tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85297293381815246972024-03-05T07:01:52.352-05:00SMART YouthSMART Youth launched in 2005 as a program dedicated to youth (ages 13 - 22) living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. SMART Youth's goal is to create a supportive social environment where youth can feel safe and learn how to get started in taking care of themselves, to be active leaders in their community, and how to deal during this crucial time in their lives.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger279125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-37773728695315738352015-06-27T12:08:00.001-04:002015-06-27T12:11:42.196-04:00Culinary Skills for Dummies: Become a Ninja in the Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxiyJGggP43BEHuwLCTZjFb9wFJPOaOFUHmIteQyXKMl09v80T_dDDbUE_wcz7l7qTOCjAOWNxjdIxEDrKaYN2ECzolYsHF4gVIQ0osMYIQH_tMCn7Efb81KKxJza9WjCzqoJzQOTgdbx/s1600/new+cook+schedule.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxiyJGggP43BEHuwLCTZjFb9wFJPOaOFUHmIteQyXKMl09v80T_dDDbUE_wcz7l7qTOCjAOWNxjdIxEDrKaYN2ECzolYsHF4gVIQ0osMYIQH_tMCn7Efb81KKxJza9WjCzqoJzQOTgdbx/s640/new+cook+schedule.png" /></a></div>SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-28508956795886503602015-06-26T11:59:00.001-04:002015-06-26T11:59:04.033-04:00SMART Youth Turned 10 ! How did we celebrate? With a PROM-themed Party.
On behalf of SMART Youth, we would like to thank Walgreens, Midtown Comics, Baked by Melissa, and Whole Foods for their generous donations of Gift Baskets, Comic Books, Cupcakes, and Gift Cards.
Check Out Our Number 10 Photo Montage Below
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<br />SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-30717805383868032842015-05-21T13:06:00.000-04:002015-05-21T13:06:30.926-04:00Barbershop Talk<div style="text-align: center;">
SMART Youth would like to invite you to our <b>Annual Barbershop Talk</b>! </div>
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This event is for youth ages 13-24 who are male-identified (cis, trans*, gender fluid are all welcome).</div>
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Discussions will be around sex, gender, orientation, and what being a male means to you!</div>
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There will also be food and fun, along with a great opportunity to meet new people.</div>
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<b>Saturday, May 23rd, 2015</b></div>
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<b>1PM-4PM</b></div>
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<b>at 446 West 36th street (between 9th & 10th avenues)</b></div>
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<b>A, C, E, 1, 2, or 3 train to 34th Street - Penn Station</b></div>
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For more information, please contact Christina or Frances at (212) 289-3900 or email us at sync.nyc@gmail.com</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-45247202778099890352015-05-15T14:37:00.001-04:002015-05-15T14:37:29.331-04:00Beautiful Inside & Out: Feed Me! Nutrition & Cooking IVLast Friday was our last week of getting our chef skills on! The theme of our cooking class was vegan baking! We made vegan biscuits and a variety of fillings (like oven-fried chicken, roasted red peppers, and homemade nutella) to make an epic Biscuit Bar!<div>
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Here are some pics of us in action!</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-85665703845281303102015-05-08T14:55:00.001-04:002015-05-08T14:55:47.948-04:00Beautiful Inside & Out: Feed Me! Nutrition & Cooking IIIFor last week's cooking class, we decided to take a culinary vacation to the Caribbean!<div>
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The menu was Jerk Chicken, Coconut Rice & Peas, and Papaya & Avocado Salad, all of which were healthy ans SUPER delicious!</div>
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We learned about what is healthy about Caribbean cuisine, and also some great techniques to make our ethnic foods healthier such as swapping out animal lard for healthier oils and fats or adding more veggies into our rice & peas!</div>
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Check out the action from last week:</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-68736844586333617072015-05-01T16:12:00.000-04:002015-05-01T16:12:25.793-04:00Beautiful Inside & Out: Feed Me! Nutrition & Cooking IISMART Youth continued our cooking series, with last week's menu involving pizza...with a creative twist!<br />
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Instead of using regular ol' flour to create out pizza crust, we made the crust with <b>cauliflower</b>.<br />
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Yup, you read that correctly. Cauliflower!<br />
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This healthier (and gluten-free) alternative was just as delicious as regular pizza!<br />
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<br />SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-32881473831463928042015-04-24T15:39:00.001-04:002015-04-24T15:39:43.266-04:00Beautiful Inside & Out: Feed Me! Nutrition & Cooking I<div class="MsoNormal">
We began our yummy cooking series Beautiful Inside &
Out: Feed Me! Nutrition & Cooking! Our awesome SMART chef nutritionist,
Tawyna, is with us for the next five weeks to teaching us how to make
delicious, easy, AND healthy dishes!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week, we made a <i>Vegetarian
