California Latinas for Reproductive Justice advocates for abortion and other left-of-center economic and social policies in California, taking an “intersectional” approach that views economic and social issues as interconnected. The organization has played a key role in California’s expansion of abortion access, bucking the national trend of states increasingly restricting the practice. The organization supported a successful 2014 bill that allowed nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physicians’ assistants, and other non-doctors to perform abortion procedures. ¹

The organization also played a role in the unsuccessful campaign to prevent the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. Among the reasons cited was Kavanaugh’s ruling against an illegal immigrant girl held in U.S. custody that prevented her from getting an abortion. ²

Overview

California Latinas for Reproductive Justice is a Los Angeles, California-based left-of-center organization advocates for abortion and other left-of-center economic and social policies in California, taking an “intersectional” approach that views economic and social issues as interconnected. ³

The organization works through policy advocacy, community engagement, community-informed research, and strategic communications, and partners with allied organizations. ⁴

The organization was founded in December 2004 and began independent operations in January 2009 after receiving a 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS. It is currently the only organization in California that works on pro-abortion issues that is targeted towards Latinas. ⁵

As a part of the organization’s “intersectional” worldview, the organization advocates for what it calls reproductive justice. As a part of that framework, it advocates for “culturally and linguistically appropriate” healthcare, more government spending, restrictions on freedom of association through anti-discrimination laws, and “many other issues that affect Latinas/xs daily lives.” ⁶

In 2011, pro-life advocates put up pro-life billboards to persuade blacks and Latinos. The organization was part of a coalition that pressured billboard owners to remove the pro-life billboards. ⁷

Expansion Of Abortion Access

In 2014, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice joined with other organizations to support legislation to expand abortion access in the state of California by permitting nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and physicians’ assistants to perform abortion procedures in the state. ⁸

The organization supported the legislation because it believed that it would expand Latinas’ access to the procedure. It explained that many Latinas’ healthcare providers, especially those in rural areas and some urban areas, were nurse practitioners. ⁹

The organization’s support for the legislation helped its backers show that there was diverse support for the bill. Most abortion advocates are overwhelmingly white, older, and middle class. ¹⁰

Opposition To Brett Kavanaugh

In 2018, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice opposed the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. The group highlighted Kavanaugh’s ruling in a case on the D.C. Circuit Court that permitted the government to deny an abortion to a 17-year old illegal immigrant who was in the custody of the U.S. government. ¹¹ The group described Kavanaugh’s appointment as an example of “ultra-conservative white men” enacting policy it opposes as “a form of violence.” ¹²

Health Care Equity

In 2021, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice was part of a coalition that called on California to declare health care disparities a public health crisis. The coalition argued that the health care disparities between whites and minorities were a result of racism. ¹³

The coalition called on the state of California to increase health spending and redirect it towards programs designed to address racial health disparities, as well as towards “community-based organizations” that could make “racial justice interventions in the healthcare system.” ¹⁴

Leadership

Laura Jimenez is the executive director of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice. She previously worked with other pro-abortion organizations focused on women of color. ¹⁵

Finances

According to its 2019 tax return, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice had $1,336,654 in revenue and $777,257 in expenses. It had assets of $1,092,815. ¹⁶

The organization spent $135,422 on programs and advocacy while spending $641,835 on salaries and employee benefits. ¹⁷

From 2007 to 2012, the organization received various grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. ¹⁸

The organization has also received unspecified grants from Women’s Foundation of California ¹⁹ and the Grove Foundation. ²⁰

1. Carmon, Irin. “California’s Quiet Reproductive Rights Revolution.” MSNBC. March 4, 2014 https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/california-reproductive-rights-revolution-msna279481.
2. Reichard, Raquel. ““Our Bodies Are At Stake”: 7 Latