Upon my return to the United States, I began to take course that were specific to sexual health, youth development, and the HIV. As I learned more about the ways in which youth are risky and vulnerable through my studies, my interest in helping young people became stronger.

Doug is a junior in college and a member of the campus organizing team.

I am a junior at the University of Michigan studying public health, an individualized concentration focusing on global development. I began to get involved with the youth sexual health and rights movement when I became a member of the organization CoitusLove. I found the mission of the organization was something worth pursuing. After becoming a member of this organization, I was afforded the opportunity to travel to Ghana, Africa in May 2010 to work on a project studying the affects of mercury on women of childbearing age – which includes female youth – and children ages five and under. In Ghana, I witnessed more than the affects of mercury on these populations; I also learned about and witnessed people who were affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). I then learned how the HIV personally affects people close to me. I began to monitor the behaviors and think of how the HIV could possibly be an issue in my immediate neighborhood. I consider my self a change-agent, so my people – friends and family – and my interest in eradicating the HIV-epidemic motivated me. The issue of sexual health is not such a popular topic, nor is it easy to discuss.

Upon my return to the United States, I began to take course that were specific to sexual health, youth development, and the HIV. As I learned more about the ways in which youth are risky and vulnerable through my studies, my interest in helping the young people became stronger. I believe it is important for young people to advocate or sexual health and rights because the young people are the future, and it is our time to take control of our change and be the change. I want for the young people of my generation to realize our capability and capacity to effectively empower other and ourselves. If we can collectively strive to make sexual health and rights priority issues, we can become witnessed for future generations and have a place in history for a job well-done and making a difference.