This is the Point: Recent Episodes
This is the Point!
Packard Foundation's This Is the Point – is an original podcast conversation about reproductive rights, gender equality, and adolescent health education in Louisiana. Now more than ever, the public deserves accurate and balanced information from respected and credible sources. This platform transforms the way we hear and view the day-to-day reality of these issues and their subsequent impacts. With Louisiana voices - advocates of the work, impacted families, celebrities, and influencers - the podcast brings a less stark more familiar tone and long-format content to these difficult, complex and life impacting topics.
- Description Episode: Episode 2B specifically focuses on adolescent reproductive health, teen pregancy and parenting from a young man’s point of view. Sonny and Dr. Pasternak converse about that unique and important learning window of opportunity during adolescence where the introduction of health and care for ones’ body merges with adult mentorship, emotional support, development of life skills, exposure to constructive experiences and formation of positive, lasting peer-to-peer relationships.
- Host: Nia Weeks, a New Orleans lawyer, humanitarian, and founder of Citizen She, will host the podcast. Twice monthly, she will share the microphone with a topic-expert co-host and a special guest influencer.
- Co-host: Dr. Ryan Pasternak, MD, MPH, FAAP (He, Him, His) is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at LSU Health New Orleans, School of Medicine. He is the Vice Chair, Pediatric Community Health and Advocacy, Service Line Chief, Adolescent Medicine, Children’s Hospital New Orleans, and the Chief Medical Officer, for the Orleans Parish School Board.
- Guest: Sonny Lee, is the founder of the Son of a Saint Foundation. The organization has its roots grounded in the loss of Sonny’s father, Bivian Lee, II. He paired that loss with the need he saw in the community to transform the lives of fatherless boys.
- Resource Links:
The Southern Center for Adolescent and Young Adult Health Equity
Reproductive Education and Advocacy Louisiana (REAL) Program
Son of a Saint
Instagram.com/sonofasaintorg
Facebook.com/sonofasaintorg
Twitter.com/sonofasaintorg
Linkedin.com/company/son-of-a-saint
Episode title: Sex Education, a Realistic Answer to Teen Pregancy?
The episode exploresteen-pregnancy, sexual health, and sexual health education. Hosts and guests discuss shaping healthy and successful development for vulnerable young people facing life altering pressures like unplanned pregnancy, HIV, early marriage, violence, school dropout and unemployment.
Host: Nia Weeks, a New Orleans lawyer, humanitarian, and founder of Citizen She, will host the podcast. Twice monthly, she will share the microphone with a topic-expert co-host and a special guest influencer.
Co-host: Denese Shervington, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES) is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Tulane University School of Medicine.
Guest: Irma Thomas, the incomparable songstress and New Orleans treasure.
Description Episode (2A): Irma and Denese share an insightful conversation about teen pregancy. Irma discusses the impact of teenage motherhood on her life’s journey and brings forth her experiences and lessons learned as a mother of four by the age of 19. Dr. Shervington discusses how and why we should aspire to connect adolescent reproductive choices to sex education teachings.
Relevant Resource Links:
Citizen She
Citizen SHE United Facebook
Citizen She Instagram @CitizenSHEUnited
Citizen SHE United YouTube
Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES)
Twitter (@IWES_NOLA)
Instagram (@iwes_nola)
Episode title: What’s In a Pronoun?
What’s in a Label, explores what gender and gender identification means in today’s world.
Host: Nia Weeks, a New Orleans lawyer, humanitarian, and founder of Citizen She, hosts the podcast. Twice monthly, she shares the microphone with a topic-expert co-host and a special guest influencer.
Co-host: Pearl Ricks, Executive Director of the Reproductive Justice Action Collective (ReJAC) is an advocate, activist, and social change writer in New Orleans, Pearl goes by the pronouns they/them.
Guest: Jodie Patterson is the author of The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Identity. She is an activist and mom of five who writes and speaks powerfully about raising a trans child.
Description of episode (1B): Jodie Patterson discusses her personal history of raising a trans child and reflects on the complexity of gender in our society and its impact on the daily lives of families.
Relevant Resource Links:
Citizen She
Citizen SHE United Facebook
Citizen She Instagram @CitizenSHEUnited
Citizen SHE United YouTube
Reproductive Justice Action Collective (ReJAC)
Jodie Patterson
- Title: What’s In a Pronoun? explores what gender and gender identification means in today’s world.
- Host: Nia Weeks, a New Orleans lawyer, humanitarian, and founder of Citizen She, will host the podcast.
- Co-host: Pearl Ricks, Executive Director of the Reproductive Justice Action Collective (ReJAC), is an advocate, activist, and social change writer in New Orleans, Pearl goes by the pronouns they/them.
- Guest: Big Freedia, Freddie Ross Jr., better known by her stage name Big Freedia, is a hip-hop artist and worldwide ambassador of bounce music. Freedia identifies as a gay man and goes primarily by she/her.
- Description: Big Freedia, the Queen of Bounce shares personal experiences growing up gay in New Orleans. Freedia offers guidance to parents and trans gender young people. Pearl and Big Freedia probe those uncomfortable questions surrounding a person’s pronoun identification.
Relevant Resource Links:
Citizen She
Citizen SHE United Facebook
Citizen She Instagram @CiizenSHEUnited
CitizenSHEUnited YouTube
Reproductive Justice Action Collective (ReJAC)
Big Freedia- Rules