Limya Harvey and Cydney Mumford regularly set up a folding table on the University of Texas-San Antonio campus, providing kits with emergency contraceptives, condoms, lube, tampons, and pads. The 19-year-old sophomores, enrolled at UTSA and Northeast Lakeview College, founded the organization Black Book Sex Ed to educate students about sexual health, distributing kits on campus, in the community, and through their website. Their mission, rooted in personal experiences of growing up in lower-income households, focuses on supporting those in need and addressing reproductive freedom challenges post the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision.
Amid concerns that abortion restrictions may affect access to emergency contraceptives, students across the country are forming networks to offer free or low-cost contraceptives and menstrual products. The American Society for Emergency Contraception, witnessing a quadrupling of requests since Dobbs, collaborates with students in developing peer-to-peer distribution networks. Emergency contraceptives, legally available in every state, pose minimal legal risks when distributed by students who ensure adherence to guidelines, treating it akin to providing over-the-counter medication.
Harvey and Mumford’s organization relies on donations, both in-kind and financial, to assemble kits containing various products. Similarly, at Bowie State University in Maryland, graduate student Jakeya Johnson successfully championed a bill requiring Maryland public colleges to provide round-the-clock access to emergency contraception and develop comprehensive plans for FDA-approved birth control and abortion services.
However, challenges persist, with Loyola University Chicago restricting certain groups like Students for Reproductive Justice from hosting events or distributing contraceptives on campus. Despite such obstacles, student-led initiatives, fueled by a commitment to filling gaps in reproductive health services, continue to make strides in enhancing access to contraceptives and supporting sexual health on college campuses.