It's been Craziii!!!!!!

Hello:

I know you haven't heard from me in a while and I have to truely apologize. I've been working really hard trying to change lives, and that takes alot. Anyway, last Saturday myself, Arthia, her friend Brianna, her niece, Emelda, Crystal, Nicole,and Gaylon went to the Lawndale neighborhood to do community outreach! We really had an amazing time and it was our first community outreach ever an we rocked it. You should have seen these ladies addressing young and old women and men of color and educating them. I was a truely amazing and Brianna even participated and this was her first time hearing about MVMC and being around us. I want to give big ups to all the women who came out and took responsibility for performing a much needed task. I think the community respected our efforts and we were well recieved.

I really appreciate all the ladies in MVMC they walked from Roosevelt and Kedzie to Roosevelt and Independence and was willing walk further to get the message to as many women and men as possible. It's been crazii indeed, but it's that sleep good a night, empowering, eager to come to work, excitied, thought provoking, frustrating, willing to go to any lengths for a woman's choice crazii. I want to thank everyone who support MVMC and CAF and all the woman who are in our amazing leadership circle.

It's hard work but somebody's got to do it! We are going to have a ball May 22nd.

Peace and Blessings!

April's Call-In Show posted!

Chicago Abortion Fund's (CAF) monthly public access (CAN-TV) call-in show. For April, Crystal hosts and we are joined by Sara from Rape Victim Advocates (RVA).

OMG!!!

My life has done a complete 360 in these past years I have been involved in the leadership group. I mean I have gone from some one that needed someone to speak up for them to the person doing the speaking. I have done everything from speaking on panels,being on television, traveling to conferences and so much more. It's not just to be doing it either. It's because I believe in the cause I'm fighting for. And I just realized this yesterday when I was doing the commercial to ask more people to join us in the fight for RJ.I am so grateful for these opportunities given to me and I plan to take advantage of every single one.

Beyond Fear

I am terrified of putting together a community outreach training regarding reproductive justice. I would have to do a lot of things that I've never done or things I get nervous about doing..(public speaking..aaagghh). But the more I think about doing it and all the people I will be spreading the word to and the people they would tell and so on and so on, the fear subsides and I am glad to do it. I hope to inspire more people to take a stand on reproductive justice and advocate more.

Random Thoughts!

I had the pleasant opportunity to attend the conference with Brittany and Nicole in Amherst, MA at Hampshire College a few weeks ago. These women blew me away with their honesty and openness. From their attentiveness in the workshops to their writing thoughts on the wall to Brittany's speakout.....I am completely amazed by them. Then not even a week later Nicole sits on a panel to talk about choice....and she was paid to do it! This is truly exciting! Becoming reproductive justice activists when all you wanted from CAF was financial assistance is a pretty empowering thing! My life has been truly transformed by all the women in the leadership group. I am honored to know them!

Hampshire Civil Liberties conference

This conference is empowering like all.Yet this one has a different vibe from the last one I was at. Also this time I have Natalie with me which alot of my attention has been focused on her. But the most empowering and different thing about this conference is the Speak Out, thats where women who have had an abortion get up and talk about there experiences. Some people spoke and some didn't. I was one of the ones that didn't speak this time but Brittany said enough for us all she rocked it!! But something that was mentioned is that alot of times Black women don't speak out about abortion because they are ashamed. Well Brittany and I have prove those people wrong and it just donned on me.I have had an abortion and I am not ashamed. I did what I had to do and it was my choice point blank.While here today I listened to this poet recite a poem that really touched my heart and the one thing that really stuck out to me is how she said something like they call me a murderer and say that I'm uneducated and ignorant but they built these schools and rules that are here to keep me in poverty. That is such a true statement and I just want to say that poem made me think about myself and all the women that struggle with every day choices. Wow this has truley been an experience.
Peace,Love, and Choice

Thanks Brittany!!!

I just watched the same movie and I felt the same as Brittany, but it also made me think about why did they choose to have the character Ruth in the situation she was in. Why did she have to be on drugs and not take care of the kids she already had. Some of the women we serve are not on drugs and do take care of their kids and most women that choose to abort like Ruth already have kids. So it was some truth and some exaggeration as Brittany pointed out.