IN THIS ISSUE

Mission Moment

Transgender Awareness Week

Annie Award Nominations

Open Enrollment

Education

Black Organizing Program

PPAM

New Hire Spotlight

Recognition Corner

PP Bravo Raffle

Team News

Observances Calendar

Self-Care Resources

Resource Shelf

Mission Moment

We came in one day last week to flowers and a card at our doorstep that were left by a patient. After utilizing safety protocols to assess packages left outside, we opened the note and read a message from a patient that we saw two years ago to the day that she dropped it off. The note thanked us for being there for her when she needed us most. It made everyone really happy here, and we all sort of talked about how it might just be another visit to us, but how sometimes, those visits impact the patients so much that they think of us two years later. It was a nice way to start our week!

— Kelly Teresko, MAI, Traverse City

Transgender Awareness Week

This November, and every day of the year, PPMI stands in solidarity with transgender communities as we lift up Transgender Awareness Week, November 13–19. This week of advocacy, education, and story sharing reinforces our mission of empowering everyone to make their own decisions about their body, life, and future. That’s why PPMI is committed to cultivating an environment where no one faces discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or expression. Take this week as we lead up to November 20, Transgender Day of Remembrance — a day to honor those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence — to make space for trans folks to feel seen, safe, and supported every day of the year.

Annie Award Nominations: Deadline Nov 8

Have a great teammate? Nominate them for the Annie Award! This is an incredible way to recognize our colleagues who live out our values through their work and make a lasting, positive impression on the organization and those around them.

The Annie Award, which includes $500 cash, was initiated in 1992 to honor the spirit of a wonderful friend to Planned Parenthood of Michigan, Ann V. Parfet, in recognition of Ann’s commitment and enthusiasm in support of Planned Parenthood.

So who stands out for you? You can nominate any PPMI employee by clicking the link below and completing the nomination form. In fact, you can nominate more than one person if you feel there are multiple colleagues who are deserving! Nominations will be accepted through November 8, 2021.

Annie Award Nomination Form survey link (use Chrome as your browser).

Shout out to our previous Annie Award Winners: Jordan Miller, Jenny Furry, Ann Fraley, Staci Rickman, Sarah Pinch, and Cherie Seitz.

Open Enrollment — Important Dates

Open enrollment begins November 8 and ends November 19.

Benefit calls will be held:

• Tuesday, November 9 at 8:30 a.m.
• Thursday, November 11 at 3:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 16 at 3:00 p.m.

Zoom invites to follow.

Be prepared:

• Make sure you have your Paycor login and password
• Benefit summaries are available on Paycor > My documents > Manage Documents

Evaluate:

• Do you need more Short Term Disability than the company-paid benefit of $100 per week?

Changes: Now is the time to make changes to your elections. If you do nothing, your benefit selections from 2021 will carry over to 2022 with the exception of FSA and Dependent Care funds. Anyone participating in the FSA and Dependent Care plans will need to go to Paycor and elect the amount they want to contribute to their FSA and Dependent Care accounts for 2022 during open enrollment.

If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at HR@ppmi.org or ext. 1830.

Education

New Youth Mental Health Workbook

by Natalie Elliott
Design by Bailey Krestakos

Over the past year, PPMI’s Mid-South region Youth Advisory Council (YAC) has focused on youth mental health and coping during COVID-19 as a community project. A YAC is a group of youth who meet at least quarterly to help inform our education programs. In 2020, our mid-south region YAC conducted an online survey to gauge how the youth in our community were dealing with this transitional year! We received rich and insightful responses from the youth that they were missing their daily routines and dealing with loss in their families. The members of Youth Advisory Council decided to create a self-care tool to use in times of distress. With months of research, mental health first aid training, and help from our PPMI educators, we are excited to roll out the workbook.

Check it out at H:\PUBLIC\Staff Newsletters\FY22 CV Newsletters\What Are You Planting print2.

The 40+ page interactive and comprehensive mental health workbook is filled with journal prompts, self-care quizzes, coloring pages, and tips on how to keep nourishing your mental health. We want to give a BIG thank you to all the educators and youth involved with this amazing project! We hope that this can be a great resource to the community!

Now Recruiting Peer Educators

The PPMI Education Department is now recruiting youth participants for four of our Peer Education Programs! To be eligible to be a peer educator, youth must be in 9th to 12th grades in the 2021–2022 school year and must live in and/or attend school in Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, or Wayne/Oakland/Macomb counties. Recruitment for our Washtenaw County Peer Education program is closed for the 2022 school year. If you know of any high school teens who would be interested in learning more about participating in one of our peer education programs, please share the link to the application: bit.ly/ppmipeered. If you have questions about the Peer Education program, please reach out to our Education Department at education@ppmi.org.

