I’m currently developing a presentation on reproductive justice and culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE).
The discussion will provide a brief overview of the Reproductive Justice framework, its connections to CREE, and recommendations for utilizing CREE when evaluating sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice programs.
In the process of thinking through my talking points, I started compiling the reproductive justice resources I typically reference when engaging clients in the RJ framework.
These resources provide a grounding of reproductive justice framework, along with how the framework looks in action. From policy and community engagement, to abortion, contraception and maternal health, these resources represent some of the many ways individuals, organizations and communities are advancing reproductive justice for all.
Here are some of my favorite reproductive justice resources:
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene convened NYC based community and social justice organizations for a 5-year sexual and reproductive justice campaign to create activities geared towards encouraging all New Yorkers to safely express their sexuality and gender identity with dignity.Â
The SRJ Community Engagement Group created several resources, including this video on sexual and reproductive justice and video discussion guide, as well as the NYC Standards for Respectful Care at Birth brochure and birth companion guide.
SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective’s RJ Training program provides workshops and in-depth trainings for audiences interested in learning about the RJ framework and applying the framework.
RJ 101 provides a foundational understanding of reproductive justice.
RJ 102 is tailored to your organizational needs. Choose up to 3 topics, including standards for evaluating RJ, generating stakeholder buy-in, coalition building through RJ, and more. (RJ 101 is a prerequisite for RJ 102. )
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Forward Together has plenty of resources, highlighting how reproductive justice can look in different communities and in various contexts. Examples include The Road to Reproductive Justice: Native Americans in New Mexico, and more.
Forward Together’s most popular resource is A New Vision for Advancing Our Movement for Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, and Reproductive Justice . Originally published in 2005, A New Vision is still relevant today for its comprehensive comparison and analysis of the three reproductive frameworks.
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Reproductive Justice: A Introduction (2017) is a primer to the RJ framework.
As part of the University of California Press’ “Reproductive Justice: A New Vision for the 21st Century” book series, scholar-activists Loretta Ross and Rickie Salinger introduce students to the reproductive justice framework as an intersectional analysis of race, class and gender politics.
Book chapters include RJ history, managing fertility, the right to parent, RJ on the ground, and more.
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No Más Bebes (2016) is a documentary by director Renee Tajima-Peña that highlights the story of Mexican immigrant mothers who sued Los Angeles County doctors, the state of California, and the U.S. government after they were sterilized without their consent at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center during the 1960s and 70s. This case led to the 1978 civil rights lawsuit, Madrigal v. Quilligan.
The documentary features first hand accounts from some of the women and witnesses, along with Antonia Hernández, who at the time of the case was a 26-year-old UCLA Law School graduate when she and lead attorney, 29-year-old Charles Nabbarette filed the landmark civil rights lawsuit.
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States with the most restrictive abortion policies tend to also have fewer policies in place that support families.
Evaluating Priorities, a collaboration between the Center for Reproductive Rights and Ibis Reproductive Health, analyzes each U.S. state’s abortion policies and policies that support pregnant women; promote children’s and adolescents’ health, education, and safety; and support family financial health.
After scoring each state on the number of abortion restrictions and supportive policies in place, Evaluating Priorities examines the association between abortion restrictions and supportive policies in place.
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Faith Aloud, a clergy line support by All-Options, offers compassionate and nonjudgmental support from trained clergy and religious counselors.
Every year, Faith Aloud counters the anti-abortion movement’s 40 Days for Life with 40 Days of Prayer for Reproductive Justice, a campaign that shares inspiring images and messages that validate all reproductive options, experiences, and decisions, including abortion, while also uplifting women, pregnant people and their families.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance published the 2021 report “Maternal Mortality Review Committees: Sharing Power with Communities“.
This report summarizes the findings of an environmental scan that BMMA conducted, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, to understand the challenges and opportunities for improvement that community members experienced while engaging, or attempting to engage, with MMRCs.
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EverThrive Illinois leads the Contraceptive Justice Coalition to increase access to all forms of contraception for all people and communities.
The Coalition published the Contraceptive Justice Policy and Community Assessment that evaluates contraceptive access at the individual, community, health care professional, and policy levels, and defines 13 domains of quality for contraceptive care.
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Southeastern Alliance for Reproductive Equity (SEARE) is a regional partnership working to align reproductive rights, health, and justice organizations serving diverse communities in the southeastern region of the U.S.
Led by Healthy & Free Tennessee, SisterSong, SPARK Reproductive Justice Now, and Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN), SEARE developed the “Menu of Anti-Racist Policies for Reproductive Freedom Organizations” to support organizations in creating healthier, equitable, anti-racist working environments.
Raise Your Voice: What are your favorite reproductive justice resources? Share your recommendations below in the comments section.
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