Human biology graduate student Nupur Huria and public health graduate student Harsna Chahal said the conference was created after they realized that a platform to discuss topics of sexual health didn’t exist. 

"There's not just healthcare, there's policy advocacy, there's health education, there's so much that goes into it," Huria said. "And we really wanted to make sure that there was a platform for all these things to be talked about openly, for ideas to bounce back and forth and for real change to really take place from the leaders that are working on this."

The conference is also a space to celebrate the work and accomplishments of individuals in the sexual health field, Chahal said. Part of that involves bringing in experts and keynote speakers. 

"Being able to give these individuals a safe space, especially with everything going on in the world, and to be able to talk clearly about the work that they're doing and being able to support one another is a really great opportunity, and we're really excited," Chahal said. 

Both organizers got involved with sexual and reproductive health awareness and advocacy after noticing it was lacking, they said. 

For Huria, she said her work stemmed from having a background in Indian culture and the stigmatization of such topics, not only with Indian culture but also around the world.

"My interest in menstrual health kind of expanded into sexual reproductive health in general," Huria said. "That's where a lot of our work in advocacy came from. We got to connect with so many like-minded individuals... and things have really just grown from there."

Chahal was inspired after listening to others’ experiences with a lack of access to menstrual health products and emergency contraceptives. 

"Hearing individual stories, from not having accessibility to certain sexual health products, as well as affordability, really inspired me to be able to uplift those voices to support individuals who don't have access to those whether it be advocacy or providing resources," Chahal said.

Creating a space to discuss these issues was "needed," Chahal said, and it was made possible through support from different departments, such as Women*s Student Services. 

Huria said holding events like the sexual health conference in today’s social climate is important to continue to share ideas regarding how to create change. The event offers a safe space where people can discuss sexual health in a non-judgmental manner and create a sense of community here at MSU, she said. 

"It really is just to show that there is a community that exists of people who are passionate about these topics, passionate about creating change, passionate about making the world a better place and a lot of the times, that community is what is so important in these times of you being scared within the social climate," Huria said. "... It's really cool that we're able to do that right here at Michigan State, where both of us kind of started and found that community for ourselves."

Some of the things attendees can look forward to at the conference include an IUD insertion simulation, yoga workshops, and speakers discussing self-advocacy and health awareness. Attendees can also use it as an opportunity to get connected with experts and other organizations in the field, Huria said. 

Chahal emphasized that the conference is student-led and that students are capable of accomplishing whatever they set their sights on.

"If you have a passion for something like this, there is no goal that is too big to accomplish that," Chahal said. "For students that are facing that stigma surrounding their own sexual and reproductive health, your story matters and what you're going through is valid."