Taco Bar</i>! The menu included Roasted Poblanos and Potatoes tacos, Black Bean
and Roasted Corn tacos, fresh guacamole and pico de gallo, and lime/mint
infused water!<br />
<o:p></o:p> </div>
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Here are some pictures! Make sure you don’t drool on yourself!</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-58903695531681716522015-04-23T13:32:00.000-04:002015-04-23T13:32:49.281-04:00SMART Youth Cooking Classes!<b id="docs-internal-guid-bbb9f621-e73f-14cc-0c91-0c4553271b3a" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Love Ya Like A Sister"; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join us for our 5-week FUN cooking classes! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Love Ya Like A Sister"; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span> </div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Love Ya Like A Sister"; font-size: 27px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tawnya, our SMART Chef Nutritionist, will teach us how to make some awesome, yummy dishes! </span></div>
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<br />SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-27254235278575562262015-04-09T13:04:00.000-04:002015-04-09T14:55:31.651-04:00SMART Youth Answers: What is an Eating Disorder?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eating disorders (ED) are defined as mental conditions that
cause you to have an unhealthy relationship with food and your body image. A
common misconception about eating disorders is that it’s simply someone who
feels they are overweight and stops eating to lose weight. It is much more
complex than that. It can range from someone restricting their diet or only
eating a specific food, throwing up their food (called purging) or excessively
exercising to get rid of calories, or eating excessively. The psychological
reasons people develop eating disorders is also complex. Reasons can include
feeling like one has a sense of control over their lives, or using food as an
unhealthy coping method.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Types of ED<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The three most known types of eating disorders are:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">Anorexia Nervosa</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">:
This eating disorder is characterized “</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: inherit;">an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight
and a distorted perception of body weight.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">” Those with anorexia control
their caloric intake in a variety of ways, including restricting the amount of
food they eat, vomiting after they eat, misusing laxatives, or excessively
exercising. This control is equated with self-control, which is then equated
with self-worth.</span></li>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">Bulimia Nervosa</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">:
This eating disorder describes people who typically eat excessively large
amounts of food (binging), and then attempt to get rid of the extra calories by
either vomiting and laxatives (purging bulimia) or fasting and excessive
exercise (nonpurging bulimia). Although there are many similarities in
definition between anorexia and bulimia, people with anorexia most times are
severely underweight, while those with bulimia can appear average weight or
overweight.</span></li>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">Binge-Eating Disorder</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">:
This is when people eat excessively large amounts of food over a period of
time, without the attempt to get with of the extra calories through purging. These
binges can be accompanied with feelings of disgust, shame, guilt, or
depression. Although many people with binge-eating disorder may be
overweight/obese, some may be average weight.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Causes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On the surface, eating disorders may seem only about food
and weight, but it goes deeper than that. Eating disorders often stem from
using food to cope with feelings that a person may feel they cannot handle.
This can include low self-esteem, anger, loneliness, an underlying mental
health disorders, a history of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), troubled
personal relationships, stress, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many people also point to the media showing White/Western
ideas of beauty as the ideal beauty standard as a root for eating disorders. These
ideals include over-valuing thinness for women, muscularity for men, and the
idea that we must <i>always</i> work on
achieving the “perfect” body. These body values may differ based on race/ethnicity and sexual orientation as well. Our obsessions with dieting in the United States
and similar countries leads to a culture that values physical appearance above
any other quality. The emotions that come with not feeling good enough or being
ridiculed for not having a certain body type can lead to eating disorders as
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Risks<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Typically, we associate eating disorders with women in their
teens or early 20’s. Although young women are more likely to be diagnosed with
eating disorders, men are also affected and can have eating disorders, too.
Beauty standards tell women to be thin, while they often tell men to be muscular.
