Category Archives: Intentional Communities

MONTPELIER House Speaker Jill Krowinski and Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint announced the next round of community conversations on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity facing Vermont to make significant investments that will transform and shape the future of our state. These regional discussions will be held virtually. Future opportunities will be announced soon and posted on the Speaker and Pro Tems websites.

Upcoming conversations include:

Windham County, today, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. To register, go to https://bit.ly/3zM68AI.

Grand Isle County, Saturday, October 2, 1 to 2 p.m.

Rutland County, Monday, October 4, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Bennington County, Wednesday, October 6, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Franklin County, Tuesday, October 12, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Caledonia County, Thursday, October 14, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Essex County, Saturday October 16, 2021, 1 to 2 p.m.

Anyone who is unable to participate in their county conversations can complete an online questionnaire.

If you are interested in helping set up an intentional conversation with a community or group not typically heard in the Legislative process, please reach out to cwesley@leg.state.vt.us and ckennedy@leg.state.vt.us.

Vermont has a once in a lifetime opportunity to make significant investments that will transform and shape the future of our state. Thanks to federal stimulus funds, a surge in state revenues, and more potential federal funds on the way, the Vermont Legislature is positioned to make historic investments in Vermonts pandemic recovery, address critical infrastructure needs, support Vermonters health and well-being, and strengthen Vermonts communities, businesses, environment, and climate.

This opportunity must be informed by the voices of Vermonters and the experiences of their day-to-day lives. Throughout the fall, Krowinski and Balint are reaching out to people across the state to listen to Vermonters on the issues that they care about, what they struggle with in their communities, and what they envision for Vermonts future. These discussions will be used to inform policy and budgetary work when the Legislature convenes in January.

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Krowinski, Balint to host community conversation today | Community-news | reformer.com - Brattleboro Reformer

September 28, 2021

Welcome to #CLPSpotlights, our monthly series highlighting individuals and organizations that make a difference in theircommunity.This month, we interviewed Shanon Williams from The Wellness Collective, a resource collective that brings neighbors together. When people join the collective, they agree to pay an amount they feel comfortable with every month and are connected to needs-based providers.

Q. How has your work evolved during the pandemic to meet the community's needs?

A. The pandemic shifted our trajectory in a significant yet purposeful way.Prior to COVID-19 reaching Southwestern PA, we were making incredible waves in supporting neighbors who areoverlooked or otherwise lack access to traditional social safety nets through mutual aid before the term was commonly and commercially known.We were planning and developingopportunities for neighbors to continue our mission of filling thewellnessgap when the pandemic began and alteredeverything. Our first move was to focus on strategic response and organization. We created theAllegheny County Resources and Support Amid COVID 19group on Facebook, which currently has 8000+ members offering, seeking, and facilitating support.

For several weeks straight, we brought together community members, groups, elected officials, educators, foundationleaders, etc. to discuss what was happening, what was needed, and worked together to fill those gaps. One of those gaps, as we know, has been the ability to pay rent, utilities, and other basic needs.Thanks to the support of our friends in the philanthropic community, we were able to facilitate direct funds for all of these needs to help bridge folks through this trying time.

The necessary safety precautions limited many from necessities such as food, medical supplies and household essentials.To address this concern, many neighbors volunteered themselves to deliver for immobile neighbors.We created our Community Delivery Hotline so that we are able to, as our core intentions dictate, ensure our most vulnerable, invisible, and inaccessible neighbors have access to valuable resources.

Q. What is your favorite part of what you do?

A. My favorite part of what we do is definitely the community building that occurs quite naturally. Our folks experience pains and struggles that are completely avoidable if only they had a little help in the beginning; and it's always just a little help that is needed to keep from falling down that slippery slope ofneedbecomingtoo big to manage. When we facilitate fundraisers for our neighbors, the most incredible thing happens people feel connected.Neighbors who give feel amazing because they know their dollars went directly to saving someone's home (for example). People who receive are in awe at watching strangers pour into them, not only with their money, but their words of love and support.They become neighbors for life in a very personal way without everhaving met or even knowing who the other is. Gentrification has taken a lot from us. To be able to help mend community, reconnect, and rehumanize people in this way, gives a feeling that I do not quite have words for.

Q. How did you come to work for your organization?

A. I actually founded The Wellness Collective.I'm a social worker by trade. Anyone who works in social service can tell you a story about how someone who came to their organization for support was turned away.It happens.It's unavoidable in the traditional space of social service.However, I cannot tell you a time when that happened and I did not feel immense, visceral pain.Knowing that folks who would be turned away would likely not find support on the other side of the door was almost too much for me to handle. In my 11+ years of service, I've gotten used to taking my organization hat off and being the person on the other side of the door, once it was closed on one of our neighbors.TWC is something that I have been working on in different ways for over a decade.I finally got enough pieces to the puzzle together to bring it to fruition and here we are.

Q. What do you wish the public knew about your organization?

A. I want the public to know that TWC wascreated for the expressed purpose of filling in the gaps of our social safety net.It's no secret that it has always been the people, not programs, that have stabilized communities. We've seen that demonstratedrepeatedly throughout the pandemic.That is why we have developed theCommunity Bank.

This "bank" allows neighbors to contribute to andreceive from our communities in intentional and impactful ways. Be it financially, re-homing items, acts of service you name it.This bank was created with transparency, accountability, access, and people in mind.This revolutionary design is our opportunity to "be the change we want to see," as they say.We welcome anyone who is committed to making a difference in the community to become early members of the bank so that we, as a community, can make change happen together.

Q. Tell us your favorite story about the library!

A. If you mean personal story, my fondest memory was going into the Allegheny Room at the then-newly built library on Federal Street.Being from the Northside, it was cool learning about Allegheny City and Pittsburgh's early years.

Q. Who's your favorite author or artist at the moment?

A. Milan Kundera for The Book on Laughter and Forgetting and Amy Cuddy for her upcoming book, Bullies, Bystanders, and Bravehearts.

Q. If you could change one thing about Pittsburgh, what would it be?

A. I would remove from "power" anyone and any entity that does not put the lives and wellbeing of indigenous Pittsburgh residents first and make transparent all systemic processes, history, and procedures so that we can truly have a safe, equitable, progressive and livable city.

Q. What was an especially fulfilling moment for you in your work?

A. We hosted a Virtual Pizza Party during the shutdown. It was the sweetest thing!We invited several other groups and had something for everyone.The event started off with activities facilitated by MiMi's Kinder Connection and storytime by Reading is Fundamental for the kids, which was beyond adorable.Sharise Nance of Hand in Hand Counseling led a conversation on managing burnout. LaSheshia Holliday of Naptural Beauty Supplies led a pedicure demonstration.Tammy Thompson of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh led the conversation on "the pressure to perform [during the pandemic]" and we closed out with Terrell Milliner and Jonnie Geathers speaking [about] "the pressure for men to perform and the intersection of toxic masculinity." While the event happened, we had pizza delivered to participants all over Allegheny County and facilitated bingo and raffles where there were prizes for kids and adults including toys, gifts from some of our facilitators, groceries even rent and utility payments! The event was closed out with a grounding exercise led by LaKeisha Wolf of UjamaaCollective.It was a cool time.

