Building Reproductive Justice Power on Martha’s Vineyard: Centering Our Stories, Advancing Our Justice

In Our Own Voice Board Chair Jennifer Augustine with guests at the Building Reproductive Justice Power Brunch on Martha’s Vineyard.

On August 5, 2025, we returned to Martha’s Vineyard for the second annual Building Reproductive Justice Power Brunch, a gathering rooted in the belief that storytelling is a form of power — and that representation is essential to justice.

L–R: Maisha Closson, Regina Davis Moss, Elaine Welteroth, and Mara Brock Akil share a candid moment with the Vineyard breeze behind them.

Martha’s Vineyard has long been a sanctuary for Black feminists to think, to plan, and to do. From Dorothy West to Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan to Angela Davis, Audre Lorde to bell hooks, the Vineyard has offered space for generations of Black women and gender-expansive movement leaders to rest, create, and imagine new futures. This year, we were honored to continue that legacy.

Our 2025 theme — Representation in Film and Media: Centering Our Stories, Advancing Our Justice — reminded us that representation is not just about being seen. It is about owning the narrative. When Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people tell our own stories, we shift culture — and culture shapes the policies that govern our lives.

L–R: Stephanie Tavares-Rance, Mara Brock Akil, Regina Davis Moss, Elaine Welteroth, and Maisha Closson dive into the emotional truth of their work illuminating why storytelling is not just art, but a form of justice.

A Conversation Rooted in Truth, Power, and Creative Responsibility

We were joined by an extraordinary lineup of cultural leaders whose work has shaped how Black audiences see ourselves on screen:

Mara Brock Akil, Writer & Producer
Elaine Welteroth, Author & Founder of birthFUND
Maisha Closson, Writer & Producer
Stephanie Tavares-Rance, Co-founder of Run&Shoot Filmworks and Executive Producer of the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival

Each speaker brought deep care, honesty, and authenticity to the conversation. They reflected on the responsibility they carry when creating characters, the emotional truth behind their storytelling, and the profound impact that nuanced portrayals of Black lives can have in the real world.

Their message was powerful and unequivocal: Storytelling is not a sideline to justice work — it is justice work.

This Movement Belongs to All of Us

Whether you were with us in person or are part of our extended digital community, this movement belongs to you. We are building a future in which Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people define our narratives — and our policies — on our own terms.
We are creating spaces where Black stories, perspectives, and voices take center stage.
Together, we are shifting culture. Together, we are advancing justice.