Black Organizing Program

Earlier this year, Black Organizing Program Manager Cassy Jones-McBryde was added as a guest lecturer to the syllabus for the Access to Justice class at the University of Detroit Mercy Law School. The focus of the course was to explore deficiencies in the criminal and civil justice system. They also spend a considerable amount of time discussing racial injustice and how the justice gap leaves behind low-income people.

On October 19, Cassy presented “On the Basis of Sex: Access to justice in special populations.” In the lecture, Cassy discussed the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and how that legacy impacts marginalized communities. She also discussed how overt and covert white supremacy culture plays a role in policy and how we can center racial justice in policy and practice. Cassy invited Trans Activist Jeynce Poindexter to speak about the fight for equity in Trans communities.

On October 21, Cassy was the table captain for the (SIECUS): Sex Ed for Social Change Virtual Lobby Day on Capitol Hill. Cassy led the session alongside Advocacy Director Shakti Rambarran of Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH). With congressional staff of Debbie Stabenow, Gary Peters, Debbie Dingell, Elissa Slotkin, and Brenda Lawrence, they lifted the importance of the Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act (REYHA) that centers holistic sex education. PPFA is a sponsoring organization.

Above: MOASH Advocacy Director Shakti Rambarran and PPMI/PPAM Black Organizing Program Manager Cassy Jones-McBryde.

On October 28, Cassy led a session entitled “Centering Blackness: Reproductive Health Stories” during the statewide Legislative, Education, and Advocacy Day (LEAD) conference presented by the National Association of Social Workers–MI. This session was a continuation of the discussion earlier this year of the same name with NASW–MI featuring Laura De Palma of NARAL, Shanay Watson-Whitaker of Michigan Voices, and Dr. Princess Currence of Currence Solutions. Participants learned about the structural and systemic racism that impacts the health of Black women, the state of health affairs for Black Women, how social work is reckoning with past racist practices, and the lived experiences of Black women and allies in the reproductive health care landscape.

PPAM Civic Engagement Program

In September of 2021, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan hired a full time Civic Engagement Coordinator, Dipita Das, to support and expand our civic engagement work with democracy coalitions across the state.

In the first 30 days of our new program, the civic engagement team has been busy meeting with stakeholders and c3 table partners, mobilizing our PPAM supporters, board members, and staff to provide public testimony at redistricting hearings and training to be on the ground for our first election protection shifts on election day.

Here’s what we accomplished together in our first 30 days since onboarding:

• Developed Health Center Advocacy Program (HCAP) palm cards with voting information and PPAM voter information landing page so our patients can be reminded to vote when they access care at our health centers.
• Registered more than 100 new voters on National Voter Registration Day in partnership WSU student groups.
• Sent out our first action alert email and volunteer ask and received nearly 50 sign ups expressing interest in our civic engagement program. (Check out our current program engagement opportunities here!)
• Recruited for and attended Michigan Voice’s election protection training.
• Recruited for nonpartisan poll challengers with Promote the Vote.
• Hosted our first Instagram Live around redistricting.
• Recruited 10+ PPAM staff, board members, and volunteers to give public testimony at redistricting hearings and meetings.

As the PPAM team heads into our strategic planning sessions for 2022, we are excited to build on all of the exciting democracy work happening in Michigan! We have a lot of ideas around how to integrate our work across the state with our PPAM organizers, educate our supporters around their new district lines, and organize with young people around the power of their vote. We look forward to sharing our goals for 2022!

Have questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out to Dipita at Dipita.Das@ppmi.org

New Hire Spotlight

Dipita Das (Dee-Pee-Tha), (she/her)
Civic Engagement Coordinator, PPAM

What led you to Planned Parenthood?

Coming from a women's studies background, I have always been passionate about reproductive justice and freedom. So when I learned about Planned Parenthood my first year in college, I admired the mission and work they were doing. Seeing the services offered, I wanted to be part of this network to also share the amazing services offered to other communities who are often looked over in health spaces.

What energizes you at work?

My favorite part is having the opportunity to plan and host my own events with the local community. Being able to be hands-on with local organizations and doing the same work towards the same goal energizes me!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I have ever received was to take care of yourself! Burnout is real, especially during the winter season with reduced sunlight. So, it is important to take care of yourself whether its taking a break from work or being physically active.