Q. What is a favorite local business or organization of yours?

A. One of my favorite organizations would beEden's Farm.They are an amazing group that supports victims of sexual exploitation.The founder, Annalisa Gibbs, is one of the most caring and creative people I've ever met.

This press release was produced by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The views expressed are the author's own.

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Carnegie Library Of Pittsburgh: Shanon Williams From The Wellness Collective - Patch.com

How do you hold apathetic CEOs accountable to diversity, equity and inclusion goals? Its a million-dollar question that DEI thought leaders gathered via Zoom to hash out, at the invitation of MITs Sloan School of Management.

Speakers included Color of Change President Rashad Robinson, Rapid7 CEO and Chairman Corey Thomas, Exelon VP and CDEIO Robert Matthews, Known Holdings Managing Director Nathalie Molina Nio and 1863 Ventures Founder and Partner Melissa Bradley. The conversation was spearheaded by Malia Lazu, a lecturer at MIT Sloan and the founder of DEI firm The Lazu Group.

The summit was born from Lazus desire to hold space for DEI professionals particularly after the passage of Georgias restrictive voting legislation, Black Lives Matter protests and the corporate allyship boom that happened parallel to these events. "Georgia was a perfect example of actions that can happen and still miss the point," Lazu told HR Dive. "You had this enormous corporate outcry about a Jim Crow voting law and corporations were circling up a day after, to talk about how to respond."

Co-produced by the Affinity Group Alumni Council and the Inclusive Innovation Economy, the conversation ranged from the pitfalls of performative allyship to the business case for diversity and inclusion initiatives. Here are Lazus takeaways regarding DEI and methods of holding companies accountable.

Be proactive, not reactive

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Its just good business to be tapped in. "What executives want to remember is: They're leading a company that is reflective of what's happening in their community, their region, their country, around their globe. And so it would behoove them to know about it," Lazu said. Her prime example: Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his matter-of-fact approach to critical race theory.

Earlier in the day, Robinson from Color of Change had reflected on the astonishment of non-Black folks at Floyds murder and their surprise at the harsh realities of police brutality. "You know, the shock and awe is of one community. Not the shock and awe of America," Lazu said. Acknowledging that every persons lived experience is their own, she added that the people closest to horrific, hateful events live the narrative every day.

"'Oh my God, how could George Floyd happen?' Well, a man just got shot jogging a few weeks ago. Maybe that's how it ends up happening. Obviously, killing Black people is acceptable. So I think that's how it happens," Lazu said. "If you're shocked and awed, you haven't been paying attention."

Break out of your narrow circle

From Lazus perspective, HR plays a "very powerful role in a company." Why not use that power for good regarding DEI goals?

"I think HR a lot of times can get a bad rap. For people who are in HR who want to make a difference: Understand where the most opportune spaces are to make hires, either internally or externally. Understand where you can leverage these moments, and how to leverage them," she said.

A problem raised in conversation with Thomas from Rapid7 and Matthews from Exelon was HRs lack of integration into different communities. "HR folks should have time within their job description to be beating the streets," she added. "I think that there's a lot of pressure put on HR people and if anything, I think HR needs more budget and more permission to experiment."

If you're shocked and awed, you haven't been paying attention.

Malia Lazu

DEI strategist & MIT Sloan School of Management lecturer

Say talent acquisition or people operations does get the budget and bandwidth to experiment. What happens next can be intentional outreach to marginalized communities. As discussed in the summit, HR folks can use their existing networks as a jump-off point to branch out.

"This isn't all deliberate speed. But recognize that when you work on a fast track, no one else can jump on your train. You say you want other people to get on your train, but you're not slowing down enough to let them get on your train," she explained. "You need co-creation time to map out that audience, to figure out the best ways to reach them. And that shouldn't be done because you have to make a hire tomorrow."

Work smart

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This led to discussion of Lazus most notable pro tip: Plan ahead.

"No one does a hire without talking to HR, right? If you know you know retirements are coming up or you know an acquisition is coming up, you know the influx of who you need to bring in," she said. Do the work ahead of time to "get the pipeline going" regarding diverse talent who could fill these soon-to-be-empty positions. "You can definitely start setting up some of those systems beforehand."

And thats what she means by saying "take your time." For example, HR teams can take a month to outline how theyll embed themselves in a community the same way they would for any other workforce development program, Lazu said.

"Don't forget the people inside, too," she added. "A lot of times there's talent sitting there that may also be overlooked, because of bias that sits within your own company."

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Leverage the moment: 3 ways HR can hire for diversity - HR Dive

The Essex Townhouses family housing developed by the City of New Haven.

$231 billion is a lot of money, but is it enough to correct the racial inequities that were built into the very foundations of U.S. housing policy? It may not be, but its vitally important that New Haven and Connecticut more broadly take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity given to us by President Biden and congressional Democrats to directly confront the problems of housing policy with an explicit racial equity frame.

Why is it essential to direct the federal funds from the American Rescue Plan using a racial equity frame? Our countrys history of housing policy helps us to understand why race must lead the conversation.

During the Great Depression, housing activists fought for and won the battle to create a national public housing system. This was a massive triumph for the working people of the United States, but contained within these revolutionary policies were explicitly racist provisions that enforced segregationist policies on all public housing projects. Throughout the 20th century, the Federal Housing Authority now a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development further entrenched segregation all throughout the country by refusing to insure mortgages to individuals living in, or simply near African American communities. At the same time, the federal government subsidized the construction of all-white suburbs that explicitly prohibited African Americans from purchasing homes within them.

While our countrys history provides insight on how the past plays a role in this conversation about race, the conversation does not and cannot end there. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the divide between our Black and Brown communities and the more affluent white suburbs. One out of every 480 African Americans between the ages of 40 and 64 have died from COVID. Among Hispanics this number is one in every 390, but among whites it is one in 1,300. Among minority communities, it is relatively common for families to live in crowded housing, which only increases these communities susceptibility to COVID. For our residents of color, this has become a very real situation of life and death.

Segregationists and red liners may have dictated housing policy in America in the past, but the money and flexibility provided to state and local governments by the American Rescue Plan is an explicit acknowledgment by the Federal Administration and Congress that this money is intended to repair the harm created by prior government policy.

