According to results from our "With One Voice" survey, 86% of Latino parents say they want to talk to their children about sex, but don't know how. Yet after returning from California, where I conducted several focus groups that were attended by Latino families, it is clear to me that this number fails to convey the strong desire Latino parents have to talk about how sex and teen pregnancy relate to their teens' lives. Those who participated in the focus groups were from all walks of life and excited to be there. Parents, both mothers and fathers, told me they enjoyed the conversation and would have liked to have the chance to continue to talk about it. This gave me the impression that talking about teen pregnancy in a "real way" was something they had never done before.

To help spark conversations about teen pregnancy within the Latino community, The National Campaign recently made available a five minute short film called Demasiado Joven (inspired by Too Young, another short film released by the Campaign in 2008). The film shares the stories of six Latina teen mothers and one Latino teen father and their personal experiences with teen pregnancy. Demasiado Joven provides a unique perspective, through the eyes of young families who share their hopeful and honest stories while connecting teen pregnancy with other social issues, such as poverty and education.

Although Demasiado Joven doesn't cover everything when it comes to teen pregnancy, it is a powerful conversation starter. If I learned anything during my focus groups, the community is hungry to talk. I encourage you to share this video and begin a conversation wherever there is none.