Speaking About It

For more than 15 years, Speak About It has blended inclusive, values-based sex education with interactive workshops. With a mission to raise awareness of healthy sexual and relationship choices, advocate for consent, and prevent assault, the organization has reached over 750,000 people worldwide. 

What sets Speak About It apart is its interactive model. Instead of delivering one-size-fits-all lectures, the team tailors its programs to each community. From middle school students learning the building blocks of identity and healthy relationships, to college students tackling mental health, to service industry employees exploring bystander intervention and harassment prevention, Speak About It meets people where they are. 

That approach has a profound impact. During a workshop on power dynamics in relationships, a facilitator noted that men are often overlooked as potential survivors of intimate partner violence. In another program, students submitted more than ten anonymous messages about unhealthy relationships, many seeking advice or expressing relief at finally naming their experiences. Perhaps most surprising of all, multiple college students wrote to say they wished their session had lasted longer. In an era where silence and stigma still surround sex and relationships, Speak About It is creating space for honesty, healing, and connection.

Like many nonprofits, Speak About It is struggling under the weight of severe funding cuts. Once staffed by 17 dedicated educators and administrators, the organization is now down to a single staff member, Bloomberg Fellow Oronde Cruger, who is continuing to advance Speak About It’s mission. 

He has guided groups of more than 500 students through meaningful conversations, and looks forward to continuing to advance this work in the future, receiving heartfelt messages of thanks from participants who finally felt seen, heard, and validated.

Speak About It is not just an investment in sex education, it is an investment in safer communities, empowered individuals, better communication skills, and building a culture where respect, consent, and compassion are the foundation of relationships.

To hear more about Speak About It, tune in to the livestream of the 8th annual Bloomberg American Health Summit on September 30, 2025.