Third Wave Foundation

Third Wave News and Announcements

Third Wave at the US Social Forum

On June 25th, Third Wave and our grant partners SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW!, New Voices Pittsburgh, Media Literacy Project, and SAFER will be holding a workshop on reproductive justice in social justice work at the 2010 US Social Forum. Support us by coming out in Detroit, and spreading the word on your way there:

- Share our workshop with your network on Facebook

- Download a PDF listing all of the workshops led by Third Wave’s grant partners and members of the Reproductive Justice Network

Reproductive Justice 101: Creative Vision, Innovative Strategies, and Powerful Networks
- Friday, June 25, 1-5:30pm – Cobo Hall, DO-6B

Join the Third Wave Foundation, the Reproductive Justice Network, and grant partners from around the country as we journey together from our personal and communal experiences to the movement for reproductive justice!

Around the country, women of color and feminist youth are organizing, advocating and achieving wins around reproductive justice. We’re working at the intersections of gender, race, class, health, education, immigration, media justice, environmental justice, and LGBT liberation in order to connect with, empower and mobilize our communities.

In this workshop, we will explore the added value of the reproductive justice framework in our work for social justice. We will explore the potential to be found in collaborative, multi-pronged movement strategy. We will center our bodies/experiences in this work using art, storytelling, and multimedia tools. Reproductive justice is integral to and holds liberatory power for all of our movements.

SPARK Defeats OB/GYN Criminalization Bill in Georgia

Feminist youth leaders in Georgia achieved a huge win for reproductive justice last Friday, April 30th, defeating a bill (SB 529) that would have used race and gender as a way to criminalize medical practitioners who provide legal abortion services.

That same night in Brooklyn, supporters of the Third Wave Foundation and its Reproductive Justice Network gathered to recognize youth leadership. Among the activists recognized was Paris Hatcher of Atlanta’s SPARK! Reproductive Justice Now, a lead organization in mobilizing communities of color to oppose the bill. “Asking a Black woman who already may have to take a day off of work, find childcare, and pay $400 for a procedure, then to have a counselor ask her, ‘Were you coerced into having an abortion?’ or ‘Are you having an abortion based on the race or sex of your fetus?’ is an unnecessary hurdle that we have to cross. To criminalize and doubt the moral agency of our communities and of Black women in particular is wrong.”

“There’s a deep hypocrisy in the forces who seek to ban abortion by targeting low-income Black women in the name of preserving and supporting Black people’s well-being,” said Mia Herndon, Executive Director of Third Wave. “This legislation is related to efforts that have institutionalized the mis-education of young people through scientifically inaccurate, abstinence-only sexuality education. If there was true concern about Black youth, helping them prevent unintended pregnancies and HIV/AIDS—which is still a huge threat to Black youth in the South—would have been more effective. Instead, this measure blocks access to a vital service. SB529 would’ve been more akin to the family caps found in welfare reform, which limit funding to families with children over the accepted number, than a measure of well-being and appreciation for the value of Black children in need. The common outcome here is control over and constraint of resources and opportunities for communities of color rather than support.”

Organizing young people, who are most harmed and targeted by attempts to control sexual and reproductive freedom, is critical to building thriving and engaged communities – where we all have the resources to decide if we will have children, as well as the resources to care for our families when we do. “If there’s a deep concern for the welfare of Black women [in these policies],” says Paris, “they’d be as focused as we are on education, food security, and laws against the shackling of women who give birth in prisons and jails. Instead of taking that work up, they focus on just this one facet.” To that end, Third Wave is committed to strengthening the leadership of young people, raising their voices, and providing support for their community work to become the architects of a just and equitable world that ensures education, economic security and comprehensive healthcare for all.

Take Action!
Share this video of Paris speaking at THRIVE on your blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Victory in Washington State!

Grant partner The Birth Attendants shared the great news that Washington State just became the seventh state in the country to pass legislation banning the shackling of pregnant and birthing women in state prisons. Senate Bill 6500 was passed into law by the Washington State’s Senate Committee on January 28. (Read more about this bill here.) This measure will stop the mistreatment of birthing and pregnant women who are incarcerated. The Birth Attendants work in state prisons in Olympia, Washington to provide reproductive health education, birth support, resources and advocacy for pregnant and post-partum women who are incarcerated.

Welcome to Alex, our new Program Director!

We are really excited to welcome Alexandra DelValle to the Third Wave staff and family! Alex joins us after serving as the Deputy Director of UPROSE, a Brooklyn-based community organization that uses organizing and advocacy to develop intergenerational, indigenous leadership for the environmental justice movement. Alex holds a BA in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Oberlin College, and a MPH in Reproductive, Adolescent and Child Health from Columbia University. Previously, she served as the Community Mobilization Coordinator at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and as a board member at Choice USA. Alex was also the 2006 recipient of Choice USA’s Generation Award for Commitment to Leadership.

Happy New Year and Thanks from Third Wave!

Happy New Year! As we celebrate the close of 2009, and look forward to the possibilities of 2010, the staff and board of Third Wave want to thank you for your support this past year! With your engagement – through your contributions, conversations, and joining us at an event – we are stronger than ever. Please consider making a donation to Third Wave today!

The Birth Attendants on Film

The Birth Attendants are one of Third Wave’s multi-year grant partners and a collective of doulas in Washington state that provides reproductive health education, birth support, resources and advocacy to pregnant and post-partum women who are incarcerated.

This year, Birth Attendants collaborated on a documentary highlighting their work towards reproductive justice for and by women in prison. The full video will be released next year.

Learn more about Reproductive Justice Issues in Part 2 of the Reproductive Justice Briefing Book!

Third Wave is proud to have supported the Pro-Choice Public Education Project’s original production of the Reproductive Justice Briefing Book as well as the website work on it, and we’re excited to announce that a second part just came out! Access it here.

From the PEP website:

“PEP takes a holistic approach to looking at reproductive health care and how women’s real life experiences affect their ability to make healthy decisions about our bodies, sexuality and reproduction for ourselves, our families and our communities.

In these pages, you will find perspectives on a wide range of reproductive justice issues, from new reproductive technologies to teen parents to the impact of government policies on access to health care.”

Everyday Philanthropy

What is the quadratic equation? Was the teddy bear really named after Teddy Roosevelt? Why did Isabella have that pot of basil? Help out Third Wave while you search for these answers – and anything else – online. Goodsearch is an internet search engine with a philanthropic mission. Powered by Yahoo!, each time you search through Goodsearch, the charity of your choice receives a contribution from Goodsearch – if you select Third Wave Foundation, you can help out Third Wave and sate your curiosity from the comfort of your chair.

You can now also Goodshop on Third Wave’s behalf. Access a store’s online site through the Goodshop website and an average of 3% (depending on the merchant) of your purchase amount will go to Third Wave at no additional cost to you. Make your holiday shopping a double gift!

We’re a Facebook Cause!

If you’re on Facebook, add us as a cause here. This is a great way to show your support of Third Wave and introduce us to your entire network. Recruit your Facebook friends to join our Cause! To learn more about Facebook Causes, click here.