Episode 3: Filling the Gaps in Sex Ed

In this episode, we’ll delve into the Chicago Public Schools evolving sex education curriculum. We’ll share findings from our Adolescent X research study, and we’ll identify the gaps within sex ed that have yet to be filled, like queer and disabled sex. We’ll hear from Sonam Rikha and our co-host, Kaya Thomas, about their experiences learning about sex within the CPS system, as well as from sex educators Eva Sweeney and Angela Townsend, who created spaces outside of school systems to fill those gaps.

Frankly. is a podcast that explores the health and wellbeing of youth from the perspectives and lived experiences of young people on Chicago’s South and West sides. Co-produced by Chicago youth Kaya Thomas and Alizha Vernon and the University of Chicago’s Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Innovation in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Frankly. is a seven-episode series that builds on the findings from Ci3’s Adolescent X study, a research project that studies narrative methods to explore the messages that young people receive about their bodies, identities, and sexual health. Frankly. centers the voices of young people marginalized by race, gender, and/or sexual orientation as they navigate various social environments, develop their identities, and understand the world around them. Frankly. aims to contextualize the stories of young people by examining the ways in which structural barriers and institutions impede their health and wellbeing.

Frankly. is a podcast that explores the health and wellbeing of youth from the perspectives and lived experiences of young people on Chicago’s South and West sides. Co-produced by Chicago youth Kaya Thomas and Alizha Vernon and the University of Chicago’s Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Innovation in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Frankly. is a seven-episode series that builds on the findings from Ci3’s Adolescent X study, a research project that studies narrative methods to explore the messages that young people receive about their bodies, identities, and sexual health. Frankly. centers the voices of young people marginalized by race, gender, and/or sexual orientation as they navigate various social environments, develop their identities, and understand the world around them. Frankly. aims to contextualize the stories of young people by examining the ways in which structural barriers and institutions impede their health and wellbeing.

Production Team:
Ireashia Bennett, Co-Host, Executive Producer, Sound Engineer
Kaya Thomas, Co-Host, Ci3 Fellow, Producer
Alizha Vernon, Ci3 Fellow, Producer
Melissa Gilliam, MD, MPH, Creator, Ci3 Founder, and Director
Valerie Reynolds, Senior Producer, Story Editor
Erisa Apantaku, Story Editor, Podcast Consultant
Liz Futrell, Project Manager, Producer
Crystal Tyler, Ci3 Executive Director and Story Editor
Erin Garcia, Story Editor
Adriana Brodyn, Story Editor and Researcher
Melissa Sherwin, Story Editor
Music featured in the episodes by Blue Dot Sessions and King Mastermind