What is your most treasured possession or memory?

My most treasured memory is getting my baby kitten last year! My friend saved two kittens, less than 1 month old, and let me adopt them! Since then, my kitten has been one of my favorite and cutest emotional support systems! His name is Chandra, which means moon! Everytime he has his ‘zoomies’ it's literally a comedy show. He will jump off the walls or try to nonstop meow at you for attention — quarantine pets struggles.

What is something – big or small – that you’re comically bad at?

I cannot sing at all, but I will act like I do! I will be super off beat or say the wrong lyrics, but still keep going.

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

I want to be on expert at sewing/tailoring! I always struggle to find clothes that fit me because I am petite, so being able to know how to sew and design clothes would make my life so much easier!

What fictional family would you want to be part of?

I want to be part of the Haley-James Scott family from One Tree Hill! I love that show so much, its my comfort show every time I feel down or need background sound!

What TV show/movie do you never get sick of watching?

One Tree Hill or Bachelor(ette) series!

Kanyn Doan (she/her)
Community Outreach Educator, Petoskey

Hello PPMI! My name is Kanyn Doan (she/her), and I am the new Community Outreach Educator for Petoskey! I was led to Planned Parenthood magically after embarking on the journey to be a sex educator at the beginning of 2020. After obtaining a graduate certificate in human sexuality as well as beginning the steps in becoming a certified sex educator through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), I stumbled upon the job posting for the community educator position, and the rest is history!

I am energized by a collaborative and connective community and have found that at Planned Parenthood already. In my free time, I like to forage for wild herbs in the woods of Michigan, try new recipes, and buy new house plants! The most important roles I hold in my life are: partner, pet-parent, sister, daughter + SEX EDUCATOR!

I am most proud of making the decision to become a sex educator and dedicating my life to this work. I am really good at building connective spaces for people to develop relationship to themselves and others.

I will never get sick of watching every season of Shameless, and a book I recommend to everyone I know is Gentrification of the Mind by Sarah Schulman.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Planned Parenthood of Michigan community, and look forward to connecting with you in the near future.

Kayla Hatcher (she/her)
MAI, Livonia

What led you to Planned Parenthood?

I have a BA in women’s studies, and my ultimate goal is to be a women’s health care provider (as a physician’s assistant). My values align with Planned Parenthood’s perfectly, and here I will have the opportunity to get the hours that I need for PA school while also working in the field that I am passionate about.

What aspect(s) of our organization and/or our work do you wish you knew more about?

Money. How can an organization provide health care, a lot of times free health care, to people and still afford to pay its employees a decent wage? Idk, fascinating.

Tell us about the most special people in your life (pets totally count!)

My mom, my nana, and my little sister are very special to me. Seeing how our relationship changes now that I am out of the house and am no longer a “child” is a beautiful and interesting process, and I love them a lot. I live in Farmington Hills with my partner and our two cats, Cleetus and Jerome. I love them so much.

What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend/in your free time?

I am usually just watching TV or YouTube with my partner. YouTube is a wild, entertaining place.

What is something – big or small – that you’re comically bad at?

Sports or anything that involves hand-eye coordination.

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

Following through on things/not procrastinating everything. That would be nice.

What book are you most likely to recommend to others?

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD. Also, Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. A true gem. So profound.

What is your favorite food to make for yourself or others?

Oatmeal and bacon. Bussit: One packet of instant brown sugar and maple oatmeal. Make it a little watery, not soupy though. Add ½ to one full tablespoon of brown sugar to make it sweeter (major key). Then crumble freshly cooked, crispy bacon on top. *chef’s kiss* I love a sweet and a meat combo. That sweetness of the oatmeal and the saltiness of the bacon is undefeated.

Amanda Marble (she/they)
MAII, Detroit

What led you to PPMI?

As I was looking for a job, I was very hesitant to start working back in a public setting due to the continual growth and high number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections, but when I saw that PPMI was hiring, I instantly applied. It was the only non-remote job I applied for, and it was obviously meant to be. There are, of course, the obvious reasons we all love and are led to work and support Planned Parenthood, yet, my reasons are quite unique and personal. I look forward to finding impactful ways to share my story and support our patients. I am thrilled to be part of the Planned Parenthood Detroit team.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am an eclectic, unique person who wildly embraces my “weirdness” with bliss and excitement. In my free time, depending on my mood, you could find me painting, creating herbal products, playing my piano, singing and songwriting, photography/photo editing, working on my novel, making TikToks, playing in my wooded park, crocheting, or cuddling with my cats while watching my favorite Turkish drama.

