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Foundations Should Support ‘Reproductive Justice,’ Not Just ‘Pro-Choice’

By  Vanessa Daniel and 
Teresa Younger
November 16, 2014

Now that we’re past the end of the mid-term elections and as activists from every part of the political spectrum look at what’s next, a lot of the focus will be on reproductive justice.

That’s not a term that everybody knows, in part because the mainstream media began to cover the issue only after some big national groups for reproductive health and rights began to embrace the term.

Those groups began to recognize only recently what women of color and others realized a long time ago: Talking about abortion rights is too narrow a way to talk about the issues that face women, and talking about “choice” turns off women who may not have many choices—because of economic limitations, immigrant status, or other challenges.

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Now that we’re past the end of the mid-term elections and as activists from every part of the political spectrum look at what’s next, a lot of the focus will be on reproductive justice.

That’s not a term that everybody knows, in part because the mainstream media began to cover the issue only after some big national groups for reproductive health and rights began to embrace the term.

Those groups began to recognize only recently what women of color and others realized a long time ago: Talking about abortion rights is too narrow a way to talk about the issues that face women, and talking about “choice” turns off women who may not have many choices—because of economic limitations, immigrant status, or other challenges.

Young people today don’t respond to the word “choice,” in part because they grew up in a world where abortion has been legal. That’s the story mainstream media tell when talking about the focus of today’s activists on reproductive justice.

That version of history is simply wrong. In fact, women of color have taken issue with the pro-choice message just about forever.

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Twenty years ago, a group of African-American women coined the term reproductive justice, starting a national movement that puts reproductive health and rights in the context of the experiences of women of color. That is, women of color live multidimensional lives and thus require a movement that encompasses the intersection of issues.

This movement, which attracted scores of small grass-roots organizations led by women of color, low-income women, and LGBT people into its ranks, asserted what women of color have always understood: Reproductive freedom hinges on more than the legalization of abortion and cannot be achieved without finding ways to help women deal with other challenges that hold them back—like laws that don’t support immigrants or economic empowerment or environmental health.

Supporters of reproductive justice believe that large swaths of the American population would relate best to a campaign that reflects the diversity of our communities, the complexity of our lives, and the compounded nature of the oppression so many face. And they are right.

The movement they founded is now the leading force in the United States engaging young people and people of color as activists on reproductive issues.

As leaders of foundations that have supported the reproductive-justice movement from its early days, we are not surprised that campaigns focused on choice are falling out of vogue.

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We are encouraged that the hard work by countless women of color and their allies—and 20 years of grants to them—have transformed the abortion-rights movement.

As grant makers, it is important for all of us to shine a bright light on the urgent need to credit, acknowledge, and fund reproductive-justice organizations so they can continue their work to deliver reproductive freedom for all people in this country.

Philanthropic institutions have an obligation to ensure that the voices of those who face the greatest barriers to access and opportunity are the ones who get the attention from policy makers—not only because it’s the right thing to do but also because it’s the best way to advance all movements for equality and justice.

Grant makers can help the movement continue to grow by ensuring that reproductive-justice organizations receive the resources and money they need to thrive and expand their work.

A growing number of grant makers are channeling a bigger share of their annual awards to those groups—led by women of color, low-income women, and transgender people.

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In the last five years, the Groundswell Fund’s grantees have helped pass 115 policies that support or promote reproductive justice, while also stopping policies that attack reproductive justice.

Passing policies is only part of the solution.

That is why the Ms. Foundation and the Groundswell Fund also support reproductive-justice organizations that work as watchdogs and advocates; that ensure that the practical application of policies make a meaningful difference in communities across America—especially among women of color, low-income women, and transgender people.

America is fast becoming a country where people of color are in the majority. Our philanthropy must reflect the diversity of our nation to be relevant and effective. That means that as grant makers, we need to do more than look at the groups that are focusing on reproductive justice.

We must find other ways to look within our own institutions and ensure that our program officers and directors are diverse and have a clear analysis of racial and gender justice.

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We must be sure that our grant making supports the leadership of women and communities of color holistically, with resources for general support and for building management and leadership capacities.

Foundations have the resources to do just that. The question is do we have the will to make it happen?

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Foundation GivingAdvocacyCommunications and Marketing
Vanessa Daniel
Vanessa Daniel is the founder and executive director of Groundswell Fund.

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