February 2011 eNewsletter
Inside this issue: Update on the national expansion of our Uniting Communities project; Loretta Ross speaks; read and download the To the Left and Write zine.
Dear friend,
This month we are excited to launch Uniting Communities: National Partner Project (yes, Uniting Communities is uniting across states!) and to share with you a couple video clips of Loretta Ross on the origin of the term women of color and a piece on the beauty of reproductive justice. We have also begun to plan CSTI (July 29-31) and created a zine, To the Left and Write,
which is a collection of stories written during a workshop at 2010’s
“activist summer camp” that you can download, read and become inspired.
In Solidarity,
Kalpana Krishnamurthy, Gender Justice and RACE Program Director
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Uniting Communities, Uniting Across States
“With great regional success, comes greater national responsibility.
It’s not often that we at the Center have the opportunity to play off a quote from comic book legend Stan Lee, but it absolutely encapsulates this year’s launch of the Uniting Communities: National Partner Project (UC:NPP).
Based on the continual success of the Uniting Communities: Oregon project and Toolkit, the Center had the opportunity to expand across the U.S. to work with organizations based in communities of color to advance LGBTQ equality. This is the first time that we will bring our training and support to national organizations and we are excited to facilitate this movement that will work to bring equality to all communities
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Origins of the term "Women of Color" and More
To celebrate Black History Month we are happy to share with you a couple short video clips of Loretta Ross, cofounder and national coordinator of SisterSong, Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.
Watch this video to find out the origin of “women of color.”
On
January 28th, participants of the Center’s Groundwork cohort had a
chance to dialogue with Loretta and learn from SisterSong’s successful
organizing efforts to halt House Bill 1155 (the Sex and Race Selection
Bill). HB 1155 was a horrendous attack on women of color to limit access
to their reproductive rights.
In this discussion, Loretta spoke about “the beauty of reproductive justice.” (Video).
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To the Left and Write Zine
“This collection is a wonderful example of our other voices … the creativity, humor, and insight that lies just beneath the surface of our by-the-numbers organizing and heartfelt advocacy.”
To the Left and Write brings together stories that were written during the "Freeing the Writer Within" workshop at CSTI 2010.
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Save the Date!
Join us for CSTI on July 29-31, 2011 at Reed College, Portland, Oregon. More information to come!
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Photo of the Month
Sarah Howell, trainer/organizer, meets the First Dog of Montana, Jag, during a reception at the Governor's House for Montana Women Vote.
