COLOR - Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights

COLOR - Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights

Location: Denver
Number of Visioners: 5

About This Group:

COLOR's vision is that Latinas and their families

have the knowledge, freedom, and power

to access a full range of opportunities

for the health of their body, mind, and spirit.

The mission of COLOR is to organize a sisterhood of Latinas

through education and advocacy

for reproductive rights and quality healthcare.

COLOR's Goals

1) Increase education and leadership opportunities

with Latinas in Colorado so that they have access to

the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and rights;

2) Ensure that Latino students have access to culturally-proficient, comprehensive sexuality education;

3) Promote equal access to quality, culturally-proficient

healthcare services for Latinas in Colorado;

4) Maintain and enhance COLOR's strong organizational infrastructure.

For more info: http://colorlatina.org

 

Participants: Miriam Madrid
Jacy Montoya
Kenia Morales
Daniel Gonzalez
Lupe Vargas
First Question: What values do you seek to live by? Answers:

Honesty

Humility

Humbleness

Equality

Inclusiveness

Balance

Organicness

Nurturing

Simplicity

Allowing your movement to enrich you

Family

Love

Courage

Caring

Multilinguality

Accountability

Food

Humility

Challenging comfort

Consistency

Readiness

Openness

 
Second Question: What would our communities look like -- including the health care system -- if they were deeply aligned with these values? Answers:

A cul de sac each house had curtains, no doors,

each house had purposes - music, curandera

All would congegrate

Youth run around among houses, balls flying, listening to elders' stories, playing

No cars; bikes, skates

Pregnant women had bellies painted - flowers

doula for pregnancy

We would cook, eat together

Hospital/clinic - small, people know you, no paperwork, low bureaucracy

Opened door to my house

Yards w/picket fences   walking/dogs/no cars

People on bikes, walking, dogs, no cars, talking to neighbors

People in yards

Diverse neighborhoods, festivals

There was a plaza w/grass

What you need - coffee stand

 

Preg women pampered -- almost worshipped, honored

riding in hover chairs, but also empowered

honored time of life

Work had kids around, engaged in work, kids everywhere

 

House wasn't a fixed structure -- comprised of people & shifting spaces, kept changing, always peopled

House like hotel rooms - friends there lots of eating, families, books

flowing water

Lots of pregnant people

Community area close, groceries, etc.

No cars

Living & dining outside of your front door

Families everywhere

No white folks

Not a reproductive entity but child adopter

Multiracial families

More people than houses

 

People outside working on cars

Music - oldies, hiphop, doowop

Older women on sidewalk sweeping

Food cooking at home, but still clean

Moms screaming at kids ("perfect")

People screaming at each other ("get out of the street!")

[Pictured self at] market, kid, friends (lots of people), swollen belly, picked food, food cooking, clean

Cars, $, but all had the means

People came to you when you're sick, when you're pregnant

Lot in front of house playground, trees, no front yards

Communal childrearing; it takes a village

everyone doing what is right for them

 

Not every child planned & not have child when you feel like it - But rather doing what's rt for you.  Everyone doing what's rt for them

-Abor. legal& accessible

-Adoption, but not formal

Abortion: you go to curandera

Queer folks/kids all around (turkey baster? AI?)

Decision to have kids decided w/partner, conversation

Pregnant if they wanted & not if not.

 

Abortions didn't happen

Preg happened b/c it happened.  If you wanted it, it happened

I had 5 kids (mine & friends)

Interesting combinations of families

"Unplanned ≠ unwanted"

All had resources & support so what worked best is what happened

There were still "fucked up things" (eg, unintended pregnancies), but very fewer

No stigma - breastfeeding

World w/o stigma, not w/o probs.

Resources weren't the issue

 
Third Question: What does reproductive justice look like? Answers:

Addresses people as they are

-not just a reproductory system, caregiver, and/or worker

-issues as they are experienced

-race, class sexual orientation, etc.

"or whatever"

 

Repro rights = about law.  Reproductive Justice is a movement to assure access to those rights

Starts at & works at intersections

works there because they're interconnected -- full reproductive autonomy & freedom

Evolving movement

Emotionally, mentally & physically,

Encompasses women & family as a whole

politically & socially

Giving ppl info they need to make their own decisions & create a world where ppl can access decision making

Emotionally, mentally, & physically, politically & socially (can't address my needs w/o

seeing all of me)

Repro Race & Class - broad enough but specific enough

 
Fourth Question: What policies and programs would create a society where reproductive justice is a reality? Answers:

Social Support System

-like in France/etc.

- for all (not just folks w/ kids)

- not stigmatized- b/c all get it

Self sufficiency line, not poverty line

 

Policies reflect comp. sex ed w/pleasure

-science based

-culturally approp.

- but also pleasure -- sex for enjoyment not just for babies

Safe lube

 

Policies to make it easier for ppl to make choices for their own lives (no Hyde for ex)                                Better contraception access, w/out bureaucracy

 

TANF reform

-eligibility that is not contrary to helping families

- holistic & family friendly

 
Fifth Question: What other changes would help to achieve a society where reproductive justice is a reality? Answers:

Orgs [act] as 'institutions' -- like school; alienating to youth

if ppl recognized this isn't true

Not using titles, orgl connections, just names - making connections

Universal Healthcare

Including immigrants and repro health

Repeal Hyde Am

 

Opening space for more families to congregate/convivrr

Be transparent about who we are

Be whole selves

  • Daughter of imm.
  • Young - queer

Do more to support families

Not just defeat bills

Bring bills

-midwifery

-condoms in schools

Federal $ for comp. sex ed and no $ for abst. til married

Tuition equity

-for undocumented

Land rights for all - free air, H2O, land

Find a way to be accountable to stake holders when $ comes fr elsewhere

Not rely on foundations

Rely on creativity/cooking/skills we have

Tabor reform - eg dental benefits under CHIPS & Medicaid (for postpartum women)

Freedom of movement

Open the border

Immigration Laws

-         no dentention center - or family centers

-         police brutality, racial profiling

Prog. for women drug addicted & preg.

Safe cosmetics & cleaning supplies

Support on campus for preg./parent teens

Bring policy makers to our folks (not the other way around)  -- accessible decisionmakers (they ask immig. status of folks who testify)

Our peeps become the policy makers

Become leaders