Reproductive Justice - In Our Own Voice

Black women leaders denounce SCOTUS decision targeting low-income immigrants

January 28, 2020
Marcela Howell
Human Rights, Press Release, Reproductive Justice

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:

Black women leaders denounce HHS attack on Californian’s access to abortion care

January 24, 2020
Marcela Howell
Abortion Rights, Press Release, Reproductive Justice

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:

Black women leaders call for Reproductive Justice to commemorate Roe V. Wade

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.

Fighting breast cancer and LGBTQ stigma

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. mobile mammogram unit offers free services to LGBTQ community at Creating Change conference

Seeking health care services can often be challenging for members of the LGBTQ community. Discrimination and ignorance can be barriers to care for this group, particularly, when it comes to seeking preventive care like screenings for breast cancer. Which is how a partnership was born between the National LBGTQ Task Force’s Creating Change Conference and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s mammogram mobile unit.

How Young Activists are Shifting the Paradigm on Gun Violence

By Giovanteey Bishop, In Our Own Voice Program Manager

Generation Progress hosted the sixth annual #Fight4AFuture summit that is centered on eliminating mass incarceration and illuminating viable solutions to ending the gun violence epidemic. Generation Progress functions as an arm of The Center for American Progress and serves explicitly to uplift, empower, and engage young people. The #Fight4AFuture Summit provided space for bright young activists from around the nation to connect and exchange revolutionary ideas. I had the pleasure of being able to attend the Generation Progress convening last week. My perspective on many of the issues was broadened, spanning from justice reform, ending gun violence, and eradicating mass incarceration.

Black women call on Supreme Court to uphold Reproductive Justice

Amicus brief outlines devastating consequences for women of color, lesbian and transgender Louisianans

On December 2, 2019, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda joined partner organization Women With a Vision and other reproductive justice advocates from across the nation in filing an amicus brief in June Medical Services, LLC v. Gee, which challenges Louisiana’s law requiring abortion doctors to have hospital admitting privileges. If allowed to take effect, Louisiana’s Act 620 would leave only one doctor to provide abortion care in the entire state. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda founder and President, Marcela Howell, issued the following statement:

Support Black women and Reproductive Justice this #GIVINGTUESDAY

Be sure to include In Our Own Voice on your #GIVINGTUESDAY list

In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, a national/state partnership to lift up the voices of Black women leaders, is encouraging supporters of women’s, civil and human rights to remember Black women on #GIVINGTUESDAY. While there are many organizations doing good work, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda makes the case for giving support to organizations led by and for Black women.

Reproductive Justice is Economic Justice: My Testimony to Congress

Reproductive Justice is Economic Justice: My Testimony to Congress
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.

Black Women Connect the Dots Between Domestic Violence and Reproductive Justice

During the month of October, we have been talking about domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Earlier this month In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda partnered with several other Reproductive Justice organizations for our 2019 Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Week of Solidarity Campaign. Our hope is to bring awareness to important intersections between DV and IPV and Reproductive Justice.

She the People

October 25, 2019
In Our Own Voice
Affordable Health Care, Human Rights, Reproductive Justice

By Racine Tucker-Hamilton, VP of Communications

She the People

Repealing the Hyde amendment, Medicare for all, voter suppression, and housing were just a few of the hot topics discussed at the first-ever women of color congressional town hall, “Women of Color Lead the Way: Building Power on the Ground and in Congress” on Oct. 24.