After watching the Oscar winning documentary “Period. End of Sentence.” last year, Alyssa Teixeira was outraged. So, she took to the internet, searching for a way she could help tackle period poverty and found Days for Girls. Not finding a DfG Team in her area, Alyssa resolved to simply start her own and the DfG Almaden Valley CA Team was born!
Since starting her team, Alyssa has been working nonstop to spread the word about Days for Girls and is making a significant impact. Recently, Alyssa connected with the Commission on the Status of Women, hoping for an opportunity to speak to members about the issue and inspire local government officials to become advocates.
She was granted this opportunity earlier this month and as seen in the video, Alyssa’s presentation on DfG was well received. “The chairwoman was really, really, excited about all the things I was telling them about Days for Girls, and following the presentation a number of the women on the commission contacted me asking about ways to help.”
As a new leader for Days for Girls, Alyssa is finding her voice and passion. She loves introducing people to Days for Girls and the issues surrounding menstrual health because: “I’ve never gotten a negative reaction to it …You’d think that men would be reticent to respond but people are very energized and vocal about this being an issue that we really do need to respond to.” It is through conversations like this that Alyssa says she has become more connected and involved in her local community.
Although being a young advocate has its challenges, she is not discouraged and advises other aspiring young leaders to never take no for an answer. “I think that we [youth] are such a powerful part of the world right now. We can’t let anyone tell us that these things aren’t important because they are. This world will be ours soon, so it is important that we solve the issues that are important to us.”
Thank you for being an advocate for every girl, everywhere, Alyssa!
Alyssa is a 22-year-old Bay Area native with a passion for women’s issues. She is a part time college student who is active in her community, serving and uplifting other women. When she is not working or going to school, she enjoys doing theater and playing with her adorable pup!
