The Conway community collaborated to combat period poverty at the Faulkner County Library during a period-packing party hosted by the Arkansas Period Poverty Project on April 13. 

Participants packed brown bags with pads and tampons to be donated to Arkansas schools and jails.

Shannie Jackson, leader of the Arkansas Period Poverty Project, said, “They [Faulkner County Library] reached out and asked about doing packing parties. So previously, we’ve done a teen packing party, which helps with volunteer hours that high school students need now, and then we organized this one.”

She said, “They [period packs] go to anybody who asks. Currently, I’ve got to meet the needs for Vilonia School [District], then Greenbrier, and we also have a partnership trying to get some into the jail systems in Arkansas.”

Jackson started a petition to remove Arkansas’s sales tax on period products and diapers.

“Removing the sales taxes is the first step to making them free. They’re a medical necessity,” she said.

Angela Stark said she attended a period-packing party at the William F. Laman Library in North Little Rock on March 23.

She said the tax on period products makes her “crazy.”

“Because there are so many other things that are not taxed that, once you take a deep dive into it and really educate yourself on what is being taxed and what’s not being taxed, it kind of evokes some enragement,” she said. “It’s really disappointing some of the decisions that have been made. I just want to make sure that we’re doing our part to even out that playing field.”

Brad, Angela’s husband, said, “My wife inspired me because she attended one of these events and told me about that. And it just dawned on me that this is a no-brainer. This should be easily accessible to all. If the roles were reversed —  if men needed these, men would be outraged that they weren’t free, much less taxed and hard to find in certain situations like schools and jails.”

UCA alumna Kaylan Norton of Zeta Phi Beta said her sister Tiuana McCombs shared a social media post with her about the March 23 period-packing party, and they both attended.

She said, “So from there, they informed us that they were going to have several more, so we decided that we will be able to actually serve, especially as a representation of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., and so we decided we were going to come here this Saturday and any other projects that they have upcoming.

“You’d be surprised how many young ladies don’t have access to the actual necessary needs in order to take care of themselves when it’s that time of month for them,” she said. “So this actual project, in general, that was my first time ever knowing about this organization, and taking into consideration that we do work closely with other community organizations, there are several that I can say in mind right now that can actually benefit from this. So it is an amazing thing, and I feel like it’s an amazing campaign that a lot of people should try to catch up with.”

Norton said she thinks the period tax should be cut.

“How is having menstrual pads and tampons a luxury? That’s not a luxury. That’s something a woman has to deal with for many, many years to come,” she said. “They shouldn’t have to pay taxes for something like this, but also, on top of it, it needs to be more available to those that cannot afford it.”

A man who did not want to be named said, “It was either this or go home and take a nap, seriously.”

He said, “I just wanted to do something useful.”

McCombs of Zeta Phi Beta said, “It’s a part of nature. Every female is gonna go through this. Why are you taxing us on something we don’t have control over?” 

The anonymous man said, “They should raise taxes on beer and liquor.”

Jackson said, “It’s taxed as a luxury under the same thing as beer and liquor and dog food.”

The man said, “Let me just throw this out there: nobody ever killed anyone while driving on period products.”

Jaden Johns said, “I saw it advertised on Facebook. So, I was just really excited to get involved. And I live right by the library. And it’s just great that this resource is available to people that don’t usually have access to period products.”

Johns said the sales tax is “ridiculous.”

“Menstruators don’t have a choice,” she said. “I don’t agree with it, of course, but the good thing is good people come together to help everybody.”