According to the CDC, “...fewer than half of high schools and only a fifth of middle schools [in the US] teach all 16 topics recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as essential components of sexual health education.” Our education system is failing students nationwide, and this failure is specifically affecting underserved Latino and African-American populations. While trying to understand why teen pregnancy is specifically prevalent in communities of color, we uncovered multiple layers of tension that surround sexual health. Social, religious, and political strains coupled with the discomfort and stigma around sexual health work to prevent teens from accessing life-altering information in schools and at home. Our platform will use innovative design and technology to bring information and resources directly to young adults in order curb health disparities. We will provide underserved communities with an accessible, confidential resource that can be used by schools and individuals.

1. T A L X
Changing the conversation around sexual health

2. Motivation
Support and resources to sexual health information, or lack thereof, has
the potential to determine the trajectory of one’s life

3. What we see in California
“racial disparities persist in adolescent childbearing in
California. African American and Hispanic adolescents are
three to four times as likely to give birth as White females. In
addition, the birth rate among adolescents varies
considerably across counties, from a low of 7.0 in Marin
County to a high of 45.1 in Kern County”
-California Department of Public Health
What other factors influence health
outcomes such as teen pregnancy
rates?

4. Inspiration
This project branched out of one of
a design challenges through the
Fung Fellowship for Wellness and
Technology Innovations at UC
Berkeley. We were focusing on
reducing teen pregnancy rates in
Alameda County, but many of us
drew inspiration from various
personal experiences, ranging from
lacking information related to our
gender identity to knowing friends
who left high school due to an
unplanned pregnancy.

5. Mission
Create an online
ecosystem that supports
different identities,
considers people’s
background, and
provides access to reliable
sexual education
information pertinent to
the individual’s sexual
orientation, gender
identity, and mental

6. Pillars
Health
Equity
Understand and
address the physical,
social, and
psychological factors
that affect an
individual’s identity
Holistic
Understanding
Individual
Empowerment
Provide students with
the resources and
information they need to
feel knowledgeable and
confident enough to
make decisions
regarding their sexual
health
Work to decrease
disparities in teen
pregnancy rates among
underserved,
communities of color
Curiosity &
Questioning
Foster an environment
where having questions
or concerns about
sexual health is not only
ok, but a part of a
person’s life

7. Personalized Profile
Build profile by completing an initial quiz
Back end collects information about sexual
orientation, gender, relationship status etc.
Personalized dashboard with resources
most relevant to information provided
Additional information not included is
searchable within the site

8. Proces
s:
Human
Centered
Design

9. Anonymous Forum
How do I tell my partner I’m
not ready for sex?
Emergency contraception
How can you tell if a
partner may become
abusive?
I feel bad about my body.
Do people choose to
be transgender?

12. Future Options
Searchable map of local
sexual health resources
Peer Educator Volunteer
Program
Health Ambassador Program
Partnerships with local youth
centers