reproductive justice

Mar 14

Women’s History Month

International Women’s Day was first observed in 1911 as the industrial revolution heightened and women were being more vocal about the oppression and inequalities that they were facing in society. Observed on March 8th every year, it took 70 years before Congress authorized President Carter to recognize the entire week of March 8th as “Women’s…

Feb 24

Black History Month: Byllye Avery

On the final Friday of Black History Month, RHAP is taking the time to highlight black women’s health pioneer and lifelong activist Byllye Avery. Avery’s path first led her to a career in education, where she taught children with special needs in Jacksonville, Florida while pursuing a Master’s in Education. After being diagnosed with an…

Feb 17

Black History Month: Combahee River Collective

On our third Friday, RHAP’s #BlackHistoryMonthFeature focuses on the radical, lesbian, black feminist organization Combahee River Collective. The group, founded by sisters Barbara and Beverly Smith and Demita Frazier in 1974 was named after the historic raid on the Combahee River, where Harriet Tubman led a campaign in the rescue of over 700 slaves in…

Feb 10

Black History Month: Dr. Percy Julian

RHAP’s second #BlackHistoryMonthFeature is Dr. Percy Julian, a revolutionary organic chemist who set the tone for the future of contraception and family planning. Dr. Julian was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1899. With the rural south prohibiting African American students from attending high school due to Jim Crow laws, Julian went to DePauw University with…

Feb 03

Black History Month: Dorothy Roberts

RHAP’s first #BlackHistoryMonthFeature is Dorothy Roberts; a law professor, essayist, and social justice scholar focusing on the intersections of race, gender, socio-economic conditions and the law. Her work primarily focuses on African Americans, women, and children through the lens of public policy, bioethics and health. In 1997, Roberts’ groundbreaking book “Killing the Black Body: Race,…

Jan 10

Religious Freedom Day

Many of the clinicians the Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) often works with face barriers to providing comprehensive reproductive health care due to religious discrimination from institutions, co-workers, administrators, and lawmakers. This is why RHAP is proud to be a part of the Coalition on Liberty & Justice (CLJ), an alliance of faith-based and secular…

Nov 07

Reflections on the NLNI Fall 2016 Meeting

Laura Riker, RHAP Program Manager Naomi (RHAP’s Operations Associate) and I were able to attend the New Leadership Network Initiative (NLNI), a project of CLPP, a reproductive-justice focused organization. Reproductive justice holds that everyone should have the social, political, and economic power and resources to make their own decisions about their gender, bodies, and sexuality…

Jul 22

Focus on a Provider: Maggie Carpenter

Dr. Maggie Carpenter attended medical school at SUNY-Downstate Medical School and it was there that she became aware of family medicine. Dr. Carpenter says “I knew I wanted to do women’s health but I really liked the idea of being able to serve all my patients needs and the needs of their families. Making sure…