Kamaria "Kami" Woods is a graduate of Walter Payton College Prep and studied for a year at Brown University. She participated in ICAH’s Sex-Ed Loop media group, which used digital tools to shift the way young people across Chicago accessed sexual health information. She was also part of ICAH’s Make Art Space program, in which she curated art to start conversations about abortion, pregnancy/parenting, and youth-friendly healthcare. Lastly, Kami has served as a fierce peer educator, ensuring young people know their rights as it relates to sexuality education. Kami was a 2015 Chicago Foundation for Women Impact Award winner and continues to live unapologetically herself and, as of late, she sings at several venues and events around Chicago.
“She walked into ICAH with a vision of a world in which young people are given the space to fully express themselves without fear of judgment. It is through her dedication to youth rights, specifically regarding sexual health, that Kami has started to make her vision a reality. Kami has always been an everyday revolutionary, and I’m so proud that she and other young people like her exist.”
Kami joined the Sex-Ed Loop in March 2012. This youth-driven project provides sexual health education outside of the classroom using social media outlets. Through her blogs, she relayed her thoughts on sex-positivity, self-care, anti-oppressive language, and healthy relationships. Kami's writing reached youth across the city and encouraged critical thinking around sexuality. She challenged her peers to utilize their voice to improve the systems that influence their lived realities. Her work with ICAH’s Youth Leadership Council allowed her to organize and educate peers and adults within healthcare, family, and school systems. She has had conversations with her state legislator about the importance of sexual health education in schools. As an empowered young woman, Kami has had a tremendous impact, improving the lives of women and girls by empowering them to make change within their communities.