For some, hearing about periods may seem like a weird topic to discuss. Young girls in their early educational careers often choose to hide their curious thoughts about menstrual cycles for fear of being judged. But for senior Janeyliz Baez, her duty to destigmatize learning about menstrual cycles and educate both females and males has been a top priority for her for over a year, earning her the nomination in the journalism Silver Knight category at Charter, and ultimately, chosen as a part of three honorable mentions in Broward County.
Baez works with Anaya Andre, the founder of the non-profit Promote Her, Period. (PHP), to discuss “real-life stories, interviews, and personal narratives of women in our personal community, state, and nation” about their bodies’ natural cycles and processes. She hopes to make sure that she educated just even one person. Little did she know that she would be able to make an impact on over 250,000 people across various social media platforms.
“I am Editor-in-Chief and head of the editorial team where I lead four high school columnists through weekly team meetings to review story pitches and coverage for all PHP events,” Baez says. She has been able to form her own committee within PHP, further showcasing her interest in journalism.
As President of the Journalism Honor Society and Multimedia Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, the CHAT, she knew how to run a strict program, like the columns section of PHP. The stories written by her team have garnered over hundreds of views and have been able to teach others and help young females realize that it is alright to have a period.
“I’ve been able to understand that the passion and the commitment that I have to bringing awareness to menstrual cycles and period equity are far more important and valuable than those who might not see the importance of what’s being discussed,” Baez states.
Along with her Columns section, Baez works with the Youth Action Fund (YAF) to “create policies that assist in our purpose of providing all Florida schools with menstrual products.” Baez wants real, tangible impact to be made in public areas like schools, emphasizing how much this cause means to her. This has allowed her to combine journalism and law to make an impact in Florida. For Silver Knights, impact is a huge factor in deciding who gets recognized for their work, and Baez was a major candidate.
As Baez enters this new stage of her life post-graduating from high school, having long-term goals in the field a Silver Knight nominee is nominated for is crucial. Baez will be attending the University of South Florida, where she plans on pursuing journalism in the future.
“Being recognized for my work both inside and outside of school really encouraged me to pursue this further,” Baez states, as being nominated in this category helped her navigate the place journalism has for her.
Since she is graduating, she will have more time to focus on developing the PHP columns section. The indelible mark Baez has left on her community, evident in her work in PHP and advocacy, shows the type of leader she is.
“It has been my mission to empower the voices around my community. I have pursued opportunities that have allowed me to elevate the voices of the youth,” she remarks.
Her drive to make a difference and allow others to be comfortable in their own skin and body has taken her far and continues to show how much service means to Baez. After earning the honorable mention award at the Silver Knight Award ceremony, Baez hopes to inspire others.
“I aim to be a role model to those around me. I wish to continue to encourage our members to embody the spirit of initiative and embrace the opportunity each student has to create real change.”
To Baez, experiencing periods, cramps, and menstrual issues is natural and nothing to be embarrassed about because, as always, you should Promote Her, Period.
