“Reproductive justice is our past, present, and our future. It is the framework that our ancestors thrived on. We cannot fight for reproductive and human rights without centering marginalized communities, the people who have abortions, those who parent in poverty, across borders and disabilities, and at a young age, and seek adoption in our work.…
Loretta Ross is the definition of the word “survivor.” Ross has lived through sterilization abuse, rape and was forced to raise a child born of incest. Though these conditions, ones that affect women of color disproportionately, could have limited her potential, she instead became an advocate for women’s rights, diversity, and human rights. “I’ve been…
Since its establishment in 1987, Women’s History Month has been celebrated to honor achievements that women have contributed to American popular culture, politics, art, and other aspects of American history. In the second chapter of our yearlong reproductive justice campaign, the Reproductive Health Access Project is excited to highlight visible women who are change-makers and…
Ruth Barnett, an abortionist in the first half of the 1900s, was an example of a self-made woman. After becoming pregnant at the age of 16 and obtaining an abortion from a doctor, she became convinced that all women who sought to have an abortion deserved the right to get one. She connected with Dr.…
One wouldn’t expect such an inflamed reaction for sitting on the bus after a long day, but Rosa Parks did just that—and was arrested for it because she refused to give up her seat in the “colored section” of a bus to a white passenger. Her activism in the civil rights movement, however, began long…
Our final day of #WomensHistoryMonth coincides with Transgender Day of Visibility. We want to shed light to the importance that trans activist Miss Major has contributed to LGBT rights and her work with the transgender community. Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, best known as Miss Major is a formerly incarcerated, black trans woman and pioneering activist in…
This #WomensHistoryMonth Friday, we recognize March 25th as the 106th anniversary of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City. A devastating 146 immigrants of Jewish and Italian descent lost their lives, 123 of them being young women and teenage girls. As the industrial revolution took full force, inhumane working conditions were the…
On the third Friday of Women’s History Month, we bring insight to a Latina pioneer in the medical and public health industry. Helen Rodriguez-Trias (1929-2001) was a Puerto Rican physician and advocate for the expansion of healthcare for marginalized persons (especially low income women and children of color). Her introduction to public health was mainly…
International Women’s Day was first observed in 1911 as the industrial revolution heightened and women were being more vocal about the oppression and inequalities that they were facing in society. Observed on March 8th every year, it took 70 years before Congress authorized President Carter to recognize the entire week of March 8th as “Women’s…
RHAP’s first #WomensHistoryMonth feature goes into detail about the 1875 Page Act- Exclusion of Chinese Women immigrants into the U.S. The Gold Rush of 1848 brought upon an influx of different groups of immigrants to the state of California, including migrants from China. Shortly following, growing xenophobia against this population rose and the United States…