Photos by Julius Shanks

June 2020

Watch AL.com's video of the protest

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And read their story

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Check out Montgomery Advertiser and WSFA coverage as well. 

July 2020

"Congressman Lewis'  body traveled heroically from Selma to Dexter Avenue in Montgomery by horse-drawn carriage, and his body laid in state at the Alabama Capitol on Sunday, July 26, 2020. Just 55 years ago, on "Bloody Sunday," March 7, 1968, then 25-year-old Lewis led the nonviolent March for Voting Rights from Selma to Dexter Avenue in Montgomery. Lewis was beaten so badly by Alabama State Troopers that his head was fractured and he thought he would die. Ultimately, Bloody Sunday led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1968." -Brooke & Breanna

Check out our social media to see more pictures of this event downtown and all the others!

OUR FIRST YEAR

Scroll down the timeline to see WIT'S actions by-the-month for 2019-2020.

The WIT Youth Ambassadors spoke at a Juneteenth event held by the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery.

Breanna, Brooke, and Savannah taking part in a moment of honoring the ancestors at the Juneteenth event. 

WIT organized a solidarity protest for justice for George Floyd and all victims of police brutality and injustice.  

May 2020

WIT distributed WITKITS at Aid to Inmate Mothers, an organization providing a variety of services for incarcerated women in Alabama.

Breanna Bennett with Geneva Cooley, whose story is covered in this New York Times article. 

April 2020

See more on the Brantwood giveaway: Alabama News Network Coverage

As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, WIT continued  giveaways and advocacy. 

Jason Brooks and Charles Mann of That's My Child receiving supplies.

Jenna King-Shepherd of Planned Parenthood Southeast works quietly behind the scenes to help make Breanna and Brooke's vision for menstrual equity a reality.

 Brooke and Breanna with Jenna King Shepherd. 

On Valentine's Day, Brooke and Breanna spoke about WIT and period poverty during a Shabbat service. Thank you to the Sisterhood of Temple Beth Or Montgomery for the invitation.

 Photo by Jill Friedman

The twins with event moderator, Ashley Lala Edwards of Foreword South, and Dr. LaToya Clark, speaker,  at the 1977 Books event. 

WIT held a menstrual education session at 1977 Books, a new local bookstore.

 Photo by Jill Friedman

WIT published A Young Woman's Guide to the Menstrual Cycle©, an engaging brochure designed to educate youth on periods and reproductive health.  Written by Dr. LaToya Clark, WIT Chairwoman-Elect and Medical Director.

On October 19th, WIT attended Alabama's National Period Day Rally in Birmingham.

Brooke and Breanna with other rally attendees.

First WITKITS giveaway at the New Beginnings Educational Center, an after-school program located directly across the street from Paterson Court public housing complex, where many of the girls live. 

Some of the girls from New Beginnings speaking with Brooke and Breanna. Photo by Jill Friedman

The launch of Women in Training, Inc. (WIT) on Breanna and Brooke's 12th birthday. Done with the help of their mother!

Breanna, Adeyela, and Brooke Bennett

WIT held a Valentine's WITKITS giveaway at Common Ground Montgomery. 

Dr. LaToya Clark made an easy-to-understand presentation on menstrual health. Kelsey Babcock led a discussion to help young people remove the secrecy and shame around periods.

 Photo by Jill Friedman

WIT began providing supplies to Reality in Truth Ministries, a rescue mission for homeless or displaced families.  

Dr. Yvette Hochberg and Brooke Bennett with supplies for Reality in Truth Ministries.  

Breanna and Brooke, along with a team of volunteers, spent every Sunday afternoon in August packing the first batch of WITKITS. 

Brooke, Breanna, and Kelsey packing WITKITS

Members of the Phi Mu sisterhood fraternity at Huntingdon College helped Brooke write thank you notes to donors. 

In March, we upgraded the canvas bags for the WITKITS: "The small bags were much too flimsy! Plus, we now include facial masks, bottles of hand sanitizer, and plastic gloves to the bags, so we needed more space. Sometimes, a box of pads would fall out of the old bags, so we added a zipper to keep everything secure," Breanna said.

For Thanksgiving, WIT held a WITKITS giveaway at That's My Child, a local youth development program. 

Attendees at the giveaway smiling for the camera. Photo by Jill Friedman

Young men from Open Door Worship Center, led by Youth Minister Jamie Cromblin,  helped pack WITKITS with sanitary pads and hygiene items for distribution to those experiencing period poverty.

In February, WIT also helped to inspire and bring awareness to HB-237, a bill that would require schools in Alabama to provide free sanitary pads to low-income students.  

 Brooke and Breanna with Representatives Rolanda M. Hollis and Tashina Morris of the Alabama State House. Photo by Jill Friedman