March 2022 Power Player

At Power to Decide, we’re committed to uplifting the many individuals on the ground doing the work that matters most. Each month we highlight an individual who is championing the effort to support young people’s reproductive well-being. Check out this month's Power Player profile.

Gabrielle S. Evans, MPH, CHES & Shemeka Thorpe, PhD

Co-founders of The Minority Sex Report

What work have you done to ensure that all people have the information and access they need to make decisions that align with their intentions and improve their reproductive well-being?

We use our Instagram as well as opportunities for community outreach to disseminate information about sexual health to people of color. Particularly, most of our community outreach has occurred in rural parts of North Carolina in collaboration with churches, non-profits, and sorority health fairs.

How did you get started in your field? What is your driving force?

We started The Minority Sex Report in 2017 to provide representation in sexuality education. Growing up, we didn’t have health educators that looked like us. Our sex ed was taught for one week by our gym teachers and it wasn’t memorable. We wanted teens to have a safe space to talk about sex by someone who looks like them.

What advice would you give to someone looking to effect change in the field that you currently work in?

Our advice would be to find what makes you unique in the field and stick with it. Additionally, this should be something that you are truly passionate about and not something that just seems cool to do at the moment.

Why should someone care about ensuring that all people—regardless of who they are or where they live—have the information and access they need to live their best life?

Sexual health has been a taboo topic for years when it shouldn’t be. It’s a natural part of life that should be explored and enjoyed. We all deserve to have access to accurate information, care, and the ability to make informed decisions regarding our sexual health.