Reproductive Justice Movement-Building
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) serves as a recognized national leader in promoting a vibrant Reproductive Justice Movement for Latinas, communities of color and social justice allies. CLRJ promotes Reproductive Justice movement-building through all of its activities, including playing a leading role in local, state and national reproductive justice coalitions and initiatives and building strategic alliances with a range of reproductive justice and social justice organizations. Please see below for highlights concerning CLRJ’s role as a Founding Team Member of EMERJ (Expanding the Movement for Empowerment and Reproductive Justice) and its active participation in the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective.
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) is proud to serve as a founding team member of EMERJ (Expanding the Movement for Empowerment and Reproductive Justice), a new national movement-building initiative that seeks to transform the way we think, talk, and act on reproductive justice issues so that our families and communities can thrive.
EMERJ was founded in January 2007 by a group of leaders representing diverse communities and strategies (Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice, Western States Center, Pro-Choice Public Education Project, Exhale, and CLRJ) who came together to increase the coordination, collaboration, and strategy of reproductive justice groups across the country. In its inaugural year, EMERJ has developed a range of new tools and strategies to advance reproductive justice, including: the Reproductive Justice Lens, the Movement Building Strategy, documentation and research, and tailored reproductive justice trainings, among other resources.
CLRJ is excited to be part of EMERJ’s vision for building a strong and vibrant Reproductive Justice Movement! Through its active participation in EMERJ, CLRJ seeks to provide the Latina Reproductive Justice voice to the collective movement-building strategies and integrate EMERJ’s vision to CLRJ’s advocacy, alliance-building, and mobilization activities.
To learn more about EMERJ please visit: www.emerj.org
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) is proud to serve on the Management Circle as a member organization of the Sister Song Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective (SisterSong). SisterSong is a network of local, regional and national grassroots organizations representing five ethnic populations/indigenous nations in the United States: Native American/Indigenous; Asian/Pacific Islander; Arab American/Middle Eastern/North African; Latina/o; and African American/Black/Caribbean/African. SisterSong’s mission is to strengthen and amplify the collective voices of Indigenous women and women of color so that we may secure our human rights, and thus achieve reproductive justice. Through its active participation and leadership within SisterSong, CLRJ brings the LatinaReproductive Justice perspective while building alliances with women of color reproductive justice leaders and activists representing communities across the country.
Most recently, CLRJ was honored to play an active role within the SisterSong 2007 National Conference in Chicago, IL. CLRJ staff developed and facilitated four workshops addressing comprehensive sexuality education advocacy and organizing; strategic communications to promote reproductive justice; and gender justice for young women. CLRJ also participated in two Plenary Panels, including serving as a presenter during the opening plenary addressing Taking Action for Reproductive Justice Movement-Building and New Leadership, and serving as Moderator during a Plenary addressing reproductive oppression.
CLRJ sponsored and led a delegation of young, community-based Latinas – including Latinas Empowered for Action alumni – to participate in the SisterSong National Conference. The young delegates had the opportunity to continue their engagement with reproductive justice advocacy work, build new relationships with reproductive justice leaders and activists nationwide, and expand their knowledge concerning critical reproductive/sexual health and justice issues. CLRJ’s Latina Delegation served to maintain new Latina leaders involved in reproductive justice issues, while integrating them into the broader reproductive justice movement.
CLRJ also served as the local host for the SisterSong 2006 National Membership Meeting in Los Angeles, where nearly 180 reproductive justice advocates engaged in various interactive trainings, focus groups, panels, and critical dialogue on Reproductive Justice.
To learn more about SisterSong please visit www.sistersong.net