New Haven needs to seize upon this rare opportunity to invest in housing and neighborhood development. The City of New Haven was given over $100 million in federal pandemic relief, and I have put forth a plan for at least $20 million of this money to be put towards the creation of more affordable rental housing, affordable homeownership opportunities, and neighborhood community investments that grow wealth in our least resourced communities.

Recognizing that the affordability crisis is an income crisis, we all need to commit to raising the minimum wage to be a housing wage. While recent efforts have increased the minimum wage, it remains far too low when we consider that residents across the state need to make at least $27.37/hr to afford a two-bedroom apartment. And since we wont get there overnight, the City should take the first steps to increase income by using these recovery funds to create a housing subsidy for families in our least resourced communities and by ensuring that contract awards made with these federal dollars include the requirement that workers be paid a housing wage.

Maybe these seem like pie in the sky ideas, but fortunately, theyre widely popular with Republicans and Democrats across the country. According to recent polling from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 74% of all Americans support investing in housing development programs for low-income residents, and 68% support expanding funding for public housing authorities to provide critical infrastructure repairs for the $70 billion backlog of needs.

Twenty million dollars is a lot of money, but it is only 20% of all that our City will receive. Consider it a down payment on a long overdue debt owed to families and neighborhoods who were deprived of wealth and constrained to under-resourced communities for generations. The federal government recognized the need to begin to pay this debt and has offered some resources. It is up to us to ensure that the payments go to those for whom they were designed. The time and evidence for an investment on housing and neighborhood development is no greater than now.

The American Rescue Plan is a monumental piece of legislation that provides cities and states all across the country with an opportunity and with choices. Lets make the right choiceschoices that can eliminate the extremely wide wealth gap between our communities of color and our white residents. Lets make the intentional choices to invest with equity and racial justice in mind.

Karen DuBois-Walton, Ph.D. is the President of Elm City Communities/Housing Authority of the City of New Haven.

CTViewpoints welcomes rebuttal or opposing views to this and all its commentaries. Read our guidelines andsubmit your commentary here.

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Opinion: The American Rescue Plan: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address historic housing wrongs - The CT Mirror

PASADENA, CALIF.:ArtEquity has announced itssecond Black, Indigenous, and People of Color(BIPOC)LeadershipCircle cohort in partnership with the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.TheBIPOCLeadershipCirclebrings together 50 art and culture leaders from across the U.S. and Canada, with virtual convenings spanning six months that began on Sept. 16 and will culminate on March 10, 2022.

ArtEquity developed and launched the BIPOC Leadership Circle with the support of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale in 2020. This years cohort of50BIPOCleadersrepresenting organizations across the US and Canada work within a number of art sectors, including the performing and visual arts, arts councils, arts service organizations, and foundations. The 2021 cohort includes Karrie Auger(Independent Artist),Makram Ayache(Shajara Consulting),Eboni Bell Darcy(Stages Repertory Theatre),Michael Bobbitt(Massachusetts Cultural Council),Veronica Chapman-Smith(Opera Philadelphia),Janet Chen(Harvard Art Museums),Katie Christie(Voices United),Lisa Karen Cox(Ryerson University),Tyrone Davis(Center Theatre Group),Kelvin Dinkins Jr.(David Geffen School of Drama at Yale),Ariel Estrada(Actors Equity Association),Kealoha Ferreira (Ananya Dance Theatre),Jerrin George(Gallaudet University),Mario Gmez(The Online Dramaturg),Kyle Haden(Carnegie Mellon University),Karen Hampton(Textile Society of America),Ruby Lopez Harper(Americans for the Arts),Nathan Henry(Cleveland Play House),Yvette Heyliger(American Academy of Dramatic Arts),Brittany Hunt(Indigenous Ed LLC),Inji Kamel(Seattle Repertory Theatre),Kimaada Le Gendre(Queens Museum),Miko Lee(Teaching Artists Guild),Kathy Liao(Mid-America Arts Alliance),Justin Lucero(El Paso Opera),Will Luera(Florida Studio Theatre),Brandie Macdonald(Museum of Us),Ashley Lyle(Black Literature and Art Queens Network),David Mack(Invertigo Dance Theatre),Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj(American Stage Theatre),Maya Maniar(No Guarantees),Sara Martinez de Osaba(Creative Growth Art Center),Krystin Matsumoto(Center Theatre Group),Naysan Mojgani(Round House Theatre),Kim Montelibano Heil(the Old Globe),Laura Moreno(the Catastrophic Theatre),Ayodele Nzinga(Lower Bottom Playaz),Ashley Pourier(the Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School),Alejandra G Ramirez(De Young Museum),Anuradha Rana(DePaul University),Sisi Reid(the Welders),Roman Sanchez(California Arts Council),Holly Sansom(Theatre of the Oppressed NYC),Maria Servellon(Emerson College),Sophia Skiles(Brown University/Trinity Repertory Theatre MFA),Daviorr Snipes(Alliance Theatre),Theresa Sotto(formerly Hammer Museum),Aqiyla Thomas(American Documentary),Patrick Torres(Raleigh Little Theatre),Crystian Wiltshire(Cincinnati Shakespeare Company).

Each group session will guide the cohort toward a reimagining of structures, committed to uplifting and supporting communities and leaders of the global majority.

We are creating an intentional space where leaders within Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color are not merely focused on fixing problematic structures but are also focused on imagining and creating newleadershipmodels that support theirleadershippractices and shift away from old paradigms, said program co-leads Cloteal L. Horne and Nijeul X in a statement.

Contributing to this years cohort experience ofBIPOCLeaders are artEquity executive director and founderCarmen Morgan, program co-leadsNijeul XandCloteal L. Horne, administrative assistantKayla Votapek, and an experienced team of co-facilitators, includingMica Cole(national consultant), Ty Defoe(independent artist), Patricia Garza(director of programs and engagement, Network of Ensemble Theatres), Leslie Ishii(artistic director, Perseverance Theatre), Dat Ngo(director of innovation and engagement, Sitar Arts Center), andLauren Turner(producing artistic director, No Dream Deferred NOLA).

Launched in 2015,artEquityprovides tools, resources, and training for art and activism. With over 5,000 individuals trained, and a growing alumni community,artEquity aims to build a base of individuals and organizations strategically poised to create and sustain a culture of equity through arts and culture.

Support American Theatre: a just and thriving theatre ecology begins with information for all. Please join us in this mission by making a donation to our publisher, Theatre Communications Group. When you support American Theatre magazine and TCG, you support a long legacy of quality nonprofit arts journalism. Clickhereto make your fully tax-deductible donation today!

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AMERICAN THEATRE | ArtEquity Announces New BIPOC Cohort - American Theatre

Harrison Kanzler: Former state representative Harrison Kanzler, of North Conway, opted not to run for reelection in 2020 due to the long commute, instead prioritizing time with his wife Tracy and two children, Ellie and Cliff.

