Dr. Betty Burrus­‐Wright is a licensed clinical psychologist, Marriage and Family Therapist, and works with individuals and families as she continues her human rights and social justice advocacy. Dr. Burrus-Wright’s work on sexual literacy stemmed from a combination of experiences that include narrowly escaping an unexpected prostitution ring in her early teen years, to working as a child protective services advocate during her time at San Francisco State. As a child in Richmond, CA she often observed sexual taboos like incest, molestation, youth pregnancy, and even sexual indiscretions at the local church that catalyzed her curiosity mostly because no one spoke of it. After 20 years of both informal and formal study, she sought answers to her questions and soon learned that the root of the problem was pretty clear: lack of education and awareness. Dr. Burrus-­Wright has collected evidence to prove there is a great need for information regarding adolescent development and reproduction-­hence, the documentary “What Mama Didn’t Say” was created.

Her current strategy to reduce sexual trauma and extend sexual literacy is in the form of a collaborative curriculum “Let’s Talk” that will target 5th and 6th grade students and will partner with parents, school faculty and staff to provide the youth and the community with a new level of sexual education. This collaborative approach will create a more informed sexual climate conducive to making healthy lifestyle choices. By expanding sexual literacy, we empower our communities to increase the opportunities for healthy development to thrive and decrease victimization.