This means that eating disorders can look very different between men and women;
and because we are more aware of the warning signs for women, men are less
likely to be diagnosed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">People who are in occupations or hobbies that maintain a
high level of expectation to be a certain way, such as athletes, dancers,
models, etc. are also at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder. These activities often stress dieting and
exercise to maintain a certain physique, and this type of pressure could be overwhelming
for some.</span></div>
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In the US, 50% of Americans know at least one person who as an eating disorder. If you think that a friend is experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, there are ways to help. Provide encouragement and support. Offer to help your loved one find a qualified doctor or mental health provider and make an appointment. You might even offer to go along. There are also resources available if you think you may have an eating disorder.<br />
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<b>Resources</b></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/">http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disord</a><a href="http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/">ers/eating-disorders-statistics/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/09/if-you-think-you-have-an-ed/">http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/09/if-you-think-you-have-an-ed/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/problems/friend_eating_disorder.html">http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/problems/friend_eating_disorder.html</a></li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://recoverynowla.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/nobodyis-perfect1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://recoverynowla.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/nobodyis-perfect1.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-83995854001215243872015-04-02T13:50:00.001-04:002015-04-02T13:50:13.760-04:00[Growing Up, Going Up] Refund, Please! Taxes Tips and Answers
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the last week of our “Growing Up, Going Up” series, we
had a workshop about filing taxes. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “There are
only two certain things in life: death and taxes,” so it’s very important that
we learn about this. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/images/iStock_000003060162Medium_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/images/iStock_000003060162Medium_1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you may or may not know, taxes are the money you pay to your
local, state, and the federal government that is used to pay for things like
schools, hospitals, roads, and other public services. People who work and make
over a certain amount of money are mandated to pay taxes. The rules are over
~$6,200 if you’re being claimed by your parents, over ~$10,150 if you’re filing
independently, and over $400 if you were paid in cash. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many times, filing taxes feels scary because we don’t know
all of the rules when it comes to filing. These are some quick things to
remember:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anytime you work for pay, you should receive a W4 form from your employer, which is a form that let’s your employer know how much money you want to withhold from your paycheck for taxes.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you are ready to file taxes, you should receive either a W2, a 1099-MISC form (if you were paid in cash), a 1098-T form (if you are enrolled in an accredited institution), or any other government form from your employers in order to properly file taxes. These are official forms that show how much your earned (of paid in tuition) throughout the previous year. If you do not receive one, contact your employer or your school and they can resend it. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can get file your taxes for free! Check out <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/</span></a> to see if you qualify for free tax services. If you’re feeling confident, you can also file your federal taxes for free from services like TurboTax. They <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">will </b>charge you to file state taxes though</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">When filing, make sure you have your social security card, photo ID, all of your tax documents, all receipts that for expenses you will claim, and your bank information for direct deposit if you have a bank account. </span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Taxes are due by April 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>!</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://news.yale.edu/sites/default/files/Child-Medicaid_v01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://news.yale.edu/sites/default/files/Child-Medicaid_v01.jpg" height="232" width="400" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was a very informative workshop on such an important
aspect of adulthood. Thank you to our guest facilitator, Lauren Coy, for giving
us the 401 on taxes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-46808098132324300092015-03-25T13:07:00.003-04:002015-03-25T13:07:51.119-04:00I am Woman <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">In honor of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, please join us <strong>THIS FRIDAY </strong>for a discussion on sex, gender, orientation, and what being a girl means to you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong>Open to youth ages 13-24 who identify as female (cis, trans*, gender fluid are all welcome)</strong></span></div>
<strong><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" /></div>
</strong><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Date: Friday, March 27th</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Time: 6:00-8:30pm</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Location: MCCNY Charities</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">(446 West 36th Street- between 9th & 10th Avenues)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Transportation:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">A, C, E, 1, 2, or 3 train to 34th Street - Penn Station</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">There will be food, fun, and friends (both new and old)!</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/18.76px helvetica, arial, "lucida grande", sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /><br /><br />For more information, please contact Christina or Frances at (212) 289-3900 or email us at sync.nyc@gmail.com</span></div>
