Menstrual Health Day Event Targets Stigma with All-Gender Education

Iris House, Global Community Charter School, and The Period Company team up to teach middle school students about menstruation and break the cycle of shame

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Iris House, an organization focused on the needs of women living with HIV/AIDS in New York City and the greater New York/New Jersey area, is partnering with the Global Community Charter School (GCCS) to host a Tea Party at the school’s Harlem campus on May 28^th, International Menstrual Health Day. The Tea Party for the middle school students will use education and information to help demystify and normalize menstruation and will include workshops for boys to help break the stigma around menstruation.

As part of the daylong event for the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, there will be sessions on Tea Party Etiquette for Girls and Restaurant Etiquette for Boys. The day also will include a demonstration of period underwear (and period support with boys) in partnership with The Period Abundance Foundation and with support from The Period Company.

WHEN:	Tuesday, May 28, 2024
TIME:	9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET
WHERE:	Global Community Center (Middle School) 218 West 147^th Street, New York, NY 10039
WHO:	Global Community Charter School and Iris House staff & volunteers
	Jasmin Candelario, Principal, Global Community Charter School Liane Matti, Dean, Global Community Charter School Ingrid Floyd, Executive Director, Iris House Karla Welch, Co-Founder & CEO, The Period Company Shauna Nep, The Period Abundance Foundation

NEWS DESKS: Tea Party events are on the GCCS school campus with limited or restricted access. Please call ahead to arrange attendance and clearance for any coverage.

Iris House also will be coordinating a separate Menstrual Health Day event in New Jersey.

Iris House, established in 1993, focuses on the needs of women living with HIV or AIDS in New York City and the greater New York/New Jersey area. It saves lives through comprehensive support, prevention, and education services for women, families, and underserved populations affected by HIV/AIDS and other health disparities in a safe, family-centered environment and with a passionate, professional and culturally competent staff. It affiliated with AHF in July 2019.

Global Community Charter School (GCCS) serves the Harlem and surrounding community by providing students in grades PreK through 8 with an education that is rigorous, inquiry-based and teaches students and families to work together across differences in language, culture, economic background, age and nationality. GCCS prepares students for admission to a challenging secondary education and to exhibit the courage and conviction to make a difference.