Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice 2011

The 2nd Annual Latina Reproductive Justice Week of Action is here!

Looking for the 2010 Latina RJ Week of Action? Click here

This year, NLIRH, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) and Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) are excited to launch our 2^nd Annual Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice on August 1-5, 2011.

This year’s theme is Caminamos: Justice for Immigrant Women. We're inviting everyone to join us in moving toward a brighter future for immigrant women and their families. Mean-spirited enforcement, workplace exploitation, and the criminalization of basic rights like education and health care are just a few of the challenges that have forced immigrant women into the shadows and ignored the crucial, positive role we play in our communities.

Along with individuals and ally organizations, NLIRH, CLRJ and COLOR will bring immigrant women and their families from the margins to the center of our dialogue and action. Whether you are an immigrant yourself or an ally, we invite you to move with us in fighting back against negative rhetoric and harmful programs.

Ways to get involved in this year's Week of Action:

1. Take Action: Urge Secretary Napolitano to protect and serve immigrant women!

Walk with us. Demand that the Department of Homeland Security halt the 287(g) and Secure Communities programs until the DHS Inspector General completes a comprehensive review of the programs and how they affect our families. In their place, let’s create family-friendly immigration policies that take into account the fact that immigrants and our families are the backbone of our communities.

Go here to take action!

2. Join us at our virtual cafecito, or in person at events in DC and NYC

We'll be busy during the week of action! We invite you to join us at any of these events:

Monday August 1

Thursday August 4

Friday August 5

Bilingual Virtual Cafecito

Join the National Coalition for Immigrant Women’s Rights to discuss the increasing pressures immigrant women face. This will be a virtual cafecito, so grab your coffee and RSVP here for call-in information. Para obtener información sobre este cafecito en español, por favor haga clic aqui.

DC Film Screening

Join us in DC for a documentary film screening of “Made in LA,” which depicts the lives of three Latina immigrants working in the Los Angeles garment sweatshop factories. A discussion and Q&A session will follow the documentary screening. RSVP here.

NYC Happy Hour & Silent Auction

Come meet other reproductive justice advocates and learn about NLIRH's work. There will also be a silent fine art auction. RSVP here.

Go here to see events hosted by our activist networks and partners.

3. What's the real problem?

We're hosting a blog carnival in response to this question--what's the real problem behind the targeting of immigrant women? Add your perspective, read those posted on our blog and join us in bringing the focus back to the real problems in our communities, rather than the scapegoating of immigrant women.

Go here to learn more about our blog carnival.

4. Join us on Facebook and Twitter

During the week of action we'll be pushing the dialogue about immigrant women on facebook and twitter. Join us there to spread the message that immigrant women's lives and experiences matter!

Facebook: Follow the conversation at our page, and change your profile picture in honor of the week of action.

Twitter: Follow us, change your twitter avatar in honor of the week of action and use the hashtag #latinaRJwk to follow the conversation.