Celebrating Black History and Black Futures is important all throughout the year– and Black History Month can provide a special, focused time for learning, reflection, and action in our schools and classrooms. ODE has compiled many resources from across the state and country to support educators to incorporate Black History month into their classrooms this month and beyond, including the Oregon Open Learning Hub’s Black History Folder. This week can also be a time to connect with the Black Lives Matter at School week, with events happening across Oregon.

Black History and Black Futures are deeply intertwined with how we teach about sexual and reproductive health. Reproductive justice, a term coined in 1994 by Black women leaders and activists, acknowledges how so many issues influence the sexual and reproductive health of people and communities– like housing, poverty, transportation, violence, and more. Our sexuality education classrooms can be places where students can explore these intersections and learn about health care and rights, social justice, and access. We can facilitate discussions around questions such as: Is healthcare access a human right?, and How can we help everyone have access to healthcare?  With our students, we can even analyze current health issues, such as the maternal mortality crisis and why it hits Black women the hardest. 

Last week was also National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD). My Brother’s Keeper and the CDC has provided resources on testing, prevention, treatment, and stopping HIV stigma, to help reduce health inequities in Black communities. Black communities have made great progress in reducing HIV, but issues such as racism and discrimination continue to negatively affect healthcare access. Providing culturally responsive and intersectional sexuality education that is free of stigma and discrimination can contribute to reducing these obstacles. 

In this newsletter, we will share with you some announcements, research, resources, and opportunities for training by ODE, as well as other offerings by statewide and national colleagues that may be of interest to you. 

Header photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash, Newberg, OR

Section photo by the National Institutes of Health

Release: Sex Ed Open Learning Collection

We are pleased to share the Sex Ed Open Learning Project’s collection of free, openly licensed, and standards-based sexuality education instructional materials on the Oregon Open Learning Hub. 

Through collaboration with numerous school districts, non-profit organizations, educators, and students, six organizations from across Oregon created nearly 40 openly licensed sexuality education lesson plans. The collection provides optional lessons for educators to use as they meet Oregon Health Education Standards in kindergarten through twelfth grade. All lessons are aligned with Oregon Health Education Standards, the Human Sexuality Education Rule, OAR 581-22-2050 and are comprehensive, age-appropriate, inclusive, and present sexuality as a positive, natural part of human development. These lessons are optional and accessible to any district or school, free of cost.

Click here to Access the Sex Ed Open Learning Collection

Additional Resources:

• The Sex Ed Open Learning Project User Guide provides a brief overview of the program and technical advice for navigating the collection. 
• An OER Workshop will highlight the Sex Ed Open Learning Collection on Thursday, March 9 from 4:00-5:15 pm.

Internship & Job Opportunities

The Rogue Action Center is accepting applications for the Spring 2023 BIPOC Youth Leaders Internship for youth in the Rogue Valley aged 14-30 who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. 

Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette is hiring for two positions to support the training and skill building of partners to effectively deliver sexual health programming:

• Education & Training Coordinator, Multnomah County, Oregon 
• Education & Training Coordinator, Ontario, Oregon

Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon is recruiting Promotoras for their Promotores de Salud Program, a Latino/a sexuality and reproductive health program that is bilingual and peer-led, aiming to expand access to sexual and reproductive health information and care.