Latina Advocacy Group Launches New Campaign, “¡Soy Poderosa!”

This week, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) launched a new civic engagement campaign to engage, mobilize, and highlight civic participation by Latinas, their families, and their communities. The campaign, ¡Soy Poderosa! Igniting Latina Power for Health, Dignity and Justice, will roll out nationwide with activities coming to a peak in August during the Third Annual Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice and continuing beyond the November elections.
NLIRH will work with Latina activists on the ground in Texas and other states to organize events, petition drives, advocacy trainings, voter registration drives, and visits to local officials. In addition, NLIRH is launching a new website for the campaign, SoyPoderosa.org, and will use social media to shine a spotlight on the many ways Latinas declare and exercise power in their communities.
The National Latina Institute launched the campaign with an event in Washington timed to coincide with the anniversary of the historic 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v Wade. “For many women—particularly women of color, including Latinas, and immigrant women—the right to abortion guaranteed under the law cannot overcome the barriers to access in real life,” said Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of NLIRH.
At the launch, Kirsten Moore, president and CEO of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project, underscored the importance of women’s health and reproductive rights groups engaging with Latina communities and leaders on issues like contraception and access to abortion care. Citing a new poll, Moore observed that, “Latino/as have shown their willingness to respect and support the decisions of others, even when we’re talking about something as politically and culturally contested as abortion. This is a constituency we need to be involved with.” NLIRH will highlight a broad spectrum of policy priorities throughout the campaign, including: health and dignity for immigrant women and families, access to affordable abortion care and contraception, reducing health disparities, and health care access for LGBTQ Latino/as.
González-Rojas continued, “Our challenges should not be underestimated. But neither should our power. Even as Latinas face policies that endanger our health and divide our families, we are determined to lead the fight for justice and health.”
The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national organization working on behalf of the reproductive health and justice of the 20 million Latinas, their families and communities in the United States through public education, community mobilization and policy advocacy.