The movement. Period.
Started by. Nadya Okamoto, a student at Harvard University who grew up in Portland, OR.
What it's about. Period promotes the "Menstrual Movement" to give everyone access to clean and safe periods. Period is fighting for eliminating tampon taxes and providing free pads and tampons in schools. The group organized the first-ever National Period Day last October with 60 rallies in 50 states and four countries—people mimicked nose bleeds on that day to fight the stigma of periods. Because, as organizers said, "If faces were bleeding, someone would do something."
Defining moment. Realizing that tampons were taxed in most states, because they are counted as a luxury item. Fighting to repeal that tax in some states also started a movement to provide free menstrual products at colleges.
The movement. United We Dream
Started by. The National Immigration Law Center, an organization that advocates for immigrants' rights.
What it's about. United We Dream supports permanent protections for all immigrants, regardless of immigration status, using youth-led coalitions across the United States. It pushed for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) to prevent deportation of young people brought to the United States as children. The group also places a high value on diversity, being inclusive of everyone regardless of immigration status, gender, race and sexual orientation. "At UWD we believe that those closest to the pain are closest to the solution," says group spokesman Jose Munoz.