Young Parents Rise!

J4YF Blog Series: Young Parents Speak Out! Written by: Mariela Vazquez Before having my baby, the thought of having a child never existed in my mind. The whole idea of being a parent was the least of my worries. My life changed the day I found out I was pregnant. Although I do admit that […]
Let me make this promise: Comprehensive Healthcare Access for Young Latinas

*By Mara Minguez, M.D., MSc One experience in particular has stayed with me. I vividly recall a 15 year old who in response to her pregnancy diagnosis stated, “It would not only kill my dreams… it hurts me more to kill my parents’ dreams.” In that moment, she did not yet realize that she had a choice. If […]
Celebrating young mamas!

Written by: Christina Martinez May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, a particularly hard month for pregnant & parenting youth as they are subject to constant reminders of the ways in which their parenthood is a burden to society, the economy, and their communities. From the start, young parents are told that their pregnancy and/or child […]
A Collective Response to NYC’s “Think Being a Teen Parent Won’t Cost You?” Campaign

When the new NYC teen pregnancy prevention ad campaign came out, all of us at the CLRJ office took a collective sigh. We know that the targeting of this “shame game” is strategic, not new, and we also know that it probably won’t just happen in New York. Time and time again, pregnant and parenting […]