Editors Note: These stories are part of a series by The Granite State News Collaborative with its partners at Citizens Count examining access to civic life in New Hampshire. The goal of the series is to seek out potential solutions that make it easier for people to participate in their communities and government.

For the better half of two years, Harrison Kanzler was regularly out the door before his wife and two young children were awake, and he would often return to a quiet, dark home his family was already asleep.

As a state representative, Kanzler was driving the nearly two hours that it took to get to Concord from his hometown of Conway. He took the commute at least once or twice a week alongside his regular gig as a real estate agent, fielding calls and virtual meetings as he drove. The long hours were taking a toll.

When my kids were so young, thats a complete day Ive missed with them, for reasons that they couldnt understand. So it was tough, Kanzler said. But I really enjoyed the work. I thought it was very important work.

When the opportunity to work five minutes away from home arose with a local housing coalition, he made the choice that was best for his family.

Kanzlers story is one of many. Despite New Hampshires strengths, the state has its fair share of barriers that block or discourage people from engaging with their communities. Its these stumbling blocks long commute times, inadequate childcare, lack of information, feeling unwelcome or underqualified that add up and weaken civic health in the Granite State.

Lower civic health, which is a measure of the civic, social and political strength of a community, equals less equity and democratic participation, engagement experts say. That lack of participation means organizations and municipalities alike are having trouble filling seats on boards and committees, leading to fewer people making the big decisions on a communitys behalf.

The higher civic health is in an area, the healthier people are in terms of their own well-being, the more capacity there is to solve problems and the more transparent and fair the government is, Michele Holt-Shannon, Director of New Hampshire Listens, said. Its really about that broader way we work together.

Earlier this year, the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire released the 2020 New Hampshire Civic Health Index, outlining where the state is doing well, and where it needs some work.

Think of a body that youre taking to the doctor, where someone might have a weak ankle or they might have asthma, said Quixada Moore-Vissing, a fellow at the Carsey School and co-author of the index. Everybody has weaknesses in their body. In the same way, if we think about the body politic, all civic life has some strengths and weaknesses.

If youve ever had concerns about your childs curriculum at school, wondered about your towns recent land development project, or wanted more funding for your county nursing home these are all issues you can take part in as a resident.

However, doing so is often easier said than done. In 2019, nearly half of New Hampshire residents reported facing obstacles or barriers to community involvement, according to the Civic Health Index. Of those Granite Staters, 30 percent said lack of information was a very important obstacle.

An even greater percentage 56 percent said work and childcare was an obstacle. Transportation was an important barrier for 24 percent.

These are challenges that civic experts say are easier to address compared to more complicated issues like lack of trust or low diversity.

For instance, if a community is reporting a lack of information, that means municipalities and other civic bodies need to diversify their information streams, Moore-Vissing said.

You dont just post something online, you dont just email blast, you dont just have a billboard, she said. You try to do a range of methods for letting people know about opportunities for engagement like where to find the results of a meeting.

Organizations can also consider changing their meeting structures to make them more accessible.

As a byproduct of the COVID-19 crisis, most community meetings are more accessible online. Engagement experts say they should remain that way to target barriers like work, childcare and transportation.

As much as nobody wants to be on screen all the time, being at home on screen really has a big net, Holt-Shannon said. It makes a big difference and opens things up.

At the State House, while there has not been a significant uptick in the amount of people testifying since public hearings went virtual, House Clerk Paul Smith said a new online forum one for the House and one for the Senate where people can sign-in in favor or in opposition to certain legislation did increase public input.

The big difference was we heard from more people, Smith said. Even though we will be back to in-person hearings, we are going to continue to utilize the system where people can register their opinions online.

Smith added that while testimony will revert to in-person only next year, the House will continue streaming hearings online. The Senate has yet to make a decision on this.

Livestream links can be found on the State House website, under Links to Meeting Schedules.

Changing how meetings are run can also go a long way toward making the gatherings more welcoming and dialogue-friendly.

I think our meeting guidelines, some of them really could be revamped and brought into the 21st century because some of them are 100 years old, Holt-Shannon said.

She added that even reviewing the guidelines at the start of each meeting for any new attendees can help remove a barrier of anxiety.

Those sitting in on meetings for the first time might not know the code things like how to get hard copies of the agenda (theyre at the front podium), where to sit (the first three rows are on camera), and why no one responds when you submit your testimony (rules say the council cant engage in dialogue during public comment).

I know people consider themselves servants of the public, but they often dont consider themselves hosts of the meetings that theyre running, Holt-Shannon said. And the ones that do I think do better, do better garnering a little more support and a little more interaction.

For municipalities, school boards or other community organizations that want to strengthen their civic engagement, Holt-Shannon said there are engagement specialists like her own initiative New Hampshire Listens that can aid in analyzing the organization, gathering data and providing guidance.

However, there is only so much a specialist can do. The thing that cant be outsourced is building relationships, Holt-Shannon said.

Its being intentional. Its meeting people, finding out whos interested and inviting someone different, Holt-Shannon said. Its pretty simple, but it is back to the basics of, Are you building relationships? Are you really trying to sustain working positive relationships with families?

Moore-Vissing said rather than asking people to come to the table, organizations should consider bringing the table to the community.

We can do engagement at peoples workplaces. We can do engagement at bus stations. We can do engagement where people naturally are instead of asking them to schlep out to a public library at seven oclock at night in the snow, she said.

This kind of outreach could be surveying people about how collaborative they think their work culture is, or asking residents to identify on a map where they need more effective transportation. Another example is asking people to vote on which community priorities they would like to see funded by local government.

Growing up, Palana Hunt-Hawkins never saw herself going into politics. It was when she came out as transgender in 2016 that her perspective shifted.

At a time when the federal government was about to begin rolling back protections for trans Americans, my mere existence (became) political, she said in an email. I was finding love and acceptance in my life, but I knew how many folks did not have that support.

Hunt-Hawkins threw herself into efforts to pass transgender non-discrimination protections in New Hampshire and expand identification options for non-binary people on state identification cards. Along the way, she met elected officials like state representatives and school board members.

She saw how excited they were to create change, and how hard they fought for it. Most importantly, she realized they were everyday New Hampshire people like her.

So while at first, the prospect of campaigning and going door-to-door in a city she had just moved to was terrifying, she came away with a wonderful experience and went on to be elected to her first position in public office.

And yet, now a member of Rochester City Council, Hunt-Hawkins said she still feels a degree of unwelcomeness.

I have been a city councilor for two years now and I still feel unwelcome sometimes, Hunt-Hawkins said. Im running for Mayor, and if elected, I would certainly anticipate some level of unwelcomeness as a queer person newer to the city.