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/10606488_10153103176290498_8128078238449908376_n.jpg?oh=4aff0650624fc0de536fc3aba1bdddef&oe=557A2511&__gda__=1437929381_ee3c332527773f3085df21dbf3c97bf4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/10606488_10153103176290498_8128078238449908376_n.jpg?oh=4aff0650624fc0de536fc3aba1bdddef&oe=557A2511&__gda__=1437929381_ee3c332527773f3085df21dbf3c97bf4" width="494" /></a></div>
<br />SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-13589123445019901682015-03-19T12:47:00.000-04:002015-03-19T12:47:32.329-04:00[Growing Up, Going Up] Just Take Me! Applications, Resumes, and Interview Tips<div class="MsoNormal">
Continuing our “Growing Up, Going Up” series, we had the
chance to discuss a very important part of growing up: resumes and job
interviews. We've talked about the <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2014/07/smart-youth-learns-how-to-get-paid.html">basics
and techniques related to both resume building and interviewing</a> previously
in SMART Youth, but last Friday was a casual discussion about our personal
experiences with creating a resume and getting a job. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To quickly recap, resumes are extremely important because
they are often the first impression employers get of you. Employers can receive
hundreds of resumes and applications for just one position (and will only look
at your resume for up to fifteen seconds), so it’s crucial that your resume is
the best it can be! This way, you can make it to the next step, which is the
job interview.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://latebloomergrads.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/girl-with-help-need-a-job-sign1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://latebloomergrads.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/girl-with-help-need-a-job-sign1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Many people find the idea of a job interview daunting. This
is because we often feel unprepared for what could come. We touched on the
basics for interviewing, such as how to dress the part, but one great takeaway
is remembering to relax and be yourself. Another takeaway is remembering that
even though you are being interviewed for the job, you are also interviewing the
job! If you feel that the job position or the setting is not the right place
for you, you do not have to take the job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Although thinking about resumes and jobs may be scary, it
doesn't have to be. With good support (and the help of SMART Youth!), you can conquer
both the resume and the interview! <o:p></o:p></div>
SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-76720775884653560552015-03-12T15:35:00.001-04:002015-03-12T15:35:20.912-04:00[Growing Up, Going Up] Help Me, BuzzFeed! The Myers Briggs Personality Test & You!
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last week, we started our new workshop series called “Growing
Up, Going Up”, which is designed to prepare our young people for their journey
into responsible adulthood. In our first workshop, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Myers Briggs Personality Test & You, </i>we discussed our
personality types and how knowing them could help us when we think about
interacting with others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are many personality tests out there, but one of the
most common is the Myers Briggs personality test. This test is a questionnaire
based off of four theorized components of our personalities: </span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">E</b>xtraversion/<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I</b>ntroversion: These two indicate where you get your energy from. Extroverts draw energy from action and social interaction, while introverts draw energy from reflection and quiet alone time. </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">S</b>ensing/I<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">n</b>tuition (Sensing function): These two indicate how you perceive, gather, and interpret information. Those who are sensing prefer when information is based off of something concrete, detailed, or factual. Those who prefer intuition like when information is abstract and theoretical.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T</b>hinking/<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">F</b>eeling (Judging function): These two indicate how you make rational decisions. People who are thinking types decide things using reason, logic, rules, and past experiences. People who are feeling types make decisions based on empathy, balance, and consensus.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">J</b>udging/<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">P</b>erception: These two indicate how people express either their Sensing function or their Judging function. Someone who is categorized as Judging likes things to be settled and complete, while someone who is categorized as Perceptive likes to leave things open. </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All of these combinations create 16 distinct personality
types.</span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/CognitiveFunctions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/CognitiveFunctions.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although these are theoretical, knowing your personality
type can be helpful in learning about your preferred working style, the career
path that would suit your personality best, and how you work with others. These
personality types are also not set in stone, meaning that being classified as feeling
doesn’t mean you don’t have moments where you are not classified as thinking. Use
these as a guide to learning for about yourself. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-careers-for-every-personality-type-2015-1"><img alt="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-careers-for-every-personality-type-2015-1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YE7kPaOk7j7A6txJH6Ye6NmmH_699DHlf9KuPh1RiGQfaFzKtr3g6or0pFRn8qzGuzl36Zrb1wvIFe-R3OW6hFyyee8sNT49DSUo5PhJVERoeSZ8RX-yWT8rSUXN37ZyNperoDrzp2Vi/s1600/MBTI.png" height="640" width="593" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To learn more about the Myers Brigg test, and about each
