'Caught in the Cradle' in TX 

This excellent 24-minute video by Al Jazeera English takes a close look at teen pregnancy in Texas.  It features two teen moms, their families, and their struggles.  It also features Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis, author of the "Education Works" bill (SB 852) which would require sex education in Texas schools to be evidence-based.   

Dr. Susan Tortolero of UT Health in Houston is also featured.  Dr. Tortolero spoke at Healthy Futures' November 2010 Luncheon in San Antonio, and impressed many that we can do better in Texas.      

Watch Caught in the Cradle and forward the link to your friends and colleagues!.

'Sex Ed' with Julia Sweeney

In a wonderful 10-minute video for Minnesota Public Radio, the comedian Julie Sweeney shares how she handled questions about sex from her inquisitive eight year old daughter, Mulan.

This 10-minute video is wonderful and perfect, in an out-of-control train wreck way. Enjoy!

Fyi, Sweeney adopted Mulan from China.  Julia Sweeney also shared her story of cervical cancer (and losing the ability to have children) and her relationship with God in previous performance pieces.  (You may remember her as the androgynous "Pat" on Saturday Night Live). 

The National Day Press Conference and Quiz: MAY 4 

May 4 is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy!  San Antonio has very high teen pregnancy rates, with many zip codes that have school-age birth rates over 3 or 4 times the national rate.  Did you know that 1 in 3 U.S. girls will experience a pregnancy before the age of 20?  For Latinas and African Americans, the rate is 1 in 2! 

JOIN us on May 4^th for the National Day Press Conference with city and community leaders to get the word out to teens that 'sex has consequences'.  The Press Conference, hosted by Project WORTH, will be held at the Central Library at 10 am.

 Across the U.S., more than a half-million teens participated in National Day activities last year, and nearly 4.2 million individuals have taken the National Day Quiz since 2002 . Among the findings from a group of teens who participated in the 2010 National Day Quiz:

• 60% said the Quiz made the risks of sex and teen pregnancy see more real to them;
• 55% said the Quiz made them think about things they hadn't thought about before; and
• 61% said they'd talk to their friends about the Quiz.

Teens can support the National Day by simply logging onto StayTeen.org on May 4th (and throughout May) and participate in online National Day activities, including the National Day Quiz. The online Quiz will be posted in both English and Spanish beginning on May 1, 2011 and will be available throughout May. Print versions of the Quiz will also be available. The National Day Quiz is appropriate for teens ages 13 and up. 

Parents Have the Power Workshops

Healthy Futures of Texas is proud to offer bilingual workshops to help parents talk effectively with their adolescent children about relationships and sex.

Sessions are an hour and a half long, and we can provide food and childcare. We also have brochures for parents to help get the discussions going and moving in the right direction.

If you know of agencies that hold meetings for parents, please refer them to Healthy Futures for workshop information.

For more information, please contact us at:  info@healthyfuturestx.org or 210.223.4589.

Together we can build a community with prepared parents, planned pregnancies and healthy families.