Jess Melendez

I have been working with adults and youth in the sexual health field for 12 years. Working with middle-school and high-school aged youth has given me the ability to facilitate developmentally appropriate sexual health education through a unique lens. My teaching style is interactive, inclusive, honest, and empathetic. Teaching youth about sexual health is my passion. There is nothing greater than creating a safe space for young people of different identities and watching them develop critical thinking skills. “Traditional” school-based sexual health curricula focus on white, heterosexual and cisgender identities. Even in sexual health, these curriculums are created through a white supremist lens, meaning it does not “meet youth where they are at”. It’s easy to say, “here are birth control options that you can talk to your doctor about”. Teaching this information also requires understanding the social determinants of health that impact a young person’s ability to access such reproductive and gender-affirming services. In CA (where I teach), starting at 12 years old, a person can access reproductive health services without a parent’s consent. Many youth are unaware of their rights and my job is to advocate for them. It’s a reality that young people do not have a trusted adult in their life that they can reach out to for questions about sex and sexuality. I strive to empower young people about their rights, bodily autonomy, and to make healthy decisions that will positively impact their sexual health.