personality, check out these links:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take the Myers Briggs Test: </span><a href="http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp</span></a></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each personality type defined: </span><a href="http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/the-16-mbti-types.htm"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/the-16-mbti-types.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> or <a href="http://www.16personalities.com/personality-types">http://www.16personalities.com/personality-types</a> </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Your personality type and your career choice: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-careers-for-every-personality-type-2015-1">http://www.businessinsider.com/best-careers-for-every-personality-type-2015-1</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-79073488336727420382015-03-06T16:33:00.002-05:002015-03-06T16:33:53.542-05:00Where Are We Now? NYC Sexual Health Education Overview<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week, a facilitator from the Adolescent AIDS Program at
Children’s Hospital at Montefiore visited SMART Youth to give a presentation on
sex education in NYC. Since 2011, New York City mandates that comprehensive sexual
health must be taught in public middle and high schools. This is a big win for
those of us who have been advocating for sexual health to be a requirement in
schools, especially in middle schools. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The only issue is that not all schools are following through
with this mandate. While some schools have started including sexual health in
school curricula, many have not. Even if they are providing comprehensive
sexual health, there is no standard practice as to who is teaching it and how
it’s being taught. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nationalhealthcorps.org/sites/default/files/u26/in-defense-of-comprehensive-sex-education-L-QDoaxm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nationalhealthcorps.org/sites/default/files/u26/in-defense-of-comprehensive-sex-education-L-QDoaxm.png" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
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C2P (Connect to Protect) Bronx conducted a survey asking
high school teens in the Bronx about their experiences with sexual health
education in schools. The results showed that not only were many teens
receiving sexual health education <i>after</i>
they started having sex, but that the type of information they were receiving
was not as comprehensive as we would hope. Most students were taught about
HIV/AIDS, condoms, and sexually transmitted illnesses, but only 56% of youth
surveyed were taught about teen dating violence, 37% were taught about
communication, and 26% were taught about supporting LGBTQ youth. Our young
people need more information in order to make healthy decisions about their
bodies. Knowledge is power!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We were told of ways to get the NYC government to hold
Department of Education accountable for this mandate. Using the hashtags
#EnforceTheMandate and #RealSexEd4NYC while tagging your local city councilperson
and Mayor Bill DeBlasio is one easy way to show that you’re concerned with the
ways sex is taught (and not taught) in NYC schools. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://sexedcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/diversity-zone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sexedcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/diversity-zone.png" height="111" width="400" /></a></div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-36094201599794022502015-03-04T16:50:00.003-05:002015-03-04T16:56:28.045-05:00SMART Youth March & April Calendar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5utjkRfwNJSMK458yudD5Rtf58bXTBtfSvrOzP5ZfmJ0hL0cCAAvaT9YPhzytBHghUzH_QqfE4ty146PLz3aQMbIbkrPo1ekGravRXcUD851wUUkWYgLT7U0DzOFlZli3kf6GOH2Tuht/s1600/SMART+Youth+Calendar+Mar+Apr.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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Join us this March and April for our upcoming workshops! March will focus on our journey into responsible adulthood, and April will focus on healthy eating and nutrition! </div>
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<strong>We are also having our annual Women & Girls' Day Event, "I am WOMAN" at the end of March!</strong></div>
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We hope to see you all!</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-70138104585134760012015-03-04T16:43:00.000-05:002015-03-04T16:43:15.838-05:00Thank you to everyone who came out to Something for Everybody!<div align="center">
Our Valentine's Day Event "<span style="color: #cc0000;">Something for Everybody</span>" was a success! We were able to tie in what we learned throughout the weeks from our Taboo Talks workshops by playing games such as <em>Taboo </em>Taboo, Truth or Dare, and Speed Dating using a <a href="http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advice/yes_no_maybe_so_a_sexual_inventory_stocklist">Sexual Inventory Stocklist</a>!</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-86944094804147708462015-02-19T13:38:00.000-05:002015-02-19T14:43:36.123-05:00[Taboo Talk V] Sex-R: Despicable Me – BDSM and Other Fetishes<span style="font-family: inherit;">
We held our final Taboo Talk workshop, titled <em>Despicable Me</em>,
about the world of BDSM and other fetishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ve posted about <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2014/08/smart-youth-answers-fetishes-who-knew.html">fetishes here on our blog</a> before and
explained what fetishes are and if it is healthy to have one or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Just to recap, the definition of a fetish “<span style="background: white;"><a href="http://kinseyconfidential.org/sexual-fetish-blog-post/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5537a7;">specifically refers to a strong sexual preoccupation with an object, material, or body part</span></a>.” </span>This object, material, or body part – the specific thing that is fetishized – often needs to be present, incorporated, or at least thought of in order for the person to reach sexual satisfaction. A fetish is a type of paraphilia, which generally “<span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.thefrisky.com/2013-01-18/fetishes-101-all-the-basics-about-having-a-sexual-fetish-or-paraphilia/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #5537a7;">means compulsively responding in a sexual way to an unusual or socially acceptable stimulus</span></a>."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For this workshop, we focused specifically on <strong>BDSM</strong>. BDSM
stands for a combination of acts and philosophies: Bondage and Discipline, Dominance
and Submission, and Sadism and Masochism. </span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/BDSM_acronym.svg/800px-BDSM_acronym.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/BDSM_acronym.svg/800px-BDSM_acronym.svg.png" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">BDSM involves role-playing with the behaviors of
