A week later
2026-06-09
It's been about a week since our events to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day and raise money for the MoonCatcher Project. My wife and I were at the party in Albany and we had an absolute blast.
Somehow, we had transformed the gymnasium at St. Sophia's church. I want to say it was festive, but festive isn't right. It was warmer than that. African fabrics down the walls, the giant video glowing, beautiful crafts for sale, a spread that "refreshments" can't carry. Big-party energy without dance-club edge. Everyone smiling. Everyone moving.
We had about 40 people in Albany, with more online, in Berlin, MA, and beyond. Between Friday and the Zoom event two days before, we had over 120 people join across two continents. And almost all of those people had a connection to the MoonCatcher Project, Shake It So, or the Sankhula School, either directly or through a friend or family member. They came because someone they knew, personally, said to them, "Hey, you should come to this thing. It will be worth your time." That, more than anything else, is what made these events a success. And I am so very grateful to everyone for making it so.
The same goes for the fundraising. So far we've raised $6,398 from more than 55 supporters. That's a lot of generous people, and I fully expect we'll get to $7,000. At $7 per kit, that's 1,000 kits. 1,000 girls with a reusable menstrual kit that will allow them to stay in school for years. Beyond the kits, these girls are learning about their own bodies, learning self-respect, and learning that, in their peers and teachers, they have a network of partners in dealing with the challenges of becoming an adult. Again, it's the network that makes the difference.
If you are reading this, you are part of these networks, doing the work to help real girls around the world. Celebrating their accomplishments and ours. Appreciating diverse cultures, our friends, our families, our bodies, our capacity for good.
And for that, you have my love, respect, and appreciation. Thank you.