For spooky October it’s a real treat to highlight our copy editor Killian! An Austin transplant turned local, Killian has worked as an editor in various capacities for over a decade and is bringing her expertise to our curricula and website. She took a couple of minutes away from her very cute dog and from dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s to answer a few questions.

What initially drew you to working with UN|HUSHED?

When I was laid off back in February, I saw it as an opportunity to find work that felt more meaningful. I started searching for organizations in Austin that deal with issues that really resonate with me and applying for any positions I found that I thought I might qualify for, which included the admin role with UN|HUSHED. That job had unfortunately just been filled, but Karen asked if I’d be interested in helping with editing content for the website and curricula. So it turned out to be a very cool opportunity to establish a relationship with an organization that does great work in an area I think is super important.

What skill sets or projects are you currently working with UN|HUSHED?

I’ll be editing and proofreading web content, curricula, and other published works as needed. Trust and credibility are paramount when your goal is to be a source of knowledge and education, and I think making sure that the information you’re putting out into the world is clearly written and free of errors is an important part of establishing that trust. I’m excited to use my way-too-detail-oriented brain to help support that effort.

What kind of vision do you hold for comprehensive sexuality education?

I was lucky to grow up in a house where sex was not a taboo topic and where my sister and I had access to all the information we could possibly need to grow up to have a healthy relationship with sex. But not everyone gets that upbringing, and I think it’s ridiculous that something so universal to the human experience is shrouded in shame and misinformation, not to mention the fact that that misinformation often carries heavy consequences. I hope the work of organizations like UN|HUSHED gets schools and the adults in charge to give kids the knowledge they need to be happy, confident, healthy adults who have agency over their own bodies, relationships, and reproductive destinies.