Hi John-

Last week, the Senate confirmed Trump’s third Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Her lifetime appointment cements an 6-3 conservative supermajority that puts abortion rights, marriage equality, and access to health care at risk. In addition to Barrett’s confirmation, we are still patiently waiting for the results of several general election races.

Like you, we are angry and sad about the state and future of abortion access in this country. Reproaction was formed in 2015 because what the mainstream reproductive rights movement was doing wasn’t working. The fight for abortion access and reproductive justice isn’t over and we’re not giving up. Now is the time to educate yourself and others about self-managed abortion with pills and how to fight back as people who have abortions face incarceration or worse.

This month is also a good time to practice mindfulness and self-care. As Angela Davis puts it, “If we don’t start practicing collective self-care now, there's no way to imagine, much less reach, a time of freedom.” Listen to her full 2018 interview on radical self-care here.

Check out what’s going on this month:

Policing Parenthood: Marginalization, Oppression, & Parental Rights
Tuesday, November 17
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET
Register here.

This panel discussion will explore the struggles around parental rights and discrimination based on HIV status, drug use, and gender identity. Attendees will learn about how the state relies on punitive measures to control what should be autonomous parental decisions, the unique barriers that people of marginalized identities face in their decisions to become parents and raise their children, and how parents of marginalized identities face cultural stigma and state-sanctioned punishment.

Panelists include: Very special guests, Claire Gasamagera and Ci Ci Covin, who will be sharing their breastfeeding experiences as people living with HIV; Nataley Neuman, organizer in Wisconsin for Reproaction; and Derek Siegel, PhD Student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Add this event to your Facebook calendar here.

Personhood: Policing Pregnant Women in America
Sign-up for updates on future screenings of this critically acclaimed documentary.

Last month, Reproaction and National Advocates for Pregnant Women hosted a virtual screening of the critically acclaimed documentary, Personhood: Policing Pregnant Women in America for more than 150 supporters.

This new documentary explores the dangerous consequences of fetal personhood laws through the story of Tammy Loertscher, a pregnant woman living in Wisconsin who was referred for investigation under Wisconsin’s Unborn Child Protection Act (Act 292).

Did you miss out? Sign-up to be the first to know when we host future screenings of Personhood: Policing Pregnant Women in America.

#MaternalMondays on Twitter
Every Monday in November
On Twitter: Follow us here.

Follow Reproaction on Twitter to retweet and like our tweets every Monday. Every week there is a different theme that helps promote our mission to increase access to abortion and advance reproductive justice. This November, we will be giving thanks and showing our appreciation for reproductive justice advocates, organizers and organizations.

Action

Wisconsin’s Act 292 is a tool of reproductive oppression, and we won’t stop until Governor Tony Evers calls on all counties to end enforcement of this regressive law. Join us and take action here.
Have you ever wanted to cast a spell to stop the anti-abortion movement? In any case, sign our petition to demand more access to abortion pills!
Anti-science lies on social media threaten us all. As abortion rights supporters, we know it’s been going on for too long at Facebook, and it’s time to end it. Sign our petition now.
#BadFaithMedicine is biased, ideologically motivated “counseling” and “health care” by anti-abortion agents that frequently peddle in lies, misrepresentation, shame, and can even lead to people being denied the care they need. Learn more and take action here.

From Our Blog:

The Reproaction team explored why Amy Coney Barrett is no a champion for women and survivors, and how her confirmation to the Supreme Court will impact law enforcement and incarceration, environmental rights, democracy and voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, religious freedom, and the Affordable Care Act. Knowledge is power. Access the full series here.

Also on our blog: Eva spoke with Missouri activist Nzingha Hall for our activist interview series, Nataley wrote about Milwaukee Police Department and sexual assault, and Caitlin wrote about institutional racism and the housing crisis.

Self-Care

In this moment of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or helpless. Reproaction’s strategic plan affirms the importance of self-care, especially in activism and resistance.

Here are our self-care tips for November:

Stay Present. It’s normal to worry about the future, especially in the middle of a pandemic, ongoing civil unrest and the 2020 election. It’s important to keep yourself in the present. Be mindful of your breathing, and if you feel anxious, pause to take care of yourself. I really like the square-breathing technique and the 5-4-3-2-1 ground technique. - Caitlin, organizing lead based in Alexandria, Virginia
Reach out to loved ones. Take time to write and mail your beloved friends and family members love letters on beautiful stationery. Hype them up with words of acknowledgement and support. Looking for something to read? Read Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. Then listen to Oprah’s Book Club podcast and tv show on Apple that correspond with the book via interviews with the author and readers. -Eva, organizer based in Columbia, Missouri
Celebrate the little things! No accomplishment is too small to give yourself a pat on the back. Because we've all been suffering through this election cycle on top of a global pandemic, focusing on and celebrating the small wins helps us move forward. Celebrate making your bed, taking your dog for a walk, remembering to drink enough water, or whatever else. You deserve it. - Nataley, organizer based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Self-care is an act of resistance. Be good to yourself. For some tips on how you can reduce stress, check out this resource.

In Solidarity,

Caitlin, Evonnia, and Nataley
Reproaction Organizing Team

P.S. We’re organizing to win, donate to support our cutting-edge work.