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Andreina Cordova: Making a Difference in Los Angeles
by Amy Bryant, 10.16.07
To find out how you can get involved in your area, call the Planned Parenthood affiliate nearest you at 1-800-230-PLAN. |
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When Andreina Cordova was in middle school, there were rumors that some of her peers were sexually active. "This caught me by surprise," says Andreina, who lives in Los Angeles, California. "But it was true — a girl I knew got pregnant, and, well, I didn't hear from her again."
In high school, Andreina would hear people around her talking about sex: "One time I was in the bathroom and there were two girls — one talking about her sexual life and another one asking her questions."
Ujima
"Ujima" is a Swahili word that means collective work and responsibility. Now 14, Andreina is a peer advocate with the Ujima Program of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. One of the goals of the program is to provide sexual health information and promote responsible behavior among teens in South Los Angeles, which has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Los Angeles.
Through her work with Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, Andreina leads small- group workshops called "Healthy Love" and promotes responsible, safer sex at local health fairs, malls, shopping centers, bus stops, and anywhere else that teens hang out. "I go out in the community or at school and I share information about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and birth control," Andreina says. "I do my best to tell teenagers about how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle."
What Teens Think
Andreina says the most important issues she talks about with teens are preventing sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. "Teens I meet are curious about the things that they should watch out for, and they like hearing about how the reproductive system works," she says. "I get asked questions like, 'Can you only get an STI by having sex?'"
Last spring, Andreina took part in the very first Planned Parenthood Young Leaders Summit, which was held at the Planned Parenthood 2007 Annual Conference and Health Care Institute. Teens from around the country and the Philippines came together to collaborate, brainstorm, learn, and put forward a bold, new agenda for the next generation of activists. The teens learned the basic skills of social justice work, from grassroots organizing to speaking effectively to the media on issues of sexual health and reproductive rights. "I was very excited to go, and was thrilled to know that we weren't the only teenagers who had the same goal," Andreina says. "It gave me more determination and commitment toward everything I do."
Get Involved
Next up for Andreina? In addition to her peer advocacy work, she's joined the Planned Parenthood Los Angeles Youth Advisory Council, which is made up of local youth who help establish policies and determine how they are delivered to serve South Los Angeles teens.
To find out how you can get involved in your area, call the Planned Parenthood affiliate nearest you at 1-800-230-PLAN. |
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