Because of the current campus safety plan, Planned Parenthood Generation Action has been unable to meet in person. In previous semesters, the club has met in the Hannon Room. Now, all meetings have been conducted via Zoom. Kathryn Jepson, PPGA’s secretary says Zoom, “has it’s challenges because it is difficult to have discussions and get people engaged.” 

However, the club has made efforts to stay organized and utilize tools like breakout rooms to grab people’s attention. Even though Jepson expressed difficulty planning events for PPGA, there have been recent ideas for on-campus events. 

Kathryn discussed plans that PPGA has made to get people involved. Some ideas include an outdoor movie screening of “Let’s Talk About Sex” or the “RBG” documentary. Both movies bring up important principles of PPGA: sexual health and education and women’s equality. Other event ideas that Jepson spoke of were an outdoor or Zoom meeting for empower hour yoga. Empower hour yoga is conducted every year to promote the strength of survivors. It is a well-attended popular event that brings together many different sectors of the St. Lawrence community. 

Conducting all meetings on Zoom has had its benefits for the organization. Attendance and interest in the organization has increased, illustrating the popularity of a club that promotes sexual health, freedom, and education on campus.

Beyond attending meetings, there are many ways to get involved in PPGA. In 2019, PPGA was approved for an innovation grant that gave the organization money to provide menstrual products to the public bathrooms on campus. Now, PPGA stocks both female and male bathrooms with products weekly. After meetings at 7pm on Tuesday, members of the club meet in the student center to distribute the products to bathrooms in the student center, Madill, Bloomer, and ODY. Jepson says, “we are always welcoming new members,” and expressed her gratitude for dedicated St. Lawrence students who value PPGA. 

The final message that Jepson made was simple; it is important for PPGA to stay active during the pandemic and here’s why. A lot of people tend to forget the diverse healthcare services that planned parenthood provides. “A significant amount of the Canton community depends on the financial support of planned parenthood services,” and defunding planned parenthood endangers the loss of healthcare services for this community. Jepson states, “ who we vote for in November will be appointing the next supreme court judge which will have power over decisions about women’s healthcare for the rest of our lives.” In light of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it is critical that St. Lawrence students step up and advocate for healthcare attention that women deserve!