We hope that by now you've had a chance to read the first volume of EMERJ's Momentum Series, Winning Reproductive Justice…because EMERJ is on a roll! We've just released the second volume, Intersections at the Grassroots: Insights from grassroots organizing at the intersection of reproductive justice, youth organizing and immigrant and refugee rights.

This report offers lessons about the process of movement building that we can replicate. Brooklyn Young Mothers Collective describes how they support leadership of young moms; LUZ Reproductive Justice Think Tank shares their intersectional approach to organizing in Colorado; South Asian Network talks about the importance of including gender and sexuality as part of the immigrant experience in Los Angeles. These organizations and many others are working for reproductive justice in ways that remind us of the struggle and celebration in building movements for change.

The process of creating both Winning Reproductive Justice and Intersections at the Grassroots was an opportunity for EMERJ to build a stronger network and learning community for change. We will continue to broaden and deepen this community as we move forward and feel inspired that we are one of many engaged in this important work.

Thanks to all of the incredible organizations and leaders who collaborated with us on these reports, without whom the work of EMERJ would never be possible!

If you would like to receive copies of Intersections at the Grassroots or Winning Reproductive Justice, contact us at: emerj [at] reproductivejustice [dot] org.

If you're excited about the elections and all of new policy changes happening - and about to happen - around the country, then you'll LOVE Winnning Reproductive Justice: Contributions to policy change from the Reproductive Justice Movement. This report highlights model reproductive justice policy organizing led by organizations and leaders based in our communities - communities of color, LGBTQ communities, low-wage workers, youth, immigrant communities - that are consistently marginalized in the broader public debate.

For EMERJ, reproductive justice exists when all people have the political, economic and social power to make healthy decisions about our bodies, gender, sexuality and families for ourselves and our communities. This vision demands systemic change and cannot be won through policy change alone. It requires that we use strategies to change policy that support our broader goals of strengthening and healing our communities.

In these times, our time and energy is often spent defeating bad proposals. For example, Winning Reproductive Justice explores the courageous and strategic contributions of organizations and leaders in Arkansas, California and South Dakota to efforts to stop attacks on our families and communities at the ballot box. But what ever happens on election-day, that is not the end of the story. Winning Reproductive Justice also shares stories of our proactive, community driven policy battles. In New York City, LGBTQ activists have opened homeless shelter doors to queer families. In Chicago, youth and allies have won access to accurate sexuality education. In San Francisco, low-wage workers have achieved sick leave policies that support the heath and well-being of their families. Together, these stories represent strategic policy wins that also build the capacity of our communities to create and sustain change.

Please join EMERJ in celebrating the victories in Winning Reproductive Justice. Use it to identify potential winning reproductive justice campaigns and strategies. Show funders and policy makers the contributions that the RJ movement is making toward policy change. And, most importantly, build relationships with the organizations and leaders whose stories inspire you.

Thanks to all the organizations and leaders who are Winning Reproductive Justice.

If you would like to receive copies of Winning Reproductive Justice, contact us at: emerj [at] reproductivejustice [dot] org.

SAFIRE leaders created a video to drive turnout in our communities. There are numerous initiatives on this year's ballot that will impact the civil rights of those who, like the youth in the video, cannot vote. Your voice, your vote is the safeguard against the erosion of their constitutional rights this election. Watch it now and forward it to your friends! You can also access the video on ACRJ's webiste.

Arkansas is facing Initiative Act I, a ballot measure that would prohibit individuals who are living with someone outside of marriage from becoming an adoptive or foster parent. Randi Romo is the Director of Center for Artistic Revolution which is fighting to defeat this measure and to organize for progressive family values. Here is Randi's story:

I am a lesbian raising my 16 year old granddaughter. My daughter has a chronic illness that has meant that I have raised her child for most of her life.

I love my child and her child with all of my heart. This means that I've spent my fair share of time holding sweaty heads while they were sick, cleaning up dirty diapers and throw-up, and struggling through homework. I've worried about having enough to pay the bills, whether the car will start every morning, and if I can send them to college. I've gone to their school plays, plastered my refrigerator with their artwork, encouraged them to grow and learn even when they felt defeat, bought a new coat for one of them while mine fell apart, held them while they cried when they were hurt or disappointed, loved them enough to keep working to resolve our differences and challenges no matter how hard they may be, taught them ethics, respect and care for all living things. In other words, all of the things that "married people" are supposedly doing for their kids.

If Initiative Act I is really about the welfare of children, then instead of vilifying LGBTQ families there would be an investment in supporting ALL of Arkansas' families through family counseling during difficult times, living wage jobs, access to equitable education, affordable healthcare, childcare, housing, food, fuel, etc.

This initiated act not only would ban unmarried LGBTQ and heterosexual couples from adopting or providing foster care it will also help. Christian conservatives define by their criteria just WHO CAN BE A FAMILY in Arkansas. This impacts all families in Arkansas, regardless of sexual orientation.

