Period Poverty Awareness Week 2026 Features the Debut of the "Spot On Awards" Honoring Seven Women Changing Societal Taboos Related to Menstruation

Hosted by Alliance for Period Supplies, the week kicks off with virtual events with Congresswoman Grace Meng and The Drama About Period Blood, a conversation with Oscar-nominee Julia Aks

NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Two in five people who menstruate (40%) struggle to afford period supplies due to lack of income. This public health issue is at the core of Period Poverty Awareness Week 2026, which takes place from Monday, May 11, to Sunday, May 17. The annual event draws attention to the fact that menstrual products are basic necessities that people who menstruate require to go to work, attend school, and participate in daily life.

Hosted by the national nonprofit Alliance for Period Supplies, Period Poverty Awareness Week 2026 (#PPAW26) takes on the societal stigma that makes even talking about menstruation taboo.

To counter the stigma, the Alliance for Period Supplies is debuting the "Spot On Awards." The awards honor public personalities/individuals who are using their voices and influence to normalize conversations around menstruation; a necessary step in removing the stigma that prevents practical efforts to end period poverty.

"The 2026 honorees are changing the way we talk about periods in sports, pop culture, online, and everyday life," said Chantal Allison-Konteh, manager of national engagement, Alliance for Period Supplies. "From storytellers to athletes, these dynamic individuals are challenging stigma, reshaping the narrative, and helping create a culture where our work to end period poverty is seen, understood, and supported."

The 2026 "Spot On Award" honorees include:

• Julia Aks – Julia, a filmmaker, actor, and opera singer, co-wrote/directed and starred in the 2026 Oscar-nominated short film Jane Austen's Period Drama, a 13-minute narrative satire about menstruation.
  
  
• Le'Nise Brothers – A yoga teacher and registered nutritionist, Le'Nise is the author of You Can Have a Better Period: A Practical Guide to Pain-free and Calmer Periods as well as the host of the well-regarded Period Story podcast, which aims to break taboos around menstrual health, hormones, perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
  
  
• Dr. Charis Chambers – Dr. Chambers is the founder of The Period Doctor, an award winning and internationally recognized social media platform dedicated to reproductive health education and equity.
  
  
• Amber Glenn – Amber is a champion figure skater and U.S. Olympic gold medalist who fought stigma by openly talking about managing her period while competing at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games and the challenges she faced due to cramps and tight, white costumes.
  
  
• Mailyn Marsh – Crowned Miss Teen USA 2025 this past October, Mailyn leverages her national platform to raise awareness about period poverty and its effect on educational access. In her home state of Missouri, Mailyn partners with the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks to organize numerous drives to collect and distribute menstrual products.
  
  
• Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight – Brooklyn and Bailey are twin entrepreneurs in skincare, cosmetics, clothing, and jewelry. The sisters organized a 22-day RV road trip/fundraiser to raise awareness of period poverty, and to raise more than $200,000 to purchase 2 million period products donated to the Alliance for Period Supplies and its nonprofit members throughout the country.

Period Poverty Awareness Week 2026 kicks off Monday, May 11 with two virtual events open to the public. The first event at 11 a.m. EDT features live remarks from Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-6). Rep. Meng is the leading champion of federal legislation and advocacy efforts to end period poverty in the United States and lead author of the Menstrual Equity for All Act.

Registration for this free virtual event is available here.

Then at 4 p.m. the Alliance for Period Supplies will host a live virtual event recognizing the 2026 "Spot On Award" nominees, followed by "The Drama About Period Blood," a conversation with honoree Julia Aks and colleague Steve Pinder, members of the Oscar-nominated team behind Jane Austen's Period Drama. 

The roundtable discussion will focus on how periods are portrayed in Hollywood and pop culture, particularly examining the stark contrast between the widespread depiction of blood in film versus the continued absence of period blood on screen. 

To watch and listen to the conversation, register here.

Around the country, the more than 140 independent, nonprofit, allied members that make up the Alliance for Period Supplies will be engaging in local events as well. Many are working with state and local elected officials to obtain proclamations recognizing Period Poverty Awareness Week and the work their organizations do each and every day.

In addition to supporting community-based distribution of menstrual products, the Alliance for Period Supplies advocates for policy reform and conducts research that drives change. A 2024 Alliance for Period Supplies study showed that 77% of Americans believe period supplies should be available free-of-charge at public schools and universities.

Individuals and organizations are invited to participate in Period Poverty Awareness Week by following the Alliance for Period Supplies on Instagram (@periodsupplies), X (@periodsupplies), and Facebook (@Allianceforperiodsupplies) and liking and sharing social media posts.

The Alliance for Period Supplies was founded in May 2018, as a program of the National Diaper Bank Network, with the support of founding sponsor Kotex^®. For more information visit allianceforperiodsupplies.org.

Media Contact:
Briana Haas
203.309.1364
[email protected]

SOURCE Alliance for Period Supplies