Showing Up and Speaking Out at ESSENCE Fest

During ESSENCE Fest in New Orleans, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda hosted an “I am a Reproductive Justice Voter” activation in the community corner and the response was overwhelming. Thousands of visitors came through and we spoke to them about the importance of Reproductive Justice and the power of centering it when we head to the polls. Shout out to Rep. Cori Bush for stopping by! 

We are energized, hopeful, and ready to continue to lift up the voices of Black women leaders across the country to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls and gender-expansive individuals. If you need a reason to point to as to why this matters, just look at what’s happened at the Supreme Court. Amid a series of Supreme Court decisions seeking to dismantle the fundamental rights of Black women, girls and gender-expansive people, we marked one year without Roe v. Wade and are still uncovering the impact of the ruling on the health, well-being and dignity of our communities across the country.

They are trying to take away everything we have fought for, and the only way we can deal with that is by what we do at the ballot box. Many people before us didn’t have that opportunity. But we all do.

Don’t think it won’t make a difference. That’s what they are depending on. They think they can leave us out of civic engagement, but Black women are the largest voting constituency in the American electorate.

It’s going to take us all. Become a Reproductive Justice voter and tell your family and friends to sign up, join the movement, and make our voices heard.