Feeling unwelcome, feeling unqualified, feeling like you cant make a difference: its these broader cultural issues that experts like Moore-Vissing say were collectively facing as a nation right now.

Thats where I think the deeper work needs to happen in communities, Moore-Vissing, who co-authored the 2020 Civic Health Index, said.

Unlike previous studies, the most recent index included data about how people feel. Of the 48% of New Hampshire residents who reported facing barriers to community involvement, 18% said feeling unwelcome was a very important obstacle.

Another cultural issue is a widespread decline in trust both in New Hampshire and across the country.

Between 2001 and 2019, Granite Staters trust in the national government declined by half, from 30 percent to 14 percent. Trust in local government fell from 52 percent to 44 percent, while trust in neighbors fell from 89 percent to 79 percent. Trust in local news media declined less dramatically, from 61 percent to 57 percent.

Trust is the basic ingredient of social capital, the index states. New Hampshires decline in that ingredient, particularly between neighbors and across demographic groups such as age and race, could lay the ground for discrimination, misunderstanding, and potential conflict among people different from each other.

Part of mending that culture is engagement initiatives by nonprofits, schools and the state government, but Moore-Vissing said grassroots efforts at the local level are just as, if not more, critical.

The co-author added that even if local organizations create programming, there might be a history of mistrust in the community that cant be healed in a day.

A mistake that a lot of communities make I think is just assuming, Were gonna build this process and people will come, she said. Totally not true, and part of the reason for that is that in a lot of communities, theres a history of disappointment.

For residents who want to get involved but hesitate in the face of feeling unqualified or lacking experience, Hunt-Hawkins put it simply: if you are a registered voter over the age of 18, you are as qualified to run for office as any other person of the same status.

Believe in yourself. Go for it, she said. Hunt-Hawkins added that the first steps are looking for other people who have done it and finding organizations that can support you.

Kanzler said he absolutely felt unqualified as a freshman lawmaker in Concord, but he learned to pick things up along the way.

The fact that you have lived in a place for so many years, that is the only qualification you need. Because that is what youre doing. You are representing your area, he said. You have your ideas on whats going on. You have your thoughts on what could make the area better. Go promote those, why let someone else do it for you?

Trust is built across many different bridges, one of them being across racial lines. With New Hampshires largest population of color being youth, Moore-Vissing said education is a key component.

The index found that education was the most consistent, stable predictor of civic behavior of all types.

That means the study showed that higher education levels and civic education specifically equals more civic engagement across the board including voting, knowing how to engage with ones community and believing that you matter to your community.

I think when you combine (equity and diversity) with education in general, to me that sets up more of a fertile soil for communities that are welcoming of people in a new generation, that understand how to navigate equity and the value that diverse communities bring to their geographic area, Moore-Vissing said.

New Hampshire ranks 46th in the country for connecting with people of different racial, ethnic or cultural backgrounds, according to the index.

While the states lack of diversity could be one explanation for this finding, the survey question asked people if they connect with someone of a different racial, ethnic or cultural group at least one of three ways: in person, on the phone or online.

Thats what I found the most upsetting about that statistic, Moore-Vissing said. When I saw that its online and on the phone, that was a little more concerning to me.

One of the first steps toward building diverse connections is learning more about racial diversity in New Hampshire, Moore-Vissing said.

However, she said the states poor data infrastructure for collecting information about people of color makes that more difficult, an issue perpetuated by the myth that people of color dont live here.

That narrative has never been true. New Hampshire has never been an all-white state, she said. And by not collecting data about people of color, we dont have information to address peoples experiences and to know how to strengthen programming or to create a more welcoming atmosphere.

Moore-Vissing added that a diverse community doesnt just cross racial lines, but includes people of many life experiences, ages and political stances.

I actually mean diverse, right? Where youve got a black refugee, a Latina from Chicago, and a guy whos 65, white and whos a conservative whos lived in New Hampshire all his life. Thats the diversity I mean. Theres strength in that kind of community, she said.

Moore-Vissing said municipalities can foster diverse connections by creating more opportunities for people to interact with each other: events like community gardening, neighborhood clean-ups and dinner programs where people come together for food and discussion.

As the state with the second-oldest population in the country, New Hampshires civic health takes on a unique layer.

Young people are critical to New Hampshires long-term civic and economic health, according to the index, yet a recent survey from nonprofit Stay Work Play reported that almost one-third of young people those between the ages of 20 and 40 said they would probably or definitely leave the state within two years.

The numbers and the demographics being what they are right now, its not just employers who are searching for employees. Whether its towns or civic clubs or other institutions, everybody needs people, Stay Work Play Executive Director Will Stewart said. Look at town commissions and volunteer boards. In a lot of towns right now, theyre not able to do the work that needs to be done because they cant find the people to do them.

Kanzler, who was born and raised in Conway, had been in the minority as a New Hampshire lawmaker under 40. Previously a high school history teacher at his own alma mater, he originally ran for the position after hearing from one too many students that they were leaving the state after graduation and not looking back.

I wanted to see more kids stay, because I stayed. And Ive so far been very happy with that decision, Kanzler said. I just had two children. I would love them to go to college and go and see the world but ultimately want to come back to New Hampshire, because it is a wonderful place.

The ongoing departure of young people from the state is an exodus Kanzler had already experienced firsthand. When he graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2009 amid the recession, none of his friends were able to afford housing, and he watched them leave one by one.

If there had been housing opportunities, could they have stayed here? Theyre very intelligent people. Could they have started new nonprofits to target different issues our community has, would they have started new businesses that would have offered services that we dont currently have here? Kanzler said. Every time someone who knows intimately the needs of a community leaves, thats a lost opportunity for the community.

Stay Work Plays survey also found that a staggering one out of five respondents did not have a single friend in close proximity to them, and one out of four were isolated from family. Stewart said this is an issue they call the loneliness factor.

Were working to create those connections among people, and ultimately get young people to put down roots here, Stewart said. A big part of that is feeling like you belong.

According to the index, millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, are less likely to be civically engaged and vote than other generations. And while the states millennials connect more with friends and family than any other group, they show lower rates in connecting with their neighbors, knowing how to get involved and feeling like they matter to their community.

Its imperative that we find the people and get them on board and engaged, or were just not going to have the ability to function at an optimal level, Stewart said. Looking forward five, ten, twenty years from now, its going to be very challenging to do the things we need to do as a civic society.

Stewart added that municipalities often rely on passive strategies such as posting events on their websites and calling it a day. He encouraged civic bodies and nonprofits that need committee members and board members to reach out to young professionals networks and other social platforms to share opportunities.

I think we cant afford to be passive anymore. We need to be very proactive about reaching out to young people, Stewart said. We cant rely on the same things that weve always done just being there and expecting them to come. We need to go to them. A lot of people are just waiting to be asked, so we need to ask them.

