceptive education social media campaign garnering over 300,000 views across multiple platforms. I have conducted multiple IRB approved research projects and have created programs to distribute contraceptives. I am also the co-founder of the non-profit mentoring organization 'Future Mentality'.
I am a shining example of resilience and determination from Chicago's South Side. Despite the tragic loss of my father to gun violence at a young age, it ignited a fierce determination to succeed against all odds. Taking on the role of a leader and caregiver to my four younger siblings, I navigated through adversity with unwavering strength. Throughout my two years in college, I seized every opportunity, securing three significant paid internships to support myself demonstrating my resourcefulness and commitment to my goals. One of these internships included my passion for promoting sexual health in black youth. Working alongside BPHI, I successfully bridged the gap between students, parents, and educators on the importance of sexual health being taught instead of youth learning from their peers or social media. Now, inspired by my experiences and desire to give back to my community, I am on a mission to establish sexual health workshops for the youth and an assisted living facility for elders in my hometown, embodying the spirit of hope and empowerment for generations to come.
Hi, my name is Kayla Smith, and I am a youth advocate for mental, sexual, and reproductive health for teens and young adults, as well as healthcare disparities faced by underrepresented communities. Coming from Hattiesburg, MS, I had no prior knowledge about sex education, unless it was from word of mouth from friends and family members. This lack of knowledge motivated me to become an advocate for teens and to improve the conversation around sex education.
