Episode 14. Sex Ed: The Juneteenth Episode (ft. Dr. Clarissa “Serenity” Francis)
June 19th is Juneteenth in America, the day the last known Africans were notified of their emancipation from American Chattel Slavery. We celebrate Juneteenth on the show this week by speaking to Dr. Clarissa (Serenity) Francis, sexuality educator, researcher, practitioner and founder of the therapeutic initiative Let Freedom C.U.M. Dr. G and Dr. C have a rousing conversation about healing and its relationship to freedom, along with how Black femmes from all walks of life can see their freedom as challenging but readily accessible.
Episode Transcripts are delayed, but will be forthcoming as soon as possible.
Guest Bio:
Clarissa Serenity Francis (The Real Hot Girl Doc) is a Black Sexual Liberation scholar and AASECT certified sexuality educator who focuses on Black women’s sexual liberation and pleasure. Dr. Francis has collaborated with colleges, organizations, and community groundbreakers to bring awareness and healing to Black women and youth. She received her bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies (minor in Psychology) from Bowling Green State University (BGSU). At BGSU, she held leadership roles in multicultural organizations and became a health peer educator. She worked as a graduate assistant at Clark Atlanta University’s Student Health Services while pursuing her master’s degree from the illustrious Clark Atlanta University in Africana Women’s Studies with a concentration in Black women’s sexuality and sexual health peer education. In 2021, she earned her PhD in Human Sexuality at California Institute of Integral Studies. Her dissertation focused on the social history of pleasure activism in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an advocate for Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer philosophy and believes that it reflects Black women’s movement towards sexual liberation.
Serenity feels called to develop safe spaces for Black women to participate in unrestricted dialogue unpacking and celebrating their bodies and diverse sexualities. She has over 10 years as a sexuality educator and is also trained in massage therapy, reiki healing, and conscious erotic touch. She currently sits on the AASECT’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and the Leadership Collective of Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WoCSHN). She developed the Let Freedom C.U.M. Sexuality Workshop Series to equip Black sexuality professionals, and the aspiring sexually liberated, to recognize and utilize multi-disciplinary approaches to discussing Pleasure Activism as a tool for Black Sexual Liberation. Her goal is to infiltrate multi-oppressive systems to secure safe spaces for Black women to unpack intergenerational trauma, reclaim bodily autonomy, and Say Yes to (their own) Serenity!
Dr. Francis offers workshops, training, and event planning consulting on Black sexual liberation, peer education, pleasure, and various topics concerning the Africana Diaspora & sexualities. She looks forward to collaborating with scholars, practitioners, and activists on future publications, interventions, and advocacy efforts! More information about Dr. Francis’s work can be found on her website https://sayyestoserenity.com.