Amigos School sends email to parents promoting a “period party” for children as young as third grade

A concerned community member reached out to Parents Defending Education regarding an email sent to parents at the Amigos School of Cambridge Public Schools on January 18, 2024. The Amigos School is for students from elementary through middle school. The school promoted a “period party” in the email that will occur on February 8, 2024. The school’s email states:

Mpower is excited to host its first period party for the Amigos community! The party centers around a create-your-own period pack activity, where we provide a variety of useful supplies and kid-approved goodies.

The email states that there will be “pizza and cupcakes provided.” This “period party” event will also include “an art table, trivia game, an opportunity to learn about resources available at Amigos, and special guest speakers who will share their own first period story.” The event is specifically for children in the third grade through sixth grade.

The organization hosting the event is called Mpower. The email provides more information about this group: “We provide early, positive interventions for youth around menstruation. Our period parties and other offerings are designed to reduce the stigma around periods and promote preparation, self-care, community support, and a positive relationship to one’s body through puberty and beyond.”

The email includes a link to a page from Mpower’s website that provides more information on the “period party.” The organization explains that “we provide local elementary and middle schools with our signature First Period Packs for any student who unexpectedly gets their first period during the school day.” The organization’s website also appears to promote LGBTQ themes. Mpower then describes what is in these packs:

These packs are pre-assembled care packages that are filled with useful supplies, including a variety of different sized menstrual products, and a few unexpected surprises (e.g. tea bag, lollipop, chocolate, fun vinyl stickers, gel pen). Each pack also contains a tween-drawn graphic offering normalization and support around menstruation.