by Victoria Rivera and Hyunmin Oh
This semester we all interned at the KIND clinic which is a sexual health clinic that services LBGTQIA+ and allies. They specialize in PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis), gender-affirming care, and testing and treatment for STI and HIV. They have one location in San Antonio that just opened this spring, two locations in Austin, and are in the process of building a third one in the south.
Hyunmin: My first duty at the Kind Clinic was to develop an Excel database for all volunteers and staff. There were more than 400 people and I had to repeat it about 4-5 times because the management kept adding more requirements. In order to get the information I needed to create the database, I was granted admin access to Shiftboard which I was super excited and worried at the same time. I never had this much authority in my life.
By the time I was finished, I could recognize all the names and was able to tell who recently joined since I made the last database. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it knowing that the database I made will stay with the clinic even when I’m gone.
Vic: My first day at the KIND clinic I was put straight to work making Valentine’s day cards with Ky and about six volunteers. We cut up 70s vintage porn magazines and added Valentine’s day decorations. These valentines were to be handed out on Fourth street the night of Valentine’s Day. After the holiday fun was over we were all assigned several hours of health and safety training modules, which due to COVID-19 I was unable to actually use. I was lucky enough to be able to table a few events with the KIND clinic including a Mardi-Gras event at Barbarella and a black history month benefit drag show at The North Door. While tabling those events I was able to see how much the KIND clinic really reaches out to the community to better serve their needs and wants. While tabling at the North Door we were urging as many people as possible to fill out surveys asking what they would like a mobile sexual health clinic to look like. This was well-received by folks who came to the table and everyone seemed to have unique suggestions as to what would make them feel comfortable.
During the Mardi-Gras event, it was nice to see how interactive and engaging the table for the KIND clinic was and there was even a line forming to play sexual health trivia for a prize. While working for the KIND clinic I also saw my first ever insertive condom and dental dam. I had heard of these before, but I had never seen one in real life and it got me thinking about how many others the KIND clinic must have introduced these to. In the office, I worked on sorting and counting condom packs. While tedious, it was rewarding knowing that I was aiding in the promotion of safer sex practices.
Hyunmin: Our manager, Steven, had to come up with work for us everyday because we finished everything so fast. I finished my database by the second week at the Kind Clinic, so Steven told me to help Marcus, the Director of Marketing and Communications, in transcribing written surveys into digital form. The survey asked previous volunteers what they thought the new KIND Clinic testing van should look like and we got many interesting responses that Marcus took into consideration. The van should be out in the streets by the end of this year so please look forward to all the access the van can give to people who have difficulties in finding transportation to the clinic.
Vic: I think the biggest takeaway for me was that there is still so much work to be done in the realm of sexual health education, especially in Texas. Working for the KIND clinic definitely made me appreciate all the hard work that volunteers and employees put in to educate, treat, and care for their patients. This experience has made me realize how privileged I am to have access to both information and resources that allow me to maintain agency for my own health. After working here I became more open to sex and sexual health, and had several friends approach me asking sexual health questions including, “Where can I get tested?” While some of this information may seem basic, it is astonishing how much a sense of taboo still prevents people from really taking control over their sexual health. I will forever remember this experience and hope to be part of the movement that dismantles the stigma around sex and sexual health.
Hyunmin: it was my first time working at a non-profit organization, and I’d say it’s definitely different than other places I’ve worked at. Just like the name of the clinic, everyone there is so kind, open-minded, and really cares for you. It felt like a fun collaborative environment rather than work. Although I was only there for a short amount of time due to the pandemic, I enjoyed every minute of it and I highly recommend if you’re thinking about working at the KIND Clinic. I hope all of the hard work the KIND Clinic is doing to help the queer/trans community in central Texas is recognized and please support the KIND Clinic so they can continue their great work.
Hello, my name is Hyunmin Oh and I had the great opportunity to intern at the KIND Clinic this Spring 2020 thanks to Dr. Grayson Hunt of LGTBQ Studies. I am from the Republic of Korea but I was raised and educated in Austin, Texas. I am a senior graduating this semester with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Hi, my name is Victoria Rivera and I’m from Sealy, TX, a small, conservative-town 50 miles west of Houston. I am a fifth-year student double majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies and Electrical Engineering and am happy to say I am finally graduating this spring. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and photography.