dominance/submission and by receiving or inflicting pain, humiliation, restraint,
and other un-equal power dynamics. This role-playing can be situational (called
a session), or can be long term (sometimes playing a specific role 24/7). There
are many roles a person can play, including a dominant/top/master/dominatrix (this
person does the controlling) and a submissive/bottom/slave/brat (this person is
the one being controlled).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The key to BDSM is that all parties must consent to all
activities and rules decided by each person, so much so that the motto of the
BDSM community is “Safe, Sane, and Consensual.” This means that activities must
not cause unwanted or permanent harm, participants must be aware and sane to
consent, and that all participants must consent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although many sexual acts (such as penetration) are included
in BDSM play, not all play has to include them. Many activities like spanking, whipping,
bondage, verbal degrading, etc don’t involve sexual activity.</span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/BDSM_collar_back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/BDSM_collar_back.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had some safety tips mentioned in our blog post about
fetishes, but we’ll list them here again:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Do research on your specific fetish/paraphilia. What are the community’s philosophies? Do they provide support or resources on how to begin and how to be safe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be mindful of which communities (physical or virtual) you’re connecting with. If you feel like you’re in danger, that you cannot trust the people you’re with, or that they’re involved in illegal activities, you do not have to be a part of that group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Establish rules of consent and safety with your sexual partners. An example of this is using safewords. Safewords are specific words or phrases that are mutually agreed upon and used to let others know that we want to stop sexual activity. This is most commonly used in BDSM, where words like ‘stop’ or ‘no’ are not taken at face-value and are considered part of role-playing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be safe if you’re meeting someone from the internet. You can find great tips <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2014/06/smart-youth-answers-from-stranger.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What’s most important is that it be <strong>your</strong> choice to participate in
BDSM activities if you want to, and that you are practicing them safely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Resources</strong>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information about understanding fetishes/paraphilia: </span><a href="http://kinseyconfidential.org/sexual-fetish-blog-post/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: inherit;">http://kinseyconfidential.org/sexual-fetish-blog-post/</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Resources and directories for many fetshes/paraphilia: </span><a href="http://www.ticklepedia.co.uk/Ticklepedia/Other_Fetish_Sites.html"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: inherit;">http://www.ticklepedia.co.uk/Ticklepedia/Other_Fetish_Sites.html</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A resource to help distinguish BDSM from abuse: </span><a href="http://www.kinkabuse.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: inherit;">http://www.kinkabuse.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></li>
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</span>SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-16817375152732894882015-02-06T16:00:00.000-05:002015-02-06T16:00:03.484-05:00Valentine's Day Event - Something for Everybody!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">SMART Youth will be hosting our annual Valentine's Day event this year. It is titled "Something for Everybody," and it is the finale to our Taboo Talks: Sex-R weekly workshops. </span></div>
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">There will be food, fun, and prizes! </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">We hope you can join us! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Please RSVP at <a href="mailto:sync.nyc@gmail.com">sync.nyc@gmail.com</a> by February 9th if possible. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Event Details:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Date: Friday, February 13th</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Time: 6-8:30PM</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Location: MCCNY Charities (446 West 36th street b/t 9th & 10th avenues)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">See you there! Be ready to <i>mingle</i>!</span></div>
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<br />SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-4644549925548694842015-02-06T14:21:00.000-05:002015-02-06T14:21:34.217-05:00[Taboo Talk IV] Sex-R: Inside Out – Pornography<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week was our fourth workshop of our Taboo Talk series. <b>Pornography</b> was the topic of the week,
and our Sex-R movie reference was the soon-to-be-released movie <i>Inside Out. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Pornography is a complex topic that many people have
different feelings about. In a previous blog post, we stated some of the <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2014/12/porn-good-bad-and-ugly.html">good, bad, and ugly</a> sides that porn can represent. During our meeting, we were able to
hear these differing opinions about pornography directly from our youth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We talked about the pros and cons of porn. Some pros
included learning about what you like or don’t like sexually, using it as
foreplay for masturbation or partner sex; while some cons included getting
unrealistic expectations about what sex is or what our genitalia should look
like. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The decision to watch pornography is a personal one. What’s
important about these pros and cons is that it allows you to form your own
opinions and make your own decisions about viewing pornography. <o:p></o:p></div>
SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-75324030906713361372015-01-30T14:06:00.002-05:002015-01-30T14:06:30.625-05:00[Taboo Talk III] Sex-R: Toy Story – Sex Toys<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week was our third workshop of our Taboo Talk series.
