Community Creates Change

It feels hopeful to be attending Creating Change 2020. Since attending my first Creating Change conference, several years ago, I have been fighting for Reproductive Justice in a political environment and climate that has been harmful in every way to my people and the communities that I am a part of.

We have seen threats to our constitutional and basic human rights and livelihoods on multiple fronts and have been called to be the first to respond. We have told our own stories in the process.
We have lost loved ones in the process. We have put our bodies and hearts on the front lines.

I think sometimes it can be easy to forget what is required in order to build collective power- and that is, relationships that last when policies don’t, community, that is, ultimately, who holds our elected leaders accountable, who builds systems of support where they don’t exist, and who keeps it moving and finds a way, when people in positions of power and authority don’t.

Community Creates Change.

Queer and Trans Communities of Color have always taken care of each other, formed families that protect each other, fought like hell for the justice and representation we want to see for ourselves, our families, and communities in our lifetimes and beyond.

I was compelled to help co-facilitate the Queering Reproductive Justice Day-Long Institute this year because I am a Queer, gender nonconforming leader in the Reproductive Justice movement who sees opportunity for change and progress every day, even and especially in the movement spaces we are a part of.

I trust and believe in the young leaders of our movement, and I want tremendously for our communities to heal from the oppression and trauma we have faced as we fight for the health, justice and representation we imagine.

I am excited to facilitate an exercise in peer sharing as a part of the healing session at the Queering Reproductive Justice Day-Long Institute at Creating Change, and I am also looking forward to leading an interactive conversation about the gaps that currently exist in our communities and in policy and advocacy efforts in sexual health education that reflects and protects us ALL.

Conference attendees should register for the Queering Reproductive Justice Day-Long Institute because they will have opportunities to build relationships, be in community, discuss interactively and envision strategies for Creating Change across a range of issues including but not limited to: Queer and Trans liberation and Reproductive Justice Intersections, Sex, Sex Work, Sex Education, Healing, Decriminalization, Prison Abolition, and skill-building in Strategic Communications.

We have faced many barriers to our health and well-being, but we are still here and still queer, and together we can Create Change!