Soapbox Inc

Today our students explored various aspects of Reproductive Justice. 

In the morning session, students broke into smaller groups and attended reproductive justice meetings with: Choices in Childbirth, Guttmacher Institute, Choices Medical Clinic, Lynn Paltrow of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, and Planned Parenthood.

Recap of Boot Camp:

In the afternoon session, students met with two Planned Parenthood of NYC activists, who conducted a Reproductive Rights bootcamp.  Students learned how to take their knowledge about reproductive justice and put it into action.  They received many handouts and tips to become better activists.

Federal Overview: college students are not citizens, but constituents- and should feel compelled to continue with any plans for action if they please. Political knowledge will enhance activism and successfully gathering news can equip activists with the knowledge to make convincing arguments.

Tricky Subjects: the key to 'winning' for any activist and cause is to tell other what they care about. To communicate correctly, it is important to focus on framing your argument in a way that is both gentle to the opposition and convincing, bringing both sides together instead of provoking bumper sticker responses.

Activism 2.0: Why do we organize? Organizing can give us a collective voice, and allows us ....

1. to be powerful

2. to empower others

3. to create change

4. to be visible

5. to educate

Recruitment/Retention: split up work and make everyone within a group feel valued in order to create an excited and enthusiastic group. Similarly, remember that passive membership is still valuable, but it is important to engage the activists within your group and hold them accountable. Similarly, take responsibility for your own contributions and always follow up with your members to keep them engaged.