The EducateUS 5th Birthday Party!
Can you believe we’re turning 5 years old this August? So much has changed since we launched in 2021, and the years have flown by because there’s nothing we love more than building sex ed power with you.
Now it’s time to celebrate together — register now to join us on August 12 at 7:30pm for an online party like you’ve never been to before! While celebrating the seriously impactful work we’ve done together, we’ll also be leaning into what it means to be 5 years old: full of wonder and mischief, curiosity and imagination.
Register now (for just $5!) to get in on all the fun. including sex ed fortune telling, limited-edition party favors, interactive games and surprises, special guests, our first-ever awards, and more!
Now, what’s a party without friends? Bring 5 of your favorite folks and you’ll join the ranks of our Party Peers, and we’ll send you a paper crown you can wear to the celebration! If they’ve never heard of EducateUS before, even better – this will be the perfect time to meet the whole EducateUS family.
What are you waiting for? Grab your spot (and your group chat) today. We can’t wait to party with you on August 12th!
OUR HONOREES
Naomi Sobel and Becky Silverstein
Founder’s Award
Because they believed in us before we were even incorporated, supporting us through their own constant generosity and countless introductions to donors and partners who have helped shape our work.
Naomi Sobel and Rabbi Becky Silverstein work together to steward their philanthropy in service of building a world where everyone can thrive. They understand that the movement for universal sex education is a core component in the fights for bodily autonomy and gender justice.
Naomi is a writer, fundraiser, and advocate whose work has spanned LGBTQ justice, electoral organizing, and social justice philanthropy. She works as a senior leadership giving officer at WBUR, Boston’s NPR station, and serves on the board of the Tikkun Olam Foundation.
Becky is a principal at both Sobelstein Giving and Horizon Philanthropy, as well as co-chair of a donor table comprised of parents with trans children. He is a proud board member of the Solidaire Network and The Shalom Center. They live in Boston with their two adorable kiddos.
Annie Delgado
For Good Award
For her visionary leadership and tireless organizing on behalf of the young people of Merced, California, where she successfully forced the school district to commit to coming into compliance with California’s sex ed mandate.
Annie Delgado has taught high school women’s studies since 2008. In addition to teaching, she oversees the Lift While You Lead Empowerment Project and serves on a local elementary school board. She was recognized as a Champion of Change in 2016 by the Obama Administration for her work with marginalized girls. Her paper, “Defying cultural norms by launching women’s studies in the high school setting,” can be found in Feminist Pedagogy, Practice, and Activism: Improving the Lives of Girls and Women. Advancing equity drives how she lives.
Monika Nayak
Storytellers Award
For her pro bono work leading our path-breaking message research, which has opened powerful new ways to tell the story of sex education.
Monika Nayak studies how policies and politics intervene in the sexual and reproductive life course. Monika assisted EducateUS in conducting population-level message testing for sex education advocacy goals. She recently completed a Ph.D. in Health Policy and Management from UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health. Developing an expertise in how social and economic policies differ across states, Monika constructed a novel measure of the policy environment relating to reproductive autonomy.
Now, Monika offers freelance research design, analysis, and data management services in public opinion, health technology, and population health as they relate to reproductive health and well-being. As a researcher at UCLA Law’s Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy, Monika linked her population health sciences training to real-world evaluation of unconditional cash programs for pregnant people and new parents with the Mother Infant Cash Coalition. Monika also consults for grassroots organizations, including INeedAnA.com, an online information hub for abortion seekers. With expertise in coalition building, policy and health outcomes measurement, and translational research, Monika is positioned to drive meaningful, evidence-based change in reproductive health policy at scale.
OUR HOST
Dr. Shaashawn S. Dial
Host
Beloved Change Agent, Leader-Scholar, Aspiring Co-conspirator
Dr. Shaashawn Dial, she/her/ella pronouns goes by Dr. Shaashawn and is a self identified: unapologetically Black, Womxn (spelled this way to remind herself she does not have to only define herself by her relationship to men), queer, military brat, 29+ year natural hair rocker, full-figured, gemini, first born, partnered, childless by choice, godmom of 3 brilliant melanated superstars ages 26, 14, and 12, village auntie, bonus grand to an incredible 11 year old and 7 year old, founder of Voycetress Media (her consulting company of 10 years), vice president of education with the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood (VLPP), practitioner-scholar, sex educator, activator, disruptor, connector, woo-er, author of 2 books and a CD. Dr. Shaashawn is a HERstory maker who cultivates brave environments for individuals, communities, and organizations to reflect, commit to closing disparity gaps, and skill build.