A new program within the Black Resource Center will hold a sexual health workshop Thursday for female students.

Sisters Interacting Successfully, is a new program within the Black Resource Center of the Center for Inclusive Excellence. The program started Aug. 26 as a support system for African-American women on campus, according to Lanel Love, program assistant for the Black Resource Center.

“S.I.S. provides a supportive environment that fosters personal discovery through opportunities for personal growth, academic success and professional development,” Love said. “It will promote unity, improve communication networks and showcase professional opportunities among African- American female students.”

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Love said the program was created because the Black Resource Center thought there was a need for a constructive group for African- American women.

Love said S.I.S. has multiple ways of accomplishing these goals, including working in conjunction with other programs on campus – including a University College class for new students who are African-American women, cultural events, guest speakers and workshops.

One of the workshops available through S.I.S. is Thursday’s women’s sexual health workshop. While the workshop is a discussion-based group session focusing on African-American women, all are welcome to attend.

“The goal of the sexual health workshop is twofold,” said Sarah Steinkamp, wellness coordinator and director of the workshop. “One is to empower young women to gain knowledge and build skills and find support systems. And the second is, through the collaboration with S.I.S., to create a connection where young women feel like they have support on campus by getting out and meeting them.”

Steinkamp said the group’s focus is on relationship negotiation, or discussion of the limitations within a romantic and sexual relationship. The workshop also covers other health issues related to women’s sexuality including basic information on condom use, consent and birth control, as well as a question- and-answer session open to the students.

Steinkamp said open discussion is a critical aspect of the workshop because it provides an open atmosphere for women to discuss topics receiving few opportunities for open discussion.

“We are often not given the opportunity to ask questions and to get information in a health-positive way,” Steinkamp said. “I think people feel a lot of shame around sexual health and creating an opportunity to feel like sexuality and sexual health is something they can talk about openly, I feel, is incredibly important.”

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Dean of Students Katie Sermershein said the S.I.S. program is important to the success of future students who choose to engage in sexual activity.

“Any student could benefit from having the knowledge of taking care of oneself via any kind of sexual activity they may be participating in their lives at this time,” said Sermershein. “With any health program it’s important to be aware. I see this as another awareness program for those who choose to be sexually active.”

The workshop starts Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Grinnell Hall Lower Level. For more information about Sisters Interacting Successfully, contact Lanel Love with the Black Resource Center at 618-453-4846.