S.O.M.: SexEd On The Move

Authors

Mikal Kidane
Michael Wang
Jevonte McCollum
Aliah Gombio
Maraki Gelgalo
Sana Hafiz

Files

Description

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public-health challenge in the United States, particularly among young people. Washington, D.C. reflects this trend: the metropolitan area ranks ninth-highest nationwide, with 1,081 reported STD cases per 100,000 residents—including 22,829 cases of chlamydia, 136 of gonorrhea, and 1,085 of syphilis (Vilakazi, 2024). Most cases are concentrated in Wards 7 and 8, where many young adults lack access to comprehensive sex education and clinical care.

Our project, SexEd on the Move (S.O.M.), tackles this gap by sending mobile clinics into low-income neighborhoods throughout the District. We start with peer-led theater and poetry workshops to engage teens, then provide evidence-based information, confidential testing, and resources in a judgment-free space that does not require parental involvement. By empowering adolescents to make informed choices, we aim to lower STD rates and improve long-term sexual-health outcomes.

Publication Date

2025

Keywords

Sexual Health; Sexual Health Education; Adolescents; Washington D.C.

Comments

© 2025 The Authors. All Rights Reserved.

Recommended Citation

Kidane, Mikal; Wang, Michael; McCollum, Jevonte; Gombio, Aliah; Gelgalo, Maraki; and Hafiz, Sana, "S.O.M.: SexEd On The Move" (2025). DC Health and Academic Prep Program (DC HAPP). 27.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/dchapp/27

Open Access

1