About Reanna: Period Summer Intern

Hi, my name is Reanna Shah, a rising senior in high school and an education and digital content creator for PERIOD. I am extremely passionate about everything I do and determined to spread the initiative of the organization. On a more personal note, some of my interests include golfing, traveling, going to sporting events, and completing sudoku puzzles.

So why do you care about periods?

Periods are an essential part to any women’s life. They allow for physicians to know that the hormonal balance within each woman is normal. Periods are the power that allow for reproduction to occur; they create generations upon generations of people to occupy this world. Menstruation is a subject that society must become more familiar with. I want to diffuse the stigma that is around menstruation and make people comfortable with discussing the process. The menstrual cycle is a significant process that people need to become aware of. It is every woman’s right to have the necessary menstrual products during their periods; however, this right is not the reality for many women in homeless shelters. I care because I want to change that fact.

When was the moment you realized you were interested in becoming a part of the menstrual movement?

I was first introduced into this organization by Nadya Okamoto, the Executive Director and co-founder of PERIOD while I was helping her with her Cambridge city council campaign. As I went door to door spreading her mission if she were to be elected, there was a common occurrence of her involvement with the menstrual movement she helped facilitate. I soon learned more about the initiative and knew I wanted to get involved. This led to me eventually becoming an intern for PERIOD and getting involved in the menstrual movement on a deeper level.

What do you hope to accomplish during your time working with PERIOD, The Menstrual Movement?

The major issue I hope to accomplish is to spread awareness and educate individuals on the menstrual movement. I believe it is crucial for people to feel comfortable with discussing the menstrual cycle. Currently, there is a negative stigma towards periods as a whole. People are embarrassed and uncomfortable to talk about the cycle. People need to realize that this is something that every woman faces and is in fact extremely necessary for the world to exist. I hope to be able to create various forms of content to help raise awareness and spread the mission of this movement.

Not only do I want to help spread the Menstrual Movement, but also the mission behind the movement: to empower people, including the youth, to speak up and become involved in making a difference in society. I hope to achieve this by spreading the message on social media platforms, verbally, and by getting involved in various organizations that align with the message of PERIOD.