Groundbreaking reproductive justice report outlines action agenda for Black women’s rights

MEDIA ADVISORY
April 2, 2018
Contact: Alexa Mauzy-Lewis, Camino PR
alexa@caminopr.com / 212-255-2575

Activists, artists and local legislators gather for policy briefing on the health and wellbeing of Black women and girls in Ohio

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland office of New Voices for Reproductive Justice (NVRJ) will host a Women of Color Political Luncheon and a policy briefing on the In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda report. The report, “Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Voices: The State of Black Women & Reproductive Justice,” exposes how Black women’s rights are often marginalized by political parties and offers an action plan and policy recommendations.
Joined by local and state politicians, In Our Own Voice and NVRJ will share insights from statewide polling data and discuss Black voters’ priorities and trends. In addition to the policy briefing, the luncheon will include drumming, dancing, poetry and storytelling from local musicians and artists in line with African traditions.

WHAT: Policy briefing on issues that impact the lives of Black women and girls in Ohio

WHO: New Voices for Reproductive Justice, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s
Reproductive Justice Agenda, Cleveland activists and local and state elected officials, including:

• State Representative Stephanie Howse
• State Representative Emilia Sykes
• State Representative Janine Boyd
• Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland
• La ‘Tasha D. Mayes, executive director, New Voices for Reproductive Justice
• Marcela Howell, founder and executive director, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
• Tierra Khali, local poet and educator
• Djapo Cultural Arts, drumming, dancing, and storytelling

WHEN: Wednesday, April 4, 2018, 11 :00 a.m – 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, 11890 Fairhill Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44120

The report combines comprehensive data with the firsthand accounts of the lived
experiences of Black women. It also examines the post-2016 elections criticism of “identity politics,” which advocates an economic equality message focused on class to the exclusion of race and gender.

Additionally, City of Cleveland Council Member Phyllis Cleveland will present NVRJ with a proclamation to recognize their Women of Color HERStory Month 2018, a campaign at the intersection of Black History Month and Women’s History Month to recognize the
contributions of women of color.

Lunch will be served. Members of the media, please contact Alexa Mauzy-Lewis
(alexa@caminopr.com or 212-255-2575) to RSVP.

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In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national reproductive justice organization focused on lifting up the voices of Black women at the national and regional levels in our ongoing policy fight to secure reproductive justice for all women and girls. Our eight strategic partners include Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, SisterLove, Inc. SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, The Afiya Center and Women With A Vision.

New Voices for Reproductive Justice is o Humon Rights orgonizotion dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women and girls and women of color in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Since 2004, New Voices has served 50,000+ women of color through leadership development, community organizing, policy advocacy and culture change. Our priority issue areas are Reproductive Justice, LGBTQ Rights, Health Care Access, Ending Gender­ Based and State Violence, Incarceration, Environmental Justice and Integrated Voter Engagement.