Feeling My Flo

The health and wellness of Latinas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the U.S. economy. In 100 Latina Birthdays, an original documentary series from Peabody-nominated LWC Studios, reporters in Chicago investigate the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100. In season 1, the stories that unfold center Latinas during their perinatal journeys, childhood, adolescence, and up until age 20. In episode 1, new parents Wendy Miralda and José Paz are navigating the first year of their daughter Jelyani’s life, in Spanish. Language is key to their connection as a family and as Hondurans living in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in Waukegan, Illinois. The Paz family never questioned teaching their baby Spanish. But many Latinos in the U.S. grapple with the misconception that doing so could delay their child learning English, or affect their development. There’s also the stigma Latinos face when they don’t teach their children Spanish. Reporter Andrea Flores dives into the research on infant brain development that supports bilingualism, and tackles the harmful misconceptions that divide U.S. Latinos along language lines. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.

We speak with Aida Salazar, author of The Moon Within — a middle grade novel about a girl celebrating her first period with a moon ceremony.

When Jane Hartman Adamé started to have trouble with her menstrual cup, she didn’t want to go back to tampons and pads. So she recruited a friend and together, they designed a new cup, which is used by scores of menstruators today.

Sally Ride was the first American woman to go into space. Before launch, NASA scientists asked if she needed 100 tampons for a one-week trip. Since, other menstruators have ventured into the outer reaches of our atmosphere.