The topic of discussion was <b>Sex Toys</b>, so our Sex-R theme was <i>Toy Story</i>, naturally!</div>
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We've recently <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2014/07/smart-youth-answers-whats-all-buzz.html">blogged about sex toys </a>in the past, giving
the 411 on what they are, their history, and how they can be used. Sex toys can
be a great way to explore your own sexuality (re: <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2015/01/taboo-talk-ii-sex-r-finding-nemo.html">masturbation</a>), and can also
be incorporated in many ways for sex with other people (foreplay, mutual masturbation, intercourse, etc)!</div>
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There’s no one way to use a sex toy. As long as the toy is
being used safely and hygienically, sex toys can be used anywhere on the body
that feels pleasurable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/michael_stich_stiftung_aids_awareness_sex_toys"><img border="0" src="http://adsoftheworld.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_retina/public/images/SexToys.jpg?itok=Fg3IaJKj" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-12555498182274963872015-01-29T16:38:00.002-05:002015-01-29T16:50:52.541-05:00[Taboo Talk II] Sex-R: Finding Nemo – Masturbation<div class="MsoNormal">
Two weeks ago, we had our second workshop for Taboo Talk
series! This workshop was dedicated to the safest sex of them all:
<b>Masturbation</b>, which is why our Sex-R theme was <i>Finding Nemo</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just so we're all on the same page, masturbation is the act of <i>touching your own genitals for pleasure</i>. We've talked and blogged in the past about <a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2012/11/smart-youth-answers-i-touch-myself.html">how masturbation and self-exploration are common and healthy behaviors that help us learn about ourselves as sexual beings</a>; yet we often find it awkward to talk about it…and
when we do, it’s either in a joking way or in a shameful way. It’s hardly ever
spoken about positively. We at SMART Youth want to change that!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our guest facilitator, Melisa, led a discussion on how there
are differences in the way masturbation is perceived based on many factors. Our
participants told examples of how, depending on your gender and age,
masturbation can be seen differently. When men are younger, masturbation is
seen as something that <b>every</b> man
does and cannot control. When women are younger, masturbation is seen as
something that women just <b>don’t</b> do.
As we get older, the societal perception changes and masturbation is seen as
something that is done only when someone doesn’t have a sexual partner. We know
that these are stereotypes and are <b>NOT</b>
true! Not every man masturbates, and a lot of women do masturbate.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/kr2QiIRJzBY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kr2QiIRJzBY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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We also know that masturbation does not depend on having a
sexual partner. Both people who are single or in relationships masturbate, and
they’re equally okay! Plus, masturbation and mutual masturbation (when partners
pleasure themselves in front of their partner or touch/rub their partners’
genitals for pleasure) can be part of foreplay and sex. If there is no transfer
of fluids (or you’re following other precautions like using a barrier or
washing hands), there is a suuuuper low risk for pregnancy or STI’s…making it
the safest sex of them all!</div>
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You don’t only have to use your hands either. One can
masturbate or do mutual masturbation with the aid of sex toys as well! We have
an entire blog post and presentation dedicated to<a href="http://smartyouthnyc.blogspot.com/2014/07/smart-youth-answers-whats-all-buzz.html"> what sex toys are and how to use them</a>.</div>
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One way we can reduce shame and start becoming more
comfortable with talking about masturbation is to use better words to describe
the act. Many of the phrases we use to describe masturbation include <i>jerking off, diddle the skittle, </i>or <i>choke the monkey, </i>which are either funny
or sometimes violent. If instead we used more neutral and even more positive
phrases like <i>pleasuring yourself,
fingering, </i>or as one youth offered, <i>happy
time</i>, it may make talking about masturbation a more positive and open
topic!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyH3jhMNsf7Kt3mgC9cWknW78T_7Z7p0h8bAPOpr_8ctw-CnolwHl1bqMTBs1xMIPa3Si0rLMImusJeIyIS22m5hNIaXUzOaKTEn9EypGGeNBQYPrDh24gN2McooWJPeUF8fBk8zSDOBR/s1600/masturbation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyH3jhMNsf7Kt3mgC9cWknW78T_7Z7p0h8bAPOpr_8ctw-CnolwHl1bqMTBs1xMIPa3Si0rLMImusJeIyIS22m5hNIaXUzOaKTEn9EypGGeNBQYPrDh24gN2McooWJPeUF8fBk8zSDOBR/s1600/masturbation.png" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thank you to Melisa for taking the time out to facilitate such a fun and important meeting!</div>
SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-91995739952462029562015-01-16T15:21:00.000-05:002015-01-16T15:21:45.388-05:00[Taboo Talk I] Sex-R: The Incredibles – Polyamory and Asexuality<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week officially started our new series of workshops
called <b>Taboo Talk</b>, where we discuss sexual topics that you normally wouldn't
discuss in your traditional sex ed class. The theme of the series is Disney’s
Pixar, therefore each workshop is named after a Pixar movie.</div>
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We often think of relationships as sexual partnerships that
involve only two people…but what happens when a relationship doesn't look like
that? Our movie theme for last Friday was The Incredibles and the topic was
polyamory and asexuality; two things that many people have heard of, but often
do not understand because of the misconceptions and myths about them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Polyamory</b>
literally means “many loves” in Greek. In modern practice, polyamory is the
idea of having multiple intimate relationships with different people at the
same time. It’s also known as “<span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">consensual, ethical, and responsible<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">non-monogamy</span>.”
