Discussions - From a Grassroots Perspective!

I'm super excited about today! We will be at the RACE SEX and POWER conference at UIC! Talking about organizing young women around reproductive and social justice issues.

So I submitted my proposal and it was accepted! On the panel will be Affinity Community Services, Chicago Abortion Fund's My Voice, My Choice, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and Mujeres Latinas en Accion. We are going to talk about why it's important to have young women at the table organizing, the challenges and of course the successes! I know this is going to be a great discussion! In fact, we need more outlets like this. We need more spaces and places where we can make our voices heard.

I'm really looking forward to it. Yesterday one of the My Voice members stated that she didn't know she was sitting on the panel. And I told her why wouldn't she think that? Oh yeah I know why....because "Others" have tended to be the mouthpieces for so long. Oh no, I told her. This is your group. You have to talk. I am not talking for you. This is the entire purpose of the group. And she was like - yeah you're right, I get it.

This is a learning process for us. We're not perfect....we are learning and growing together in this movement. My job is to find the spaces and places for these conversations to occur (our cable access show, this blog, conferences and workshops). The leadership group's job is to give voice to their own experiences! I'm not speaking for them....oh no! This is their baby and they can do it!