Amplify The Healthy Voices
Meet the Team:
EMMA
ERIC
CINDY
Eric’s passion for multiculturalism and gender studies began at Colby College, where he was inspired by a class called “Boys to Men” to co-found a club called Mules Against Violence (originally Male Athletes Against Violence), whose mission is to raise awareness of sexual violence in the Colby community as well as challenge gender roles and sexism at Colby. As president of MAV, Eric developed a curriculum for facilitated conversations on masculinity, male privilege, sexual assault, and sexual health that MAV now conducts with all of Colby’s male sports teams. During his senior year, Eric was awarded the Colby Education Department’s Scholar/Activist Award (with Emma!) for “demonstrating exceptional academic achievement and extraordinary commitment to activism” and the Colby Athletic Department’s Richard L. Whitmore Jr. Award, presented to a senior male student-athlete who “demonstrated the qualities of outstanding academic and athletic excellence and service to the college.”
Since graduating from Colby, Eric has modified the MAV conversations to bring them to middle and high school groups. These discussions center on redefining our society’s idea of what it means to be a “real man,” and use a series of activities to raise awareness of the power of language as well as homophobia and sexism in American media so that students can reflect on their own attitudes and better empathize with those in the diverse global society around them. Currently a U14 alpine ski coach at Killington Mountain School, he is bringing his conversations to teams and schools around New Hampshire and Vermont.
Cindy Pierce is on a mission to bring truth about sex and relationships to the forefront through comic storytelling. Represented by Kirkland Productions, Cindy speaks on college campuses all over the country. Combining outrageous humor and years of research, she rattles college students’ perspective on the drunk hook-up culture and the pervasive influence of porn. Cindy’s highly entertaining approach inspires students to consider choices and obstacles impacting sexual relationships. Cindy performs variations of her original show Finding the Doorbell as well as her show The Truth About Intimacy: An Upgraded Version of “The Talk” in the (Mis)Information Age. Cindy is the co-author of Finding the Doorbell: Sexual Satisfaction for the Long Haul. With three kids storming into their teens, Cindy is a bit of a social liability for them, but her husband, Bruce, keeps the family grounded. Cindy and Bruce live in Etna, N.H., where they own and run Pierce’s Inn.
Emma Creeden became an avid participant and leader in conversations about gender and diversity during her time at Colby College. While at Colby, Emma was the Program Coordinator through the Colby Volunteer Center for Hardy Girls, Healthy Women, a nonprofit organization based in Waterville, Maine, that strives to empower young women to find their voices and to develop a critical consciousness about gender representation in the media. Through Hardy Girls, Healthy Women, she worked in numerous schools as a Girls’ Group Leader, promoting coalition building and social activism among adolescent and teenage girls. Besides working with girls’ groups, Emma also spent time as a Boys’ Group facilitator, peeling back the layers of “The Boy Code” and what it means to “be a man.” Her time in the Education Department bolstered her endeavors and provided her with the mindset, tools, and theories necessary to promote social justice in all sectors of society. In 2012, Emma was awarded the Colby Education Department’s Scholar/Activist Award (with Eric!) for “demonstrating exceptional academic achievement and extraordinary commitment to activism.” Since graduating with a degree in English and Education, Emma is currently a middle school English teacher and continues to work toward bringing adolescents together to discuss how gender impacts our personal lives and our society.
