Get to Know Oronde Cruger

Bloomberg Fellow Oronde Cruger is the Executive Director of Speak About It, a Maine-based nonprofit focused on consent education and sexual assault prevention. His journey to public health has been anything but linear; it’s been a winding path that ultimately led him to co-found Speak About It in 2012.

While attending Bowdoin College, Cruger studied neuroscience and worked in residential life, blending scientific knowledge with hands-on student engagement. It was during this time that he developed a passion for creating safe spaces where young people could openly communicate and learn about healthy relationships. 

After graduating, Cruger began working in hospitals in the Cardiology Department. However, after the tragic death of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and the rising number of mass shootings in schools across the country, Cruger felt compelled to deepen his work with Speak About It. His goal was to create safer, more inclusive spaces through conversations about relationships and identity.

Since its founding, Speak About It has reached nearly 700,000 students worldwide with its programming. Their Flagship Show uses storytelling and a live performance to model healthy relationships while their custom programs can focus on topics like sexuality, technology and peer pressure, and building a culture of consent.

Speak About It also recently hosted two community workshops: one supporting elderly queer Mainers who never received inclusive sex education, and another providing guidance on relationship safety and communication for neurodivergent youth.

These workshops, along with the broader mission of Speak About It, are crucial in helping marginalized communities feel heard and safe. Cruger’s work ensures that young people have opportunities to share their experiences and contribute to discussions about their futures.

In 2023, Cruger applied to the Bloomberg Fellowship, seeking to expand his network and increase the impact of Speak About It. Since joining the program, he has found a community of “truly wonderful people who share space in kind ways and are doing brilliant work in a wide range of fields.”

Looking ahead, Cruger is committed to continuing his mission of fostering safe environments for young people. He is passionate about making public health accessible to all by breaking down barriers like technical jargon and improving access to important information. Through this work, Cruger remains dedicated to creating inclusive, informed spaces for everyone in Maine.