If you could sap your fingers and become and expert at something, what would it be?

Teleportation – it isn’t a science that we’ve discovered or figured out yet, but the benefits are endless.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“Never make the same mistake twice.” — Dr. Victor Faris, MD. No explanation needed.

What is something you’re proud of?

Something I am proud of recently is that I published a book of abstract poetry; “Wild Explosions of the Star.” The pieces included a range over the course of approximately 15 years. I also designed the artwork for the book using my previous skills as a graphic artist and photographer. The book highlights my growth as a writer but also resonates the emotional growth I’ve experienced throughout my life in several aspects. I am currently working on an autobiographical novel in fiction form as well.

What was your favorite band 10 years ago?

Music is such an intrinsic aspect of my life, and I connect so intensely with different songs for a plethora of reasons, and it’s hard to choose a “favorite.” I will admit that following the life and music career of Alanis Morissette has been a favorite part of my life’s journey thus far — from her angsty Jagged Little Pill in the early 90s, to one of her most recent singles, Rest (written in memory and honor of the life of Chester Beddington of Linkin Park). Through every album, she has meticulously chronicled her emotional and spiritual journey and growth. The imagery and context is cinematic, bold, raw, and inspirational. There were moments when her music was my only safety and security. It has been an amazing experience “growing up” with her blaring in my head.

What book are you most likely to recommend to others?

The best book recommendation I could ever give is WITCH by Lisa Lister. The title is misleading, to an extent. I feel that every person who is female affirming should read this book as it is the best book I have read on female empowerment. It goes deep emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically. You will feel courageous and bold when you are finished. I have personally read it twice and listen to the audio version on a regular basis.

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to everyone! I really appreciate being a part of this amazing team!

Kayleigh Stabler (she/they)
MAI, Livonia

What led you to Planned Parenthood?

I have always supported and loved what Planned Parenthood does for the community. I have also worked as an abortion care provider and wanted to continue my career path in sexual health so this seemed like a logical move.

What energizes you at work?

Helping my community!

Tell us about the most special people in your life (pets totally count!)

Our family is Team Awesome. I have an amazing partner Ian, a super cool 12-year-old son Jude, a 5-year-old kitten named Shimmer Sheena Awesome who was rescued from under a stripclub dumpster, an old lady cat named Chleo, a doxiepoo named Hot Dog Princess, and a ball python named Monty.

What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend/in your free time?

Making art or going on random adventures. I’m super into wood burning right now.

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

Psychology; the human mind is just so fascinating!

What is something you are proud of?

My son. He’s turning out to be an amazing person already.

What book are you most likely to recommend to others?

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk.

What is your favorite food to make for yourself or others?

Soups!

Recognition Corner

Stacy LaFramboise (she/her)
New Position: Telehealth Manager
Previous Position: Telehealth Care Assistant
Work Location: Remote
Time at PPMI: 8 years

Tell us about what will you be doing in your new role. What might other PPMI employees come to you for?

I will be managing and supporting our telehealth department, including Real Time Care and PP Direct. PPMI employees can reach out to me for anything related to telehealth, from wanting to know if a patient would be a candidate for Real Time Care to helping a patient set up their Mychart account to access their appointment!

What about your new position excites you most/do you find most interesting?

Telehealth gives access to patients who normally couldn’t come into one of our clinics for care. I am grateful we are able to provide services for patients who live far away from our health centers, work the same hours as our health centers, or just can’t find a babysitter.

How does your new position fit into your overall career goals? –or- What have you done in your career so far that led you to this point?

It has always been my goal to continue to grow and advance within PP, so becoming a manager fits right in with my career goals.

Tell us about the most special people in your life (pets totally count!)

My family are the most special people in my life. And my husband and I are expecting our first child next month. We are hoping our current babies (fur-babies) will be just as excited for our new addition as we are!

What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend or with your free time?

On most weekends you can find me spending time with my family, taking my dog for long walks, and currently NESTING!

Jeni Nunn (she/her/hers)
New Position: Senior Health Center Manager, Ann Arbor West
Previous Position: Assistant Manager, Ann Arbor East
Time at PPMI: 2 years

Tell us about what you will be doing in your new role. What might other PPMI employees come to you for?

I will be overseeing the Ann Arbor West health center and supporting the wonderful staff there. I am excited to learn new things in the organization and continue to support others in their goals to grow within the organization as well.

What about your new position excites you most/do you find most interesting?

