The NWLC interns are ready for a summer of advocacy after spending an inspiring day with some of the most prominent leaders in the reproductive rights field at the recent Reproductive Law & Policy 101 Training. Hosted by NWLC and Law Students for Reproductive Justice (LSRJ), the annual training brought together over 50 law and graduate interns from various D.C. organizations.
The NWLC interns are ready for a summer of advocacy after spending an inspiring day with some of the most prominent leaders in the reproductive rights field at the recent Reproductive Law & Policy 101 Training. Hosted by NWLC and Law Students for Reproductive Justice (LSRJ), the annual training brought together over 50 law and graduate interns from various D.C. organizations. Sessions covered an array of timely reproductive health issues and included both substantive and skills-building components.
The day kicked off with introductory comments from current Georgetown Women's Law & Public Policy fellow and chief coordinator for the event, Shari Inniss-Grant (NWLC) and current LSRJ fellows Jeryl Hayes (The Black Women’s Health Imperative) and Christine Poquiz (The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum). They shared the goal that has guided the history of the reproductive justice movement and the related work of both NWLC and LSRJ — that women have the right to have a child, to not have a child, and to parent the children they have.
Next, Judy Waxman, Vice President of Health and Reproductive Rights at NWLC, provided an overview of the Affordable Care Act and the positive impacts it will have for women and their families. Attendees learned how the ACA will make health coverage more affordable and easier to obtain and improve women’s access to needed health care services. Specifically, we discussed how most women will be able to receive contraceptives and well-women visits with no cost sharing. Judy discussed a new NWLC project, Pill4Us, which provides guidance to women who are denied coverage in violation of the ACA. Déodonné Bhattarai, LSRJ Fellow at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, presented an engaging advocacy video used to promote awareness about the ACA and enrollment which will begin October 1 (this video will make you smile — who doesn't love Gangnam Style!). This presentation was particularly relevant as we move into the final phase of implementing health care reform. It was empowering to receive the tools we need to help ensure women actually receive the coverage guaranteed by law. Following the presentation, many attendees were reading through the toolkit and discussing their own contraceptive coverage — ready to demand the coverage they deserve.
Next, Kelli Garcia, Senior Counsel for Health and Reproductive Rights, gave an overview on the goals and tactics crisis pregnancy centers ("CPCs") throughout the U.S. and the challenges women face when deceived by them. She also spoke about NWLC's latest efforts to combat these effects by educating women on how to file complaints in their respective states. For those of us who have worked on the issue of CPCs in the past, it was a frustrating lesson in what little has changed in the last few years, and how CPCs continue to deceive and mislead women. However, during the group break out students were able to discuss and share ways they can protect the women on their campuses and in their communities from CPCs and their harmful tactics.
Sharon Levin, Director of Federal Reproductive Health Policy, taught Lobbying 101. She shared best practices and facilitated a role play exercise to allow attendees to practice these techniques. The scenarios involved learning how to tailor messages about reproductive rights to a range of audiences, including the non-commital and openly hostile. While we are all already passionate advocates, it was empowering to learn some simple strategies for also being effective advocates.
Attendees had the opportunity to choose among several breakout sessions during lunch including: Gender Discrimination and the ACA; Reproductive Justice and the Criminal Justice System; Immigration and Reproductive Justice; Race and Reproductive Justice; and Reproductive Justice and LGBT Rights. Each of these presentations reminded us that reproductive justice does not stand alone but instead interacts with and encompasses other social movements that also need our careful thought and dedication. To be the best advocates possible, we must always remember the role that reproductive justice plays in the lives of real women. The only downside of breakout sessions was having to pick just one!
Gretchen Borchelt, Senior Counsel and Director of State Reproductive Health Policy, provided a background on the legal framework of Roe v. Wade and several of the Supreme Court abortion rights cases that have followed. We sometimes lose sight of this important history and can forget that so many of today's restrictions would have been clearly unconstitutional under Roe. It was a sad reminder that this jurisprudence opened the door for an onslaught of attacks on the state level and the gradual chipping away at women's access to reproductive health care. We were reminded of the struggles that so many women face in states where "roadblock" bills effectively ban many abortions. In a time when doctors are criminalized, bans as early as six weeks are given consideration, and a 24 hour mandatory delay turns to 72 hours, we are reminded of the important work that must be done on the state level.
Megan Tackney, Outreach Manager for Health and Reproductive Rights and Campaign Manager for This is Personal, Kate Dickerson, Outreach Associate, and Melissa Torres-Montoya, LSRJ fellow at the National Women’s Health Network, presented on the importance of messaging in social media and mobilizing supporters to take action. Because this presentation covered skills not typically discussed in the law school classroom, for many it was the first time we had truly considered the vast opportunities social media presents for advocacy and grassroots efforts. It was exciting to see how NWLC and other organizations are harnessing the power of social media and to think about the incredible talent dedicated to this exciting new advocacy frontier. The presentation inspired us to think about the many ways students and lawyers can advocate for reproductive justice.
Finally, Judy Waxman moderated a discussion with a distinguished panel of reproductive justice advocates. Panelists included: Priscilla Huang, Policy Director at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum; Jill Morrison, Executive Director, Georgetown Women’s Law & Public Policy Fellowship Program; Steph Sterling, Legislative Director, Service Employees International Union; Jen Swedish, Senior Trial Attorney, Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section at U.S. Department of Justice; and Dana Thomas, Senior Policy Director, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. This panel was one of the most useful as it allowed us to ask relevant questions about the different career paths these women have taken and at the end, there was a chance for us to connect with them one-on-one.
After this informative and engaging day, attendees were able to enjoy a happy hour with reproductive health professionals working in D.C. Armed with new information and organizing tools, we are inspired to bring the lessons from the day back home to our campuses and communities and to continue our fight for reproductive justice.
Click here for more information on the LSRJ fellowship program and the webinars that NWLC offers through LSRJ.