Despite being my granddaughter's blood relative, this act would ban me from adopting her in the event that my daughter was to pass away and I was in a cohabitating, sexual relationship with a partner. So, I am forced to choose between residing with a partner in a loving relationship or living alone with my granddaughter so that I can adopt her if that becomes the need. My daughter, granddaughter and me want me to adopt her if the unthinkable were to happen. So, for now I continue to live without a partner.

There simply are not enough homes for the children of Arkansas who require a safe and loving home. This summer four children died while in foster care and two of the deaths have allegations of abuse cited. Outside the foster care system DHS has investigated the deaths of 11 children in Arkansas, all of who died from abuse. A safe, secure and loving home is not dictated by the sexual orientation, marital status or gender identity of its parent(s). Strong families and good homes are based in love. Love dictates the investment, responsibility and the commitment to keep a child safe, healthy, educated and above all, loved, loved, loved!

Arkansas' families are better served by ending the witch hunts against families who don't fit one group's religious perspective of what constitutes a family. Investigate all homes and potential parents who present themselves regardless of marital status or sexual orientation and if the home and parents are suitable, place the child or children. Continue with the appropriate prescribed monitoring of the homes. And above all, don't deny any child a safe and loving home based on religious bigotry.

If we are really about the children of Arkansas we will not allow a blanket ban that will exclude a significant pool of loving and competent couples from providing foster care or adopting.


Randi Romo is the Director of Center for Artistic Revolution (CAR) in Little Rock, Arkansas. She can be reached at artchangesu@yahoo.com and (501) 244-9690. To find out more about defeating Initiative Act 1, please visit CAR's ALL FAMILIES MATTER!!! Page and Arkansas Families First.

To all California organizers and activists who want to fight for reproductive justice this election: We've got a great resource for you to help defeat Prop 4! 

Download ACRJ's No on Prop 4 Toolkit today and start mobilizing your community to defeat Prop 4!  We also have a No on Prop 4 Youth Toolkit for youth organizers and young leaders.

These toolkits have everything you need to learn more about Prop 4 and how to help defeat it, and is designed specifically for people and groups that are mobilizing voters in immigrant communities and communities of color. Inside you'll find:


With all of us working together to speak out and take action, we know that we can defeat this initiative – just like we've done for the past two years! Let's support our youth and protect our communities by voting NO ON PROP 4!


And that's not all! For additional resources, events, and info on how to get involved in defeating Prop 4, go ACRJ's elections page!

If you want to promote reproductive justice in California this election, ACRJ's California Reproductive Justice voter guide can help!  We want everyone to vote No on Props 4, 6 & 8 to protect our youth, our families and our communities, and you can use our voter guides to help defeat these initiatives and fight for reproductive justice!

To receive your free copies of ACRJ's California Reproductive Justice voter guide, email us at: info [at] reproductivejustice.org.  You can also download both sides of the voter guide in PDF:  No on Prop 4 and No on Props 6 & 8.

Don't forget to check out ACRJ's elections page for more resources, events, and how to get involved!

If you were anywhere near Preservation Park in downtown Oakland last Saturday, October 4, you probably felt and heard the incredible energy and excitement of youth who are learning about and taking action for reproductive justice.

Over 150 high school students from all over Oakland and the Bay Area came together for Youth + Power = Change, a youth-led conference organized by ACRJ's youth organizing program, SAFIRE (Sisters in Action for Issues of Reproductive Empowerment). The focus of the conference was on three California ballot initiatives that directly impact youth and reproductive justice:

Youth participants, who are mostly Asian and are members of local progressive and social justice organizations, learned about the propositions, how they would be affected if they passed, and the importance of youth involvement in the elections. SAFIRE members organized and emceed the conference, facilitated workshops, and took the lead in making the whole event come to life, while local artists led interactive workshops to deepen the participants' learning through hip hop, spoken word, popular theatre and visual art. So not only was it a great space for youth to raise their consciousness and be politically active, it was a lot of fun too!

Although most of the youth at the conference aren't old enough to vote, they all realized that they have the power to make their voices heard about what matters most to them. Youth are ready and excited to take action to educate people in their communities about the issues that affect them and mobilize people to get out the vote. Just like the title of the conference says: YOUTH + POWER = CHANGE!!!

Wish you were there? Check out the youth blogging and video recording from the conference on SAFIRE page of ACRJ's website!

Want to get involved? To find out how to join ACRJ's efforts to defeat Propositions 4, 6 & 8, visit ACRJ's No on Prop 4 page!

ACRJ and its allies are joining forces to defeat Prop 4, the parental notification initiative in California - FOR THE 3rd Time! Proposition 4 is bad for our youth, our families and our communities. ACRJ has lots of resources to help YOU defeat Prop 4. To learn more, get involved and download materials,  go to ACRJ's No on Prop 4 page!