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative as part of our race and equity project. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.

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What it takes to make a difference: Barriers to civic engagement stand in the way of good government, vibrant communities - Manchester Ink Link

Any entrepreneur starting a business will hit speed bumps, but forBlack entrepreneurs, those speed bumps are often bigger.

Damon Rawls, principal strategist with The Innovation Digital Agency and founder of the KnoxvilleBlack Business Directory, is afourth-generation Black business owner.

His mom owned an assisted living facility, his grandfather was a contractor and his great-grandfather repackaged and sold day-old bread from stores that wouldn't allow Black people to shop there.

Although technology has made it easier for people to bring their entrepreneurial ideas to life, Rawls said, not much has changed through the generations.

"I don't think we've come very far at all," he said. "There's (challenges with) ... access to not only capital but in reference to how communities see your business. Because we still live in a world where Black people are seen in a certain way. So, therefore their businesses are kind of seen inferior."

How to support Knoxville Black businesses

Calvin Mattheis, Knoxville News Sentinel

Local media outlets have not always told the full story of Knoxvilles Black communities and, historically, that includes Knox News. While we work to ensure Black communities are truly and fully present in our coverage, there are important stories we've missed along the way.

Join us for a five-story series exploringthe experience ofBlack-owned businesses in Knoxville, from the legacy companiesto thenew ventures.

The Knoxville Black Business Directory is helping Knoxville consumers who want to support Black-owned businesses.Rawls said many Knoxvillians are being intentional with how they spend their money in response to the ongoing racial reckoning that has made people reconsider howthey support Black-owned businesses.

"And a portion of that is, even if you decide to spend Black, you're spending money with a Knoxvillian; you're not spending money with an outsider," Rawls said. "And so, it goes to grow the economy."

Despite the historical and present-day obstaclesBlack business owners have faced, the Black business community is poisedfor growth.Adollar spent at a Black-owned business today could help create more jobs down the road, Rawls said.

And when young Black people seeexamples of business successfrom people who look like them, it can make their dreams more attainable.

"It was the same thing when we saw President Obama," Rawls said. "There had been no other Black presidents. But now, in the lexicon of children, they know: 'I can grow up to be a president. No matter what the world says, I know it because it's been done.'"

On a national level, less than 2% of top executives at the 50 largest companies are Black, according to a review by USA Today. In communities across the country, including Knoxville, some consumers seeking services still weigh skin color over qualifications, Rawls said.

"People have said it as, 'Your ice is not as cold.,'" hesaid. "It's still weighted. ... I can't control the other side of that. I can't control the image. I can control the output, which is my product that I give, which will be the best."

Published2:31 am UTC Sep. 29, 2021Updated2:31 am UTC Sep. 29, 2021

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Black business owners are clearing hurdles today and for the future, but it's not easy - Knoxville News Sentinel

Decentralized research organization (DRO) Care Access announced it has expanded its partnership with Eli Lilly in order to broaden the representation in its cancer research to increase participation of minority populations (such as Black, Hispanic, and LatinX people). The partnership reportedly will seek to increase inclusivity among oncologists, PIs, patients, and other groups.

Over the past decade, we have been committed to increasing enrollment of racially and ethnically diverse clinical trials, including educating physicians and patients about the importance of diversity and partnering with organizations dedicated to expanding representation, said Amy Davis, senior director of oncology clinical development with Lilly. This is critical for an illness like breast cancer in which women of color have been historically underrepresented in clinical trials. Our work with Care Access, an organization equally committed to increasing representation of minority group members in clinical trials, brings us one step closer to achieving these diversity goals.

Lilly will work with Care Access on its Phase III breast cancer study, dubbed eMonarcHER, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of Abemaciclib (LY2835219) in participants with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal receptor 2 positive, high-risk, early breast cancer who are taking hormone therapy after surgery. Cancer trials have historically under-enrolled patients from minority groups due to a number of possible obstacles, include geographical barriers, cultural differences, and a persistent distrust in health care.

By contrast, the eMonarcHER study has the stated goal of better engaging diverse groups of physicians and patients, in order to conduct research more fully representative of the US population. Additionally, according to the collaborators, the study has a more intentional focus on the recruitment of Black women with breast cancer, have a 40% higher mortality rate than white women.

Care Access representatives report that in order to boost enrollment, the organization will turn to members of its Patient Access team to establish and foster local community partners (including healthcare systems, physician groups, diversity-focused groups, advocacy groups, and community centers serving underrepresented minority populations.

According to Care Access, the partnership will build upon the two organizations previous work on COVID-19 trials, taking a three-pronged approach:

We have the unique ability to deliver quality care to patients in their own communities through our Sites on Demand program, creating more access and encouraging participation of all populations, said Ahmad Namvargolian, CEO of Care Access. While theres been a 40% decline in breast cancer deaths over the last 30 years, a stark mortality gap remains between Black women and Caucasian women; its absolutely critical for our industry to address these hollowing disparities.

We are confident in our ability to expand patient access to deliver lifesaving treatments to patients faster and are excited to partner with Lilly on eMonarcHER to increase representation in clinical trials for minority group members immediately and for decades to come, Namvargolian added.

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Eli Lilly partners with Care Access to increase trial diversity - OutSourcing-Pharma.com

CDC: Pregnant women with COVID-19 more likely to be hospitalized

Breaking from their earlier guidance, the CDC now says pregnant women with COVID-19 are at higher risk than non-pregnant women.

USA TODAY

While new data shows overall racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccinations are improving,federal numbers show pregnant Black people are the least vaccinated compared to those expecting in other races.

In general, vaccination rates among those who are pregnant have been low, with only 18% receiving a dose, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

But therate is even lower among those who are Black: Just 15% are fully vaccinated andonly 13% have received at least one dose, according to the CDC.

Black women experience disproportionate rates of maternal complications and mortality, and pregnant women are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19, leaving them especially vulnerable without immunization.

Women giving birth while having COVID-19 had significantly higher rates of ICU admission, intubation, ventilationand death, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. In August alone, 21 pregnant people died of COVID-19, according to the CDC.

Stay connected: Subscribe to Coronavirus Watch, your daily update on all things COVID-19 in the USA

During a COVID-19 White House briefing Tuesday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky noted the statistics andexplained a vaccine's safetyfor pregnant women.

Across other racial groups, the reported rates of vaccinations among pregnant people are more promising: About a quarter of Hispanic or Latinos have gotten a vaccine, a third of whites, and 45% of Asians the highest of any racial group.

Indigenous, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and other races made up 30% of vaccinated pregnant people.

Scientists have said vaccines are safe to be taken at any time while pregnant or breastfeeding for both mother and baby.

