Reproductive Justice (RJ) is the human right to have a child, to not have a child, to parent the children that we have in healthy and safe environments, to make sure there aren’t food deserts or contaminated water or police bullets, conditions that do not make communities safe for the children we bring into the world. It’s rooted in the human rights framework.
Ultimately RJ is about the human right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. It doesn’t just focus solely on abortion, but it also unapologetically centers it. RJ also centers on the most marginalized and actively works to dismantle systems of oppression that historically have made it so that a choice is not always possible for marginalized communities — including women who are incarcerated.
Reproductive health care, sexual health and reproductive justice are essential components of holistic wellness for all women. Unfortunately, many women, especially BIPOC women, do not realize the power of their individual and collective voices in changing the narrative surrounding reproductive health care and advocacy.
2022 Campaign
In 2022 Emergent Justice played a leadership role in a women’s coalition that created the Reproductive Freedom for All (RFF) ballot initiative which sought to ensure every person the fundamental right to reproductive freedom through a change to the Michigan’s Constitution.
Emergent Justice was among the organizations that spent months collecting signatures to get the initiative on Michigan’s November 2022 ballot. Those signatures were delivered to Lansing by coalition leaders on Monday, July 11.
Once RFFA became an official proposal on the November ballot (Prop 3), we concentrated our efforts on educating the public about the truth of what a Yes vote on the proposal would mean for Michiganders. On November 9th, we celebrated the Proposal’s passing.