We are thrilled to spotlight the impact of our Healthy Futures of Texas (HFTX) youth programs through Kennia Gonzalez, our Youth Advocate Team Lead in Brownsville and a former peer ambassador in our Campus Conversations program. At the 2024 Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (APP) Grantee Conference, Kennia made a significant impact by participating in a key youth panel with other 6 youth.

This prestigious event gathered 12 grantees to exchange insights and best practices.

"The Campus Conversations program exemplifies our dedication to equipping students with the essential knowledge and resources to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. By sharing our model on a national stage, we are driving positive change in communities and shaping the future of SRH programming in higher education," said Sarah McQueen, Senior Director of Health Education at HFTX.

About the Connect for Success Initiative

Launched by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) in August 2023, the Connect for Success Initiative seeks to improve SRH support for community college students. Over two years, IWPR will collaborate with up to 20 grantees, including HFTX, to create scalable SRH service models for underserved students. Learn more about IWPR and the Connect for Success Initiative here.

As we reflect on 2023, HFTX proudly advances our mission of providing equitable access to sexual health education, contraception, and resources, demonstrating our commitment to “Healthy Futures for All” with impactful initiatives that resonate both locally and statewide. Here are some key highlights from our 2023 Annual Report:

• Health Education: 2,806 students directly educated and 22,427 engagements at campus and community events.

• Training and Technical Assistance: 496 Youth-Serving Professionals trained, potentially impacting 13,652 students.

• Advocacy: Successfully defended against harmful sex education bills in the 88th Legislative Session, ensuring no damaging legislation was passed.

• Research and Data: Released the Opt-in Report with UTHealth, analyzing Texas’ new opt-in requirements for sex education.

• Awareness: Achieved 22.9 million impressions through awareness campaigns.

• Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition: Secured an additional $118 million for the women’s health budget. 

These achievements were made possible by your support in advancing young Texans' well-being. Thank you for driving positive change. Review the full report here to see your impact. 

Exciting opportunity alert! Healthy Futures of Texas is looking for a talented individual for the following position:

• Youth Advocate Team Lead – Dallas

Email [email protected] for more information.