Parents Speak-Up National Campaign ends the year in Washington, DC at Riverside Community Center at Marvin Gaye Park and in Baltimore City at Life Celebration Center. 
“Parent Networking Social” Equips Parents to Talk to Kids about Waiting to Have Sex”

Across the nation, parents express great concern about having discussions with teenagers about their attitudes and behaviors regarding sex.  This year, the Parents Speak –Up National Campaign (PSUNC), a nationwide public education effort to assist parents with these difficult conversations, highlights efforts being made in Washington, D.C and Baltimore, MD.  
Future Leaders Outreach Network (FLON), headquartered in Kansas City, MO, the African American Outreach Center contracted to conduct and oversee events targeting parents and caring adults in Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Brooklyn, NY and Washington, DC, collectively had a successful year.
Throughout 2008, the Parent Abstinence Education Workshops and Parent Network Social events supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Parent Speak Up National Campaign, was a huge success in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.  Approximately 458 parents, caring adults and teens in attendance with their parents attended a total of sixteen (16) parent abstinence education workshops and six (6) parent network social events.  

The purpose of the events is to discuss with parents the importance of talking to their teens about delaying sexual activity and also to abstain from drugs and alcohol.  Parents who are one of the most viable conduits for reaching teens about these risk behaviors. It was anticipated that parents would leave the events with valuable information to begin the talk.  

Parents can influence the decisions their pre-teen and teen children make about sexual activity. Special attention was always given to guide parents to the www.4parents.gov website that provides additional assistance.  The events were free and open to parents in each targeted community.

ZOE Group Foundation, lead agency for Washington, D.C., Abstinence Partnership and Future Leaders Outreach Network hosted Parent Network Socials on April 25th, July 18th and October 31, 2008.  Additionally ten (10) workshops were conducted by the following partners:  Alpha Nu Omega Christian Fraternity, BLISS, Perry School Community Service Center, Your Community Center, and Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings Family Enhancement Center. 

Karon Etienne, the Executive Director of ZOE Group Foundation was asked how she felt about the final Parent Network Social, conducted October 31st at Riverside Community Center at Marvin Gaye Park, where approximately 82 parents and caring adults and 5 youth under the age of 21 attended.  “I am excited that the participation from parents, teens and organizations was phenomenal overall. I believe if we can reach 100 parents or more at each event with the help of the media, we will decrease the number of teens making the choice to delay sexual activity by educating parents on the importance of talking to their teens as early as 10 years old. I truly believe this will help to decrease the number of STD’s, HIV and teen pregnancies in our African American teens today. I definitely want to commend our parents, teenagers and community organizations that supported the Parent Network Socials and shared personal stories. 
To the organizations who requested material to continue the campaign’s message by sharing the information to parents and teens that they reach daily, I thank you.  It is the goal of ZOE Group Foundation to help change the thinking process of parents when it comes to talking with their teens early about abstinence.”

Additionally in Baltimore, MD, the Baltimore Urban Leadership Foundation under the leadership of Mary McClinton and Life Celebration Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Michael Hannah team together to hit the streets of Baltimore city.  This campaign is not about putting the word out in hopes that people will act without results to follow.  Take a look at the story of one parent who heard about the Parents Speak Up National Campaign and attended one of the classes conducted at Life Celebration Center.
Ms. Carolyn Byrd participated in the May 23rd Parent Network Social at Life Celebration Center.  It helped her understand how to approach the subject of delaying sexual activity when talking to her teenage son.  When she approached her son about this topic, she felt the conversation went good, “because my son and I have an open relationship to talk about everything” Byrd replied, “however, attending the Parent Network Social gave me more insight on languages used amongst teens concerning sex and having the Teen Chat booklet came in handy to share with my son”.  Byrd also replied that, “after attending the Parent Network Social, talking to my son about “abstinence” opened up the communication more”.   “I know attending the Parent Network Social is something that I would attend again and I have already shared the information with my neighbors and friends”. 
These two groups hosted three Parent Network Socials, May 23, August 22 and October 10, 2008 as well as six (6) Parent Abstinence Education Workshops that was conducted by the following partners:  Covenant Life Church, First Greater Harvest Church and Purpose Driven Ministries. 
Zoe Group Foundation can be reached by logging onto www.zoegroupfoundation.org.   For more information and media please contact: Dena Newman at dholland-newman@verizon.net or 301-449-1245.  Article and photos by: Dena Newman, Media Outreach Coordinator for Zoe Group Foundation, Washington, D.C.