In response to a reporters question during the briefing, Walensky stressed the vulnerabilities of pregnant people and their babies, as well as the importance and safety of getting the shot while pregnant.

We are fortunate now to have extraordinary safety data with all of these vaccines. We know that pregnant women are at increased risk of severe disease, of hospitalization and ventilation. They're also at increased risk for adverse events to their baby, she said.

The director said studies have also shown vaccine antibodies could also potentially protect the baby.

She pointed to extraordinarily low rates of vaccinations among pregnant people across the board, and the extremely low rate among those who are Black.

This puts them at severe risk of severe disease from COVID-19, she said. We absolutely have the data that demonstrates the overwhelming benefit of vaccine and really very little safety concerns at all.

Dr. Pam Oliver, a physician in obstetrics and gynecology and executive vice presidentat North Carolina's Novant Health, said the low rate sounds an alarm to build better health care provider relationships with Black women.

"As a Black female OB-GYN committed to reducing disparities, equitable access to care, there's a little bit of sadness, and concern," she said. "What this says is that we have a significant hill to climb to both get the trust of Black women in general but especially during pregnancy so we can really protect them with the vaccine."

Without an 'ounce of empathy':Their stories show the dangers of being Black and pregnant

Oliver said many women encounter misinformation surrounding the vaccine and pregnancy on social media, leading to doubts. To fight the misinformation, she said clinicians need to patiently engage with women's questions, validate their emotions and then reassure them with science.

"Pregnancy is aprecious time. It's also atime that a lot of women have fear," she said. "It is natural to have questions... so let's talk about what we know, let's put it in perspective."

Oliver also said exploring other reasons, such as whether Black women are delaying prenatal care, is another important step in getting more vaccinated.

Massachusetts General Hospital obstetrician and gynecologist and Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Andrea Edlow said the low rate is another complicated manifestationofsystemic racism. She also questionedwhether people have barriers getting to prenatal visits.

Pregnant women 'didn't have the data' until now: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, even for babies, study shows

But even if they do get to a prenatal appointment, logistical problems like vaccine storage could make it difficult for clinicians to administer the shot on the spotwithout wasting what remains in the vial.

Edlow also cited the lack oftrust in maternal health care which could be, in part, due to the historicgynecological abuses on Black women, she said, as well as high rates of Black maternal mortality.

"There's a lot of reasons why Black women in this country have a complicated relationship with childbirth, and have some fearfulness of prenatal care, potentially going to hospitals," she said. "It's definitely something people bring up."

Edlow, whose lab researches maternal obesity and fetal development,said sending trusted community health workers into their own communities to dispel fears and answer questions isessential "to be caught up."

"We have to do this work with communities of color," she said. "We need to meet people where they are."

During the White House briefing, officials cited a Kaiser Family Foundation report released Tuesday that showednarrowing vaccination disparities between white people and Black and Hispanic people.

Among the surveyed adults, the foundation said 73% of Hispanic people,70% of Black people and 71% of white people reported receivingat least one dose.

The administration's COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force director, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, referenced those rates along withsimilar percentages ina Pew Research Center survey and the CDC'sNational Immunization Survey.

'My daughter doesn't get to know her mother': Woman dies from COVID days after giving birth

More: US Health and Human Services unveils action plan to address 'maternal morbidity,' reduce racial disparities

"That's the result of intentional work to address those barriers, to address those concerns,"Nunez-Smith said. "We've made important progress in increasing vaccination rates and in decreasing vaccination inequities. These numbers represent much more than simply time passing. They tell the story of an all of society effort to get us to where we are today."

After noting the progress,"We know there is work still to be done," she said.

"We, of course, continue to see new hospitalizations and deaths from COVID that we can prevent," she said. "We just need to have the strength and the commitment to one another to ... keep fighting and to finish the job."

Black and Hispanic people also make up larger shares of recent vaccinations over the past two weekscompared to their shares of the population. According to theKaiser foundationanalysis, among vaccines administered in the past two weeks, 23% have gone to Hispanic people and 14% to Black people.

"These recent patterns suggest a narrowing of racial gaps in vaccinations at the national level, particularly for Hispanic and Black people, who account for a larger share of recent vaccinations compared to their share of the total population," the analysis found.

Reach Nada Hassanein at nhassanein@usatoday.com or on Twitter @nhassanein_.

Originally posted here:

Pregnant people face 'severe risk of severe disease' from COVID-19. That's not motivating them to get vaccinated. - USA TODAY

On Sept. 1, Senate Bill 8 went into effect, banning abortions in the state of Texas after about six weeks of pregnancy with nearly no exceptions, becoming the most restrictive abortion law in the nation. The Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, failed to block the law, so even with a Democrat in the White House and a Democrat-led Congress, millions of women and transgender and non-binary people had their rights stripped away from them like a thief in the night. But for those who have been paying attention to the changing Court and as state-level lawmakers have consistently worked to restrict abortion access, especially over this past year, the news from Texas comes as little surprise. It was an onslaught years in the making, yet few heeded the warning.

Reproductive justice leaders on the front lines have long been sounding the alarm about conservatives consolidating power at the state level, leading to this years widespread attacks on abortion access and voting rights. Now, with the midterms fast approaching, we cant afford to lose voters to burnout and disillusionment. Instead, we have to listen to the leaders whove been working around the clock to ensure people have safe and destigmatized access to healthcare. We have to have a new, robust, mainstream conversation about reproductive justiceabout where we are failing and where we can still succeed. We have to ground people in the true stakes of this fight and make clear who will be most affected by these restrictive policies. Regardless of the outcome of any one election, we must always be out in the streets, participating in and advocating for the future we want.

To do so, ELLE.com brought together four Black and Latinx women whove all had a front row seat to the national struggle for abortion careand have been directly impacted themselves. Below, these healthcare consultants, advocates, and practitioners discuss the devastating effects of this Texas law and what we can do now to change course.

Angela Doyinsola Aina, MPH, co-founder and executive director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance: At the root of this racist, heteropatriarchal law is white supremacy. SB 8 not only prohibits most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy but also empowers individuals to sue anyone who aids or abets a person accessing an abortion, including doctors, staff, drivers, and other community members. We know that Black mamas, their families, and communities will face the most dire consequences as a result of these types of laws that restrict their fundamental rights to comprehensive reproductive and maternal healthcare.

All of a sudden, your friends and family are debating the morality of abortion on your timeline or in your group chats, sometimes not knowing they too know someone who has had an abortion.