In a polyamorous relationship, the knowledge and consent of everyone involved
is mandatory, meaning all people in these types of relationships know that they’re
in one and are okay with it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Polyamory can take many forms, ranging from a person having
multiple <b>separate </b>relationships to a
group of people having relationships with <b>each
other. </b>Polyamory <b>not</b> the same as
polygamy; polygamy usually involves one man with multiple wives, but not the
other way around. Having another relationship with someone else without your
partner knowing is also <b>not</b>
polyamory. Like mentioned before, all people involved must know and be in
agreement with one another.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the flip side, <b>asexuality</b>
is a sexual identity where someone does not feel sexual attraction to or desire
for anyone. Often, people who are asexual prefer romantic non-sexual
relationships, but some also may not. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just because a person identifies as asexual does not necessarily
mean that asexual people do not have sex; people who identify as asexual may
have sex for other reasons such as pleasing their partner or to have children.
Asexual people can also identify with having romantic or emotional attractions
to people similar to how a sexual person may identify as heterosexual,
homosexual, bisexual, etc; they just won’t feel a sexual attraction towards
them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a lot of misconceptions associated with both
polyamory and asexuality for many reasons, ranging from media misrepresentation
(or lack of representation) to just having never met someone who expressed that they
are polyamorous or asexual. The best thing you can do is to do your research
and talk to folk who identify as polyamorous or asexual!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Resources:</div>
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<ul>
<li>To learn more about Polyamory, visit More Than Two at: https://www.morethantwo.com/polyamory.html</li>
<li>To learn more about Asexuality, visit Asexual Visibility and
Education Network (AVEN) at: http://www.asexuality.org/home/</li>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-79973260283363809602015-01-06T10:29:00.001-05:002015-01-06T10:29:37.734-05:00SMART Youth January & February Calendar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>Happy New Year!!</strong></div>
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To celebrate, SMART Youth has some fantastic workshops and events coming up for January and February. Join us for our <em>Taboo Talk </em>series, where you'll learn about the stuff you don't learn in school sex ed like fetishes, sex toys, and more! This all leads up to our annual Valentine's Day event! Right after that, we will also have our annual National Women and Girls HIV Awareness Day event. We hope to see you all there!</div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529729338181524697.post-90540531072277688292014-12-19T14:43:00.001-05:002014-12-19T15:55:09.577-05:00The World beyond SMART Youth<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the years, we've seen our youth grow up within SMART
Youth. Whether it was about safer sex or tips on how to write a resume, our
youth have learned so many skills through our workshops and meetings. It’s
important to have knowledge and skills, but what’s more important is what we do
with it.</div>
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So we asked the question: <i><b>Which ways have you used what
you've learned in SMART Youth outside of
SMART Youth? </b></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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There were many different answers. Some spoke about how
being involved in SMART Youth has allowed them to be a source of information or
resources for their friends and peers. One person even spoke of how she hosts
sex education events on her college campus. Another participant said that
talking about current event issues in sex and sexuality made him more aware of
situations that are happening, and that SMART Youth provided a safe space to
discuss these issues. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Others spoke about how the skills they've learned through
meetings and workshops have helped them become better communicators. This is an
important skill that is not only used for maintaining personal relationships,
but for other parts of life like having a job. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re excited to know that our youth are not only benefiting
from our workshops, but that they are also spreading what they've learned from
SMART Youth!<o:p></o:p></div>
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SMART Youthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16719207048725340680noreply@blogger.com0