Interview of Holly Sanchez by Sophie Pellegrini // You don’t have to look very far to find a need in your community, and even if it’s something as small as a tweet to get people thinking and talking about it, it can be a catalyst for a much larger conversation.
Interview of Holly Sanchez by Sophie Pellegrini
Hi Holly! Tell us a bit about yourself!!
Hi! I’m Holly! I’m currently in my last year in law school in Chicago, where I like hanging out with my spouse, our dog, and eating lots of deep dish pizza.
What is Power to the Period? Where did the idea come from?
Power to the Period is the first US national period products donation drive and the second of the U by Kotex Period Projects, a groundbreaking series of projects, each inspired by a real young woman who shares the brand’s passion for creating change.
A while back, I tweeted “Buy an extra box of pads/tampons & donate to a homeless shelter near you. These items are so often overlooked.” U by Kotex noticed it, and approached me with the opportunity, along with DoSomething.org, to be a part of creating the first-ever national drive for period products!
Before law school, I worked at a long-term transitional shelter for women. I saw that our most needed items were ones that we as people use so frequently, but tend to forget they are so necessary. One big example is the product(s) we use during our periods.
Why is this cause important to you personally?
3.5 million Americans experience homelessness on a daily basis. They have so many concerns—whether they’ll have access to period products during their periods should not be one of them. I don’t have to worry about whether I’ll have the money to purchase tampons every month—but so many people do. I always want to challenge myself to not take these “small” things for granted, and this drive is a great way to make a tangible difference.
The project wouldn’t be possible without the collaborative effort between yourself, DoSomething.org, and the U by Kotex brand. Why do you believe creative collaboration is important and powerful? It’s one of our core tenants here at Ramona!
When I was approached by U by Kotex about this opportunity, I was thrilled that such a huge provider of period products recognized this problem and wanted to do something about it. DoSomething.org has the potential to reach over 5 MILLION people with worthwhile campaigns like Power to the Period. And I might be “just” a girl tweeting out into cyberspace, but my passion and voice have the potential to effectuate change—even if it’s only through one-on-one conversations with others. The excitement, skills, and reach of all three of us was totally necessary to have the impact that this national drive has already seen. When people work together, change can come about much more quickly.
Do you have any advice for our teen readers who are interested in feminist activism but don’t know where to start?
Whether it’s helping collect period products for local shelters to hosting a period party to help dispel the taboos associated with this part of reproductive health, when you share your drive and spread your passion with others, you are taking part in activism! You don’t have to look very far to find a need in your community, and even if it’s something as small as a tweet to get people thinking and talking about it, it can be a catalyst for a much larger conversation.
And how can our readers get involved with Power to the Period?
You can get more information about how you can be a part of Power to the Period by visiting UbyKotex.com, DoSomething.org/period or by texting PERIOD to 38383. The campaign runs in the US until September 30, and participants are eligible to receive a $5,000 scholarship! You can also tweet about it/raise awareness by using the hashtag #PeriodProjects.
Photograph courtesy of @hsanchezperry
