Equity & Justice Archives - Page 5 of 12

4 Aug, 2014

Sound Off: Is This The Next Hobby Lobby?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:17:22-04:00August 4th, 2014|Categories: Equity & Justice|Tags: reproductive justice|0 Comments

A July 2014 article on MSNBC, “This Is The Next Hobby Lobby” details the stories of Notre Dame graduate students Laura Grieneisen and Liz Miller and their ability to access birth control.

While both Grieneisen and Miller are biology students studying the effects of bacteria on baboons in Kenya, that’s where the similarities end.

Both are in need of contraception access, and both are interested in getting an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted. Grieneisen, age 26, is able to stay on her parents health insurance plan and get her IUD paid for under the Affordable Care Act. Miller, on the other hand, is 29, has health insurance covered through Norte Dame, and due to the university’s adherence to Catholic teaching against contraception, is not able to get her IUD costs covered.

While this sounds like a setback, the Affordable Care Act has a plan in place to allow women like Miller to have more expensive forms of contraception covered, while also allowing religious institutions like Norte Dame to opt-out. However, over 100 academic institutions, along with Norte Dame, are suing The Obama Administration, claiming that this opting out allows religiously-affiliated nonprofits to certify their objection to covering expensive forms of birth control still violates their religious liberty.

Why? Because despite their objections, contraception will still be dispensed.

What are some Norte Dame students saying?

Kalya O’Conner, a rising junior says:

“I understand that Notre Dame is a Catholic institution and that birth control is not part of their Catholic beliefs, but not all the people who work for them are Catholic, and they don’t share the same beliefs…There’s this mentality that Notre Dame students aren’t having sex, and that’s not true. It’s a total lie. I think because there isn’t easy access to contraceptives, they aren’t having safe sex.”

Graduate Lindsey Marugg, who was on birth control pills after she ruptured two ovarian cysts, wrote to the campus newspaper in 2012:

“Even though I had chosen to wait until marriage to have sex, my birth control prescription earned me judgment from friends and nurses on campus.

(more…)

10 Apr, 2014

Ask Nicole: “Why Do You Only Care About Women and Girls of Color?”

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:22:37-04:00April 10th, 2014|Categories: Equity & Justice|Tags: Ask Nicole|0 Comments

Do you have a question that other Raise Your Voice community members can benefit from? Contact me and I’ll answer it!

I recently received the following question from a woman who is interested in starting her own nonprofit:

Hello, Nicole. I am very impressed with your blog and I enjoy reading it for more ways to get inspiration.

I’m interested in creating a nonprofit organization for teen girls, focusing on empowerment, education, and sports. I am Latina, and while I enjoy working with young Latinas, I’m wondering if I should focus my business around working with all teen girls, regardless of race or ethnicity. I see that your business focuses exclusively on women and young women of color. Do you ever get asked, “Why do you only care about women and girls of color?” Do you ever feel that you may be limiting yourself? I feel that if I create a business that focuses on all teen girls I will look more attractive to potential clients and will be able to grow my business more quickly, but if I focus on Latina teens, I would feel that I have more of an investment beyond getting paid for my services. I believe deep down that I know what I should do, but I don’t want to limit myself. And I’m afraid of overextending myself.

Thank you again for your inspiration! I look forward to your reply.

This is a really great question, and I’m happy to answer it!

I’ve been asked “Why do you only care about women and girls of color?” in a variety of ways for a long time. I think the first time I was asked was years ago, long before I could even envision what my business would look like today. But instead of being asked by a woman, I was being asked by men, who wanted to know what makes women and girls of color more important than working with entire communities of color. I was given advice on how I can include more men and young boys of color into what I wanted to do, how young men and boys of color “have it worse” compared to young women and girls of color, and how communities of color needed someone like me to provide inspiration to all young people, not just young girls of color. I’ve also be questioned on why I, as a Black woman, focus on all women and girls of color and not just Black women and girls.

(It’s always interesting how people who have the most ideas on what you need to do, never seem to have the time or interest in making these improvements themselves. But that’s another matter!)

I’ll answer this question in three parts: 1) Why I’m invested in all women and girls of color, 2) the benefits of creating a niche and 3) the fear of limiting yourself:

Like our reader, I’m invested in women and girls of color because I am one. While I don’t doubt that men and boys of color need services that cater to their needs, and while I believe that want I do as a program evaluator and speaker can lent themselves into working with men and boys of color, I tend to point interested people to organizations and people I know who are doing the work of providing services for men and boys of color (and to the organizations that serve them). I don’t believe that women and girls are superior than men and boys. My life experience as a girl of color and now as a woman of color just lends itself more to wanting to devote my time to improving the quality of life for women and girls of color in any way I can. Also, I feel that what I do with program evaluation and speaking works great for all organizations that provide services for women and girls of color. It helps me to be more culturally competent and helps me to recognize the strengths of all women and girls of color, not just Black women and girls. Communities of color are resourceful and there are many people (regardless of gender) who are on the ground offering their perspectives, talents, and insights that we are the better for. (more…)

1 Jan, 2014

How Will You Raise Your Voice for Reproductive Justice in 2014?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:25:37-04:00January 1st, 2014|Categories: Equity & Justice|Tags: reproductive justice|0 Comments

(Image: Activist Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene)

Each year, health disparities run rampant in communities of color, policies are created to tell women and girls that the choices we make for our reproductive health and lives (from childbirth to abortion and even adoption) are best left up to policymakers and not between us and our healthcare provider, and young people are given inaccurate information about sexual and reproductive health and places them at a disadvantage in being able to take care of themselves.

