RESILIENT SISTERHOOD PROJECT INC

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:THIS CORE PROGRAM TACKLES ISSUES WITH REGARD TO KNOWLEDGE GAPS ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS AS WELL AS DISEASES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM AND OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDE EDUCATION ABOUT EQUITY, PREVENTATIVE SCREENINGS, HARMFUL MEDICAL PRACTICES, MATERNAL HEALTH, AND STRESS AND "WEATHERING" AS THEY PERTAIN TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. WE ALSO FOCUS ON IN-DEPTH EDUCATION ABOUT PRECONCEPTION AND POSTPARTUM HEALTH.CONTINUED ONTO SCHEDULE OSISTERHOOD EMPOWERMENT CIRCLE:THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON CREATING A SAFE SPACE TO EXPLORE OUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AS WELL AS OUR RESILIENCY AND STRENGTHS WHILE WE CRITICALLY EXAMINE THE STRUCTURED INEQUITIES THAT MAKE US MORE VULNERABLE TO DISEASES AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:THIS RSP PROGRAM EDUCATES COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE HISTORICAL LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, INCLUDING EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS AND CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ITS DELETERIOUS EFFECTS ON BLACK WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. IN ADDITION, WE EXAMINE RACIALIZED BEAUTY NORMS THAT DRIVE BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS TO PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY MARKETED TO THEM THAT CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS.INCARCERATION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:THIS PROGRAM EXAMINES THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE US PRISON SYSTEM. PRISONS ARE SITES OF REPRODUCTIVE VIOLENCE AS WELL AS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INEQUITIES. INCREASING NUMBERS OF THESE WOMEN AND GIRLS REPRESENT A GROWING PROPORTION OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN THE US CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. THE IMPLICATIONS OF INCARCERATION ARE PROFOUND GIVEN THAT MOST OF THESE WOMEN ARE OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE AND LARGELY FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.ART AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE:THIS PROGRAM USES ART AS A CATALYST - AND DRAWS ON THE SANKOFA PRINCIPLE OF LOOKING TO THE PAST TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT. THROUGH CURATED ARTWORK, WE TELL THE STORIES OF HISTORICAL INJUSTICES, BUT WE ALSO HONOR OUR ANCESTORS AND SHOW THE EMPOWERMENT OF BLACK WOMEN OVER TIME. CONSISTENT WITH THIS VISION, WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, INSPIRE INTROSPECTION, AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM. MANY OF THE PIECES WE HAVE COMMISSIONED SHED LIGHT ON PAST MEDICAL MALFEASANCE AND THE HISTORY OF PSEUDOSCIENCE USED TO JUSTIFY THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY AND THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF RACE.REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND IMMIGRATION:THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO ADDRESS HARSH ANTI-IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT DOCUMENTED AND UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT WOMEN OF COLOR OFTEN FACE ACCESSING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS SERVICES.