The HCBU Wellness Collective seeks to change the culture of sexual health and wellness on HBCU campuses. The Collective is a peer education program that seeks to empower HBCU students to make informed decisions about their sexual health, reduce the prevalence of HIV, STIs, unintended pregnancy, and relationship violence, and contribute to building healthier, more equitable communities on and off campuses.
the innovation
The HBCU Wellness Collective is a peer education program that aims to foster open conversations about sexual health, empower students to advocate for their needs, and reduce health disparities within HBCU communities. The program’s six pillars—student representation, comprehensive training, peer education networks, normalization of conversations, transformational impacts, and advocacy—work together to create a supportive and empowering environment for students.
why is this important to your team?
HBCU students experience higher rates of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies, and relationship violence compared to their non-HBCU peers due to chronic underfunding and other systemic barriers. Through comprehensive training, skill development, and peer networks, the HBCU Collective empowers students to create culturally relevant programs that address the unique needs of their communities.
“Participating in the Breakthrough Accelerator will provide the HBCU Wellness Collective with the resources, mentorship, and funding to expand its reach to more HBCU campuses across the country, develop new partnerships with health care providers and community organizations, and conduct research to measure the program’s impact on student health outcomes.”
the team
The HBCU Wellness Collective team has over 30 years of combined experience in public health; HIV/AIDS counseling, policy, and advocacy; and domestic and global adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
- Vanessa Geffrard (she/her), VagEsteem, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
- Kimmy Sauer (she/her), Fearlessly Loving Yourself, Inc., Chief Operations Officer
- Lienna Feleke-Eshete (she/her), Idget Consulting, Chief Impact Officer
coaches