We’ve been doing a lot of amazing activism around sexual and reproductive freedom. Let’s amplify that work in 2014 and get even more done for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice for women and girls, and our families.

Activism isn’t regulated to just attending rallies and interrupting politicians. Activism occurs in many ways. Teachers, social workers, healthcare providers, nonprofit program directors, students, and parents and more advocate daily for the people they care about. Also, activism doesn’t always occur in the forefront. There are many of us who advocate for others behind the scenes. From blogging, to working one on one with a client in an agency setting, to structuring a program that speaks to the community your nonprofit works for, there are many ways to raise your voice.

How will you raise your voice for reproductive justice, in 2014? Here are a few ideas to get started: (more…)

31 Jul, 2013

Once You Decide to Become an Activist, You Never Leave It. It’s What You Do.

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:15:24-04:00July 31st, 2013|Categories: Equity & Justice|Tags: activism, Reflections|0 Comments

(Top row: Left- Presenting a workshop at the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists Conference in June 2013; Right- Being interviewed on Let Your Voice Be Heard Radio in March 2013. Bottom row: Left- Panelist on the Pro Choice & Millennials panel in February 2013; Right: Acceptance speech for the Excellence in Leadership award during the Choice USA Generation 2 Generation Awards in July 2013)

July 2013 marks 2 years since I began blogging my perspectives on sexual health reproductive justice and how various social justice issues (age, gender, race, safety, poverty, etc.) impact Black, Latina, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native/Indigenous women & girls. In fact, 2013 marks 10 years since I became involved in the reproductive justice and feminist movements, and throughout this year I’ve thought a lot about the various roles I serve in and how I’ve combined them to create a consulting business that’s in alignment with my vision and values.

This year has been a year of various transitions for me, both personally and professionally. Part of the transition has been recognizing the fact that I’m more comfortable labeling myself as an activist. It wasn’t until a year ago that I became comfortable with calling myself a social worker, and even recently I began referring to myself a program evaluator and a consultant. For a long time, I viewed my various roles as separate entities. However, they progressively build upon each other. My activism guided my decision to become a social worker. My social work studies led me to consider a career as a consultant, speaker, and program evaluator. My consulting business allows me to rely on the skills I developed as an activist and social worker to be as effective and engaging as possible.

However, if it weren’t for being an activist, I wouldn’t have been successful as a social worker, speaker, program evaluator and consultant. (more…)

10 Jul, 2013

How Can “Red” States & “Blue” States Work Together for Reproductive Justice?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:12:28-04:00July 10th, 2013|Categories: Equity & Justice|Tags: activism, reproductive justice|0 Comments

Recently, The Texas State House of Representatives voted to pass Senate Bill 537, a law to ban abortions after 20 weeks. This law would have closed 37 of the state’s 42 abortion clinics. Given that Texas is a conservative (aka “red” state), it was nearly certain that the law would pass.

That’s when Wendy Davis, backed by an army of pro-choice activists and lawmakers, launched the most epic filibuster, standing from 11am until midnight to express how this bill would impact Texas women, ending a 30-day special session called by Governor Rick Perry. All over social media, supporter of Texas’ abortion clinics, and pro-choice advocates nationwide sent their support, many donating money to buy food and other items for the activists that stood outside while Wendy spoke. However, as of yesterday, the Texas House has begun debating on House Bill 2, essentially doing what Senate Bill 537 hoped to do. The House must approve the bill again on before it will be sent to the Senate.

It brought me back to something that I often don’t think much about: I’m a southerner, born and raised in Georgia (another red state) for over 25 years, before moving to New York in 2008. In a progressive state like New York where access to abortion, birth control, and other reproductive services are accessible for the most part, it’s often easy to remain in a bubble, neglecting to pay attention to what’s happening elsewhere. I may not think about my southern roots often, but one thing I do ponder is where my activism is most needed: in progressive states, or in what’s considered “red” or “flyover” states, where some of the worst policies against women’s reproductive rights are being introduced to state legislatures. At times I do wonder if I would I be considered an outsider, coming in to help “save the day?”, despite my southern upbringing.

How can “red” states and “blue” states work collectively for reproductive justice? Here are some important things to consider: (more…)

Sound Off: Is This The Next Hobby Lobby?

Ask Nicole: “Why Do You Only Care About Women and Girls of Color?”

How Will You Raise Your Voice for Reproductive Justice in 2014?

Once You Decide to Become an Activist, You Never Leave It. It’s What You Do.

How Can “Red” States & “Blue” States Work Together for Reproductive Justice?

This Is A Custom Widget