Sparks feels that at his school, “in general there’s an ignorance, a
stigma around sex in general due to abstinence-only. Even if it’s just
about HIV and condoms, people are really ignorant on the issue so it’s
difficult to gauge the issue.”

He brings up the important point that
people are sexually active and it’s impossible to know if they’re being
safe.

This rising activist says he finds it challenging
being an LGBT person when resources are
often lacking in rural and suburban areas. His passion for fighting for equality and empowering people with
information may lead him into a career in public
policy. He says he’s made numerous connections both in Cleveland and
Washington, D.C.

“When people don’t have the information to make a
decision, it’s making it for them rather than empowering them,” he says. “We’re
very capable when given the tools.”