March 12, 2021 —Oakland, CA— Today, Peer Health Exchange— a national non-profit organization working to advance health equity and improve young people's health outcomes— announced its inaugural content creators training program. The 19 participants, chosen from a national pool of applicants ages 18 to 29, will meet for their first weekly workshop Wednesday, March 17.
The six-month training program aims to amplify underrepresented voices in conversations about mental and sexual health. Designed as a hybrid training model, it integrates structures, practices, and attitudes of an identity-affirming, community-centered media-making process while developing participants' leadership readiness using health skills.
"Stories have the power to influence decisions. To promote a sense of belonging. To remind us we're not alone," said Mario Serrano, Content Creators Program Manager. "Our incoming influencers will draw from their diverse experiences, reflecting the vast and intersectional identities of the young people we serve."
While learning about health, health equity, and social issues that affect them, their community, and their generation, the cohort will learn to tell stories in multiple formats, across different media platforms for young audiences across the United States and beyond.
"Throughout this year, young people have been telling us what stories they need to hear to help them make healthy decisions," said Louise Langheier, Co-founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange. "I am thrilled to welcome our first cohort into this work. It's never been a more important time to join the movement for health equity."
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peer Health Exchange partnered with its health educators in responding to young people's needs for accurate health information. This inaugural content creators training program is possible thanks to our early collaborators.
The inaugural content creators program cohort:
Huyen Nguyen — Oakland, CA
Hannah Johnson-Fast —Puyallup, WA
Manon Guijarro —Woodland Hills, CA
Savannah Sclafani —Flushing, NY
Eva Levingston —Long Beach, CA
Nathalia Patricio —Dallas, TX
Deep Patel — Glen Ellyn, IL
Jessica Ortega-Chavez —Chicago, IL
Sarah Thong —Fresno, CA
Daisy Ngai —Brooklyn, NY
Nhi Nguyen —Edgewater, CO
Neha Shah —Austin, TX
Karen Jiang —Brooklyn, NY
Francesca Moser —Chicago, IL
Sameera Shaik —Tallahassee, FL
Laken Brooks —West Jefferson, NC
Bwalya Mwansa —Marion, IL
Brianna Robinson —Los Angeles, CA
Sylthia Chen —Brooklyn, NY
About Peer Health Exchange
Peer Health Exchange’s mission is to build healthier communities with young people. Together, we create education opportunities for peers to share the tools and resources young people need to make healthy decisions. To learn more visit www.peerhealthexchange.org