Building stronger relationships with my team and getting to know them on a more personal level are some of the things that I love about being in this position. Although I knew each of them prior to me coming to AAW, I now have the opportunity to work directly with them and support them while building on their strengths. I am also SO excited for PPMI to begin offering gender affirming care!

How does your new position fit into your overall career goals?

When I moved to Michigan two years ago, I decided that I wanted to start at a job that I could see myself staying at until I retire. I feel that I have found it. I have worked in some type of a health care setting for most of my adult life and have always had a soft spot for Planned Parenthood. Before working for PPMI, I knew of many individuals who would not have been able to receive the care they needed if it weren’t for Planned Parenthood. I feel privileged to work for such an amazing organization that cares so much for all people but especially the ones that are sometimes left behind.

Tell us about the most special people in your life (pets totally count!)

The most special people in my life are my family. I try to see my family that live out of state as often as I can, but Facetime, phone calls, and texting help to keep the connection with them when we can’t be in person.

What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend or with your free time?

I spend most of my free time with my husband and close friends. We love to gather together and share a meal or just have some drinks and talk. Also, video games!

Jen Kirkpatrick Johnson (she/her)
Regional Manager of Special Events, Traverse City
Time at PPMI: 23 years

Congratulations to our own Jen Kirkpatrick Johnson for being featured among "Influential Women of Northern Michigan" by the Traverse City Record Eagle!

You can check out the article here.

PP Bravo Raffle

In an effort to encourage employee engagement and recognition through PP Bravo (Planned Parenthood’s online recognition and shout-out platform), PPMI does a quarterly raffle drawing to award $25 to a staff person randomly selected from the group of staff who have recognized a fellow employee on PP Bravo, as well as awarding $25 to a staff person who has been recognized by a fellow employee for their outstanding work. The raffle winners are drawn at random from the existing pool of recognitions in PP Bravo for each quarter. Winners are announced in The Choice Voice newsletters, and the $25 is given to the raffle winners via direct deposit. You have to participate to win, so please hop onto PP Bravo to share a recognition with a co-worker who truly exemplifies our PPMI values! You can access PP Bravo through Okta. Our next raffle winner will be announced in January.

If you have any questions about PP Bravo or experience difficulty logging into your account, please contact Danielle Brinn.

Team News

New Hires

Staff Anniversaries

Observances

• Intersex Day of Remembrance: November 8
• Transgender Awareness Week: November 13–19
• Thanks, Birth Control Day: November 17
• Transgender Day of Remembrance: November 20

Self-Care: Things We Love This Month

Hello, PPMI colleagues! I came across this Action for Happiness Calendar in a training that I was in and wanted to share it with you as I think it has some great tips for centering wellness, self-care, and community care. We’ll continue to share a new calendar each month moving forward as well.

— Staci Rickman, The Choice Voice Editor

New Ways November (from the article)

This month, we're encouraging you to try something new! Learning something new or getting involved in an activity that really absorbs and interests us is great for our wellbeing. Keeping our brains active is not only good for us physically, but it can help you feel you are flourishing as you see yourself make progress with a new skill, or just make you smile as you make a mess and decide to start again. :) Being playful and trying new things is important, as is remembering that it's OK not to get it right first time — change "I can't do it" into "I can't do it...yet!" This month's calendar is full of ideas to help you decide what to try next.

Resource Shelf

Reminders about where useful documents live.

• *New* Employee Handbook: H:\INFORMATION LOCATOR\Human Resources
• Mini Abortion Style Guide: H:\PUBLIC\Communications\How to Talk About Abortion A Style Guide for Allies
• Updated COVID Guidance 8.2.21: H:\Information Locator\COVID-19 Coronavirus
• Archived editions of The Choice Voice: H:\PUBLIC\Staff Newsletters
• CHN FAQ: H:\Information Locator\CHN Communications
• Accounts Payable Schedule: H:\Information Locator\Finance and Payroll
• Expense Report template: H:\Information Locator\Finance and Payroll
• Site to Site Mileage: H:\Information Locator\Finance and Payroll
• Staff Requisition Forms: Paycor
• PPMI Handbook: Paycor
• Benefit Information: Paycor

Our mission: The mission of Planned Parenthood of Michigan is to promote healthy communities and the right of all individuals to manage their sexual health by providing health care and education and serving as a strong advocate for reproductive justice.

The Choice Voice Editor: Staci Rickman
Please email comments, questions, corrections, story ideas, or suggestions to news@ppmi.org