No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc.
Title: More Than Products: Listening, Learning, and Supporting Community
Student Interns:
Racquel Giro
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
McKenna Mooshian
University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Academic Preceptor:
Dalmacio Dennis Flores, PhD, ACRN, FAAN
University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Abby Quinn Peterson, DMD, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Elizabeth Powell, DDS, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Nya McGlone, MS
Co-founder and COO, No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc.
Lynette Medley, MEd
Co-founder and CEO, No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc.
Community Site:
No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc. is a Black-women-led nonprofit based in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, founded to address period poverty, menstrual stigma, and inequity in access to hygiene. Their groundbreaking initiative, The SPOT Period, the first menstrual and uterine wellness hub in the nation, offers free menstrual products, health education, and a safe, welcoming space for underserved communities. The organization hosts wellness events for all ages and reaches even more communities through a mobile clinic offering education and care on the move. Since launching, they have distributed more than 22 million products and continue to lead in advocacy, research, and menstrual equity.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns supported No More Secrets this summer with pop-up events and events for young girls in the community and scheduled appointments for product distribution, which included picking up several months’ supply of menstrual products. The interns helped assemble bags with preferred products and offered education sessions. They assisted with pop-up events, helping to display products on tables for easy grab-and-go and to educate young women about the types of products. Their main project of the summer was planning and facilitating daytime slumber parties for preteen girls in the community. The interns helped plan and set up one slumber party at the beginning of the summer and facilitate another toward the end. These events included food, games, movies, a journaling activity, and a mini education session on periods.
Reflections
“Spending the summer at No More Secrets has been an incredibly eye-opening experience that reshaped how I view community care and public health. As a dental student, I came into this internship expecting to focus on education and outreach, but I quickly realized that this work was about so much more than sharing knowledge. No More Secrets models what it means to show up for people in ways that are affirming, trauma-informed, and rooted in love. I was moved by how something as seemingly simple as handing out menstrual products could carry so much meaning when it’s done with intention, respect, and understanding. Being part of the daily operations, from assembling bags for appointments to helping with pop-up events, helped me see how much thought goes into every single interaction at The SPOT. It’s not just about distributing products — it’s about restoring dignity, building trust, and creating safe spaces for people who are often overlooked or stigmatized. This experience made me reflect deeply on how I want to show up for my future patients. It reminded me that technical skill is only one part of care — what matters just as much is how we make people feel. The staff at No More Secrets model empathy in action, and I’ll carry that example with me into my career. I’m so grateful to have worked with such passionate and fearless leaders, and to have been part of a mission that is actively shifting the narrative around menstrual health. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”
Racquel Giro
“This summer at No More Secrets taught me a lot about working with the community and the value that organizations like this have in people’s lives. This experience has opened my eyes to the impact that listening to and learning from the community can have in relation to providing both education and healthcare. As a nursing student, I will take a lot of my observations and insights from this internship and apply them to my future career. One big takeaway from this summer is that just showing up and being there to support someone is enough. Taking the time to just talk with, listen to, and show empathy for a struggling member of the community is so important, something that No More Secrets does every day. Of course they provide menstrual products, but they also provide education, a listening ear, and a safe space to just be. No More Secrets is such a unique organization, shedding light on an issue that is too often overlooked, especially in our current political climate. Not only are they providing products to people that need them, but they are actively working to break cycles of shame, misinformation, and neglect surrounding menstrual health. I am very grateful to have spent the summer working with such inspirational people and helping to make a difference in the community.”
McKenna Mooshian