Jalyn McElroy

Jalyn R. McElroy is the founder and executive director of The PUPA Project, a Mississippi-based nonprofit advancing menstrual equity through access, education, and advocacy.

Her work is deeply personal, shaped by years of navigating menstrual pain and her cycle without guidance, resources, or language to understand what her body was experiencing. That gap in knowledge and support became the foundation for her commitment to ensuring others do not have to navigate their menstrual health alone.

Through the PUPA Project, Jalyn has created programs that support youth and their parents/guardians in understanding what is happening during the menstrual cycle, equipping families with the knowledge and language to navigate menstrual health with confidence.

She centers menstrual health literacy as a critical component of reproductive justice, bridging the gap between product access and education. The organization has expanded community-based programming through initiatives like the CoCoon Corner, a resource hub located in Jackson, Mississippi.

Jalyn also leads the Mississippi Menstrual Equity Coalition, where she advances policy, strengthens cross-sector collaboration, and elevates community-led solutions. Her approach integrates lived experience, grassroots organizing, youth education, and systems-level advocacy to ensure menstrual health is recognized as essential to autonomy, dignity, and long-term health outcomes.

She holds a master of business administration (MBA) and is SHRM-CP certified, bringing both strategic and operational expertise to her work. Jalyn remains committed to building sustainable, community-driven models that move beyond access alone and toward lasting reproductive justice outcomes.

Jalyn believes menstrual health is reproductive justice, and reproductive justice is community power. She's excited to bring her on the ground experience serving girls and families in Mississippi to OBOS's mission of trustworthy, story-centered health education.