Ana Lucia Carmelo, MPH, healthcare consultant, public health advocate, and proud Peruvian immigrant: We know that abortions continue to happen even when they are not legal, and these type of bans disproportionately impact the underserved. It can be easy to feel hopeless, and events like this are especially triggering for people who have had abortions. All of a sudden, your friends and family are debating the morality of abortion on your timeline or in your group chats, sometimes not knowing they too know someone who has had an abortion. That being said, I always think about the quote by Mariame Kaba, Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair. After allowing myself time to get informed and feel my feelings, I looked for ways to get involved: donating to Texas abortion funds, amplifying messages from activists and community organizers on the ground in Texas, and vocalizing my support for abortion access.

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Cynthia Adriana Gutierrez, first-generation Nicaraguan Salvadoran and reproductive justice organizer: My personal experience of having an abortion at 22 years old has been at the forefront of how I approach this work. At the time of my abortion, I left an abusive relationship, was experiencing housing insecurity, lacked a steady income to support myself, and was living with a substance use disorder. Then, I learned I was pregnant. It was all too much to bear, and having an abortion was the best decision for me. I have no regrets and no shame around it. Being an abortion storyteller with We Testify, an organization meant to foster the leadership of people who had abortions, has transformed my work.

Chanel Porchia, founder of Ancient Song Doula Services: The stories of my grandmother having multiple miscarriages before having my mother, my sister having a child as a teenager and seeing how she was treated within her care, my own reproductive health experiences from my early 20s, into motherhood, and now into perimenopause. How was I made to feel in every instance of my care? Was it centered in informed consent? Did my grandmother have room to not feel shame when talking about her reproductive struggles? These questions were and continue to be foundational [for me] in centering the voices of others in their reproductive health choices.

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Ana Lucia Carmelo, MPH, healthcare consultant, public health advocate, and proud Peruvian immigrant: A major failure that comes to mind is the need to find a perfect victim. Folks really emphasized the fact that the Texas law would impact rape and incest victims, especially children. But why does support and empathy have to be conditional? I understand that part of it is to get folks who would not otherwise support abortions to see the worst case scenario of the law, but ultimately that perpetuates the stigma around abortions and makes folks continuously have to justify why they chose to have one. If we only agree with abortion in these worst case scenarios, we are saying that people only deserve bodily autonomy, empathy, and access to abortions once their bodies have been violated. We cannot be content with the bare minimum of legality without critically considering what care, empathy, and access look like for people who get an abortion.

If we only agree with abortion in these worst case scenarios, we are saying that people only deserve bodily autonomy, empathy, and access to abortions once their bodies have been violated.

Cynthia Adriana Gutierrez, first-generation Nicaraguan Salvadoran and reproductive justice organizer: When it comes to speaking on reproductive justicethe human rights framework centering people of color in ensuring we all are able to decide if, when, and how to grow families free from violence and coercionand abortion access, we must always prioritize people with lived experiences. We are the experts of our own lives and are the most qualified to shut down false narratives. I hope the Court listens to us. Its shameful that BIPOC women who have abortions are not prioritized in the national conversation. There needs to be a more intentional attempt to include the voices of abortion storytellers with disabilities, parents, those who are undocumented, and queer, trans, and gender non-conforming folks.

Chanel Porchia, founder of Ancient Song Doula Services: Through the intentional silencing of our voices due to a lack of uplifting community-based organizations that directly work with those most impacted. When policymakers, organizations, and others dont center those most impacted, we already know that the agenda was never set in our favor, but rather continues to center privilege and access through the white gaze. Organizations like SisterWeb, Ancient Song, Mamatoto Village, Birthmark Doulas, Kindred Space LA and more have been working tirelessly to center their communities, and that directly comes from listening and meeting people where they are, not where we think they should be.

Black women and our Latinx sisters are no longer asking to be heard, and out of necessity, we are now formulating our own standards of care.

Angela Doyinsola Aina, MPH, co-founder and executive director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance: Black and Latinx women have long been ignored, along with their reproductive rights advocacy work. The fact that theres a long history of reproductive coercion, obstetric violence, and denial of quality care experienced by Black and Latinx women in the U.S. is a further injustice. Black women and our Latinx sisters are no longer asking to be heard, and out of necessity, we are now formulating our own standards of care. That is what the Black Mamas Matter Alliance is about. We have created a space and network that centers Black mamas rights to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.

Ana Lucia Carmelo, MPH, healthcare consultant, public health advocate, and proud Peruvian immigrant: A lot of people currently live in places where Roe v. Wade exists merely in statute; an abortion is not an attainable reality for them due to costs, lack of nearby facilities, or poor quality care. The possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned is concerning, especially for BIPOC, but legalizing abortion is only one piece of what it would mean to make abortion accessible and destigmatized. Putting meaning behind phrases like abortion is healthcare or my body, my choice rests on complete access to affordable, dignified, and empathic reproductive healthcare. There is so much about how healthcare works in this country that is related to who we are, what we look like, and where we live. In my own experience getting an abortion at Planned Parenthood, it became clear to me just how impersonal abortion care can be, even in a progressive city like New York: the metal detectors upon entering, the lack of Spanish translators, the shuttling back and forth between rooms with no explanation, the open concept recovery rooms with no privacy, the constant mispronunciation of my name. A hyper-focus on protecting Roe v. Wade without considering the consistent access and quality issues that exist disregards the lived experience of so many people who have had an abortion. We need to protect the right to abortion, yes, but we also need to ensure that abortions are humanized, dignified, and accessible to any person that wants one.

Chanel Porchia, founder of Ancient Song Doula Services: The entire conversation needs to change to understand that reproductive healthcare access in the United States is an embarrassment, to say the least, and needs to be addressed on a systemic level. When we continue to separate the full spectrum of care that individuals need at certain points in their reproductive life, of course it is Black, brown, and Indigenous peoples who feel the burden. Black, brown, and Indigenous birthing people and those seeking reproductive health services access deserve to be seen, heard, and loved.

Ana Lucia Carmelo, MPH, healthcare consultant, public health advocate, and proud Peruvian immigrant: Collectively, I believe the single most important or impactful thing we can do to shift the tide of abortion access is to pass universal healthcare. Radically reimagining healthcare is such an important aspect of access. We have examples where a different world is possible: free COVID-19 vaccines for everyone, for instance. This is on policymakers, but we have seen that they have no impetus to make progress without pressure from us.

Reproductive healthcare access in the United States is an embarrassment, to say the least, and needs to be addressed on a systemic level.

Cynthia Adriana Gutierrez, first-generation Nicaraguan Salvadoran and reproductive justice organizer: There are so many ways you can get involved, such as driving people to their appointments, making sure they have gas money, helping out with childcare or translations, and offering your home to folks who are traveling for multi-day procedures. And of course, continue donating to Texas abortion funds: La Frontera Fund, Lilith Fund, Texas Equal Access Fund, West Fund. You can donate to all of them at once here.

These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Reproductive Justice Leaders on the New Texas Abortion Law - ELLE.com