Statement by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that will provide $2 trillion to address the coronavirus crisis. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell issued the following statement:
Statement by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell
WASHINGTON — Today, the Trump administration announced an overhaul of the Medicaid program that could deny or limit benefits and may result in reducing enrollment in the program, particularly in states hostile to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that want to limit expenses. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell issued the following statement in support of access to affordable, quality health care:
Statement by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the Trump administration to deny residence or entry to the country for immigrants who need public assistance. This decision follows last week’s Trump administration announcement of a new visa restriction targeting travelers who are or appear to be pregnant. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell issued the following statement in support of immigrants’ rights:
Statement by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda and Black Women for Wellness
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services threatened to withhold federal funding from California if the state does not remove its requirement that private health insurance plans include abortion coverage. Marcela Howell, founder and president of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, and Jan Robinson Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness, issued the following statement:
Statement by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President Marcela Howell
Today is the 47th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion. Marcela Howell issued the following statement about reproductive health and rights:
“Almost as soon as the historic Roe decision was handed down, opponents of reproductive rights began to attack access to abortion. Just a few years after the high court decreed that access to abortion is a women’s right, Congress enacted the Hyde Amendment, separating abortion care from other health care by prohibiting federal funding for those who got their health insurance through the government. Ever since, we have witnessed the continued erosion of our civil right to sovereignty over our own bodies.
Five minutes is not a lot of time, but as a Black woman, when you have an opportunity to advocate for your sisters before members of Congress, you make it work.
Statement from Marcela Howell, founder and president of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
“Today, we all mourn the passing of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, a lifelong champion of human and civil rights. The son of sharecroppers, Rep. Cummings embodied the promise of the American Dream while fighting the scourge of American racism. He worked his way out of poverty and into the halls of power, where he challenged the United States to live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all.
“In Our Own Voice is the safest place for a Black leader of a Reproductive Justice organization to be.” Dazon Dixon Diallo, founder and president of SisterLove, Inc.
I was thrilled to be among Black women leaders who shared their collective vision for the future during four inspirational days in September. We began with a leadership retreat, followed by a public conference themed “Living a Reproductive Justice Life: The Health and Well-Being of Black Women” attended by more than 125 people, and two days of sharing and strategizing in our annual Summit for Policy Change.
By Jessica González-Rojas, Marcela Howell, Sung Yeon Choimorrow
The Hyde Amendment blocks women from using federal funds such as Medicaid to end unwanted pregnancies. On this 43rd anniversary of a rule that places undue burden on women of color, we say enough is enough.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
Marcela Howell, Founder and President/CEO In Our Own Voice
For the past five years I have been convening eight Black women’s Reproductive Justice (RJ) organizations and activists to develop strategize focus on policy shift, leadership development, and movement building. Our overall goal in this work is to lift up the voices of Black women leaders to address policies that impact our lives.