My internship at PPRSR

I am in panic-mode this week; fall classes at Nazareth start up Monday, August 27th. I cringe at the dreaded words “summer is over.” But friends, do you know what is worse than summer ending? (I know what you’re thinking- how could anything be worse that that?!) It gets worse. School starting up again means my time as an intern for the PPRSR marketing department has to come to an .

Let us have a brief moment of silence in remembrance of the beautiful memories made here at the PPRSR University Ave. building.

My experience as an intern here cannot- and dare I say will not- be replicated. Interning at PPRSR has solidified my allegiance to the work that Planned Parenthood does for the rest of my life. Not only is it what Planned Parenthood stands for, it’s the people I have met here and what they stand for. Never in my life, so far a short 21 years, have I met so many genuine, kind, hardworking people. I made friends here: real friends.

Speaking of “real,” today’s brief post is not all sad news and goodbyes. I get to still be actively involved in the young professionals group, REAL (Rising Educators Advocates and Leaders) for Planned Parenthood. REAL for Planned Parenthood is a board of young leaders throughout our Rochester and Syracuse communities devoted to getting more people involved in the Planned Parenthood mission. I am proud to be apart of this group’s Steering Committee and am thankful the end of my internship does not mean the end of my involvement with Planned Parenthood.

It’s been a life changing experience here at PPRSR. I know that I’ve not only gained skills for the work-world, but wisdom, too, for all of the other extraneous events life throws at us. I’ve learned that it’s important to know yourself, what you stand for and what you believe in. That said, as I continue to grow as a student and as a woman, I know I’ll bring the motto “it’s about health and safety” with me everywhere I go.

Elise
Marketing Intern 

           

The "Meet Planned Parenthood Series" - Jeff Pier

Some people might see a position at Planned Parenthood highly unlikely for an ex-professional wrestler and two-time golden glove boxing champion, but that’s because they don’t know Jeff Pier, Rape Crisis Service Program Manager at Planned Parenthood of the Rochester/Syracuse Region.

Since 2010, Jeff has been working his hardest to make sure that Rape Crisis Service is the place people know they can go to. (So in the words of Notorious B.I.G., “if ya don’t know, now ya know.”)

With five counties in the program- Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming- Rape Crisis Service is the biggest sexual assault service program in the state. Whether he’s grant writing, working on re-branding or fundraising after-hours, Jeff Pier, father of a four-year old daughter and loving husband, works diligently to assure that the services that Rape Crisis provides are seamless.

I have to admit, the first time I heard that a man- not to mention one who still looks like he used to be a wrestler- was in charge of Rape Crisis Service at PPRSR, it was a bit shocking. That’s because of gender stereotyping. This happens in society every day when it comes to victims of sexual assault, and Jeff realizes that it’s a serious problem.

Always giving it to people straight, Jeff tells me “it’s not like a Lifetime movie,” a common misconception portrayed by the media. Sexual assault should never be taken lightly, but the process of coping with and/or coming forward about a sexual assault can be very difficult, sometimes even a “long, daunting process,” Jeff said.

That’s why trained counselors are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week to provide information and support. “My job is to make sure our clients are treated appropriately” he tells me, stating that Rape Crisis Service is here to make the system easier, not more complex. I know this must be true, because talking to Jeff himself was a very easy, natural experience. The other employees representing Rape Crisis Service are no different, making it ultimately a warm and welcoming place.

Still, it’s not just Jeff and the other employees at Rape Crisis Service that dedicate their lives to helping victims of sexual assault. Volunteers are always needed and are an integral part of how the program functions: without them, there would be no 24-hour crisis hotline. “The hardest thing to do is come forward,” Jeff tells me. “When women (or men) can tell their story, only then can we battle the violence against them.”

* If volunteering with Rape Crisis Service is something that interests you, please do not hesitate to visit www.pprsr.org for more information.

Elise
Marketing Intern

PPRSR: Making Friends at the Fair

Volunteering at the New York State Fair with Planned Parenthood is something I had been looking forward to since last year. The Fair is a crazy place, filled with every type of New Yorker you can imagine. The Center of Progress (a fitting name to house the PPRSR table) is no different. There are tables selling sheets and jewelry, vendors selling hand lotions and irons, religious groups and politicians, as well as both a pro-life table and ours.

We handed out a bunch of different buttons:

My favorite is definitely "Trust Women." It's so perfect and simple, and yet basically encompasses everything there is about being pro-choice and empowering women.if women were universally trusted to make their own decisions - about their bodies, their babies, their needs and wants, etc - there wouldn't be any pro-life rhetoric.

Strangely enough, that pin illicits the strangest reactions. At least 5 times, a couple walked by, the man picks up the pin, looks at us, and says "Trust women?? Have you ever met this woman?" Some people joke around that it should say "NEVER Trust Women." Har har har, aren't these people funny? We usually responded with something like "Funny! You know, trusting women is actually quite easy!" What did they expect us to say?

Another good pin is "Viva La Vulva." This one is written in the smallest font, so older people kept asking me to read it for them. I probably yelled "It says VIVA la VULVA" 10 times per shift. There were also a surprising number of people who didn't know what a vulva was! We made sure to teach everyone who seemed confused.

The only snag we ran into this year was running out of condoms! Last year, we ran out of pins, so we made sure we had a ton of pins - but this year we didn't have enough condoms! We made a sign and put it at our booth:

I can't tell you how many people walked by and reacted to that sign - more than would've reacted to a giant bowl of condoms, for sure. People laughed and pointed, people gasped, people ran and got their friends to take a look - but more than anything, people got out their cell phones and took pictures. I'm waiting for this photo to go viral.

All in all, I had a blast at the PPRSR booth at the Fair. And if you were one of the sad souls that came to the booth too late for free condoms, make sure you take a trip to your local Planned Parenthood to stock up!