Day 2 of the SisterSong “Let’s Talk About Sex” Conference was all about legislation. The past year has brought on many egregious (i.e., really lame and dangerous) policies that have placed women in the forefront of the debate over whether we truly have complete autonomy when it comes to our bodies. From anti-abortion billboards strategically placed in Black and Latino neighborhoods to legislators calling for the defunding of Planned Parenthood, reproductive justice has been all over our televisions, newspapers, and radio stations. I mean, the government almost shut down this year because of reproductive justice.  The theme of legislation was so important that there were two plenaries dedicated to the topic. I used my trusty Twitter account (follow me —> here!) to tweet important statements from the awesome people after the break:

We do not define the movement for you. We help to provide the space and support for you to define what it means for you.

~Luz Rodriguez, one of the moderators and the founder of SisterSong

Jasmine Burnett, SisterSong NYC: Trust Black Women Partnership & fighting the billboards:

• The anti-choice movement taking true civil rights and justice messaging hostage.
• We need to re-frame the debate, do opposition research, recruit civil rights organizations, and connect with the medical community.
• Re: the name Trust Black Women Partnership: Trust Black Women is a statement and a call to action.
• Know who is doing the research. Who are the people behind the statistics on Black women and abortion?

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This past week, I attended the Let’s Talk About Sex: Love, Legislation & Leadership Conference (LTAS) with SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective . Women of color of all ages traveled to Miami Beach and stayed at the ultra-fab Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel  a few blocks away from South Beach to attend this conference. The sun, sand, and beautiful skies provided the perfect backdrop to talk about love, legislation, leadership and how sex plays a pivotal role in policy, community/organizational organizing, and our interpersonal relationships. This will be a 4-part post highlighting each section of the conference (Love, Legislation, Leadership) followed by my own reflections of the conference.

With over 80 workshops, one day of information-filled institutes, caucuses, 6 plenary sessions, open mic discussions, break-out group meetings, morning exercise and self-help sessions, and cultural entertainment, attendees of LTAS were entertained, enlightened, humbled, appreciative, and energized.

While the main portion of the conference took place between July 14th-17th, LTAS 2011 offered pre-conference institutes on July 13th. The institutes included Reproductive Justice 101 and 102 by SisterSong, How to Build Leadership Among Young Women of Color, Trans Youth, and Allies by the amazing folks at Civil Liberties & Public Policy , an institute on being White & an ally for Women of Color, a Queer & Trans People of Color institute led by the Brown Boi Project , and an Indigenous people institute led by the Native Youth Sexual Network.

The days of the conference were filled with concurrent workshops, and throughout the conference, six plenaries took place. Each plenary (Love, Legislation, Leadership) showcased individuals doing amazing work in the Reproductive Justice movement and in their communities.  I along with some wonderfully awesome conference attendees tweeted quotes from the speakers via Twitter (#LTAS2011) . Here are those priceless gems that made us think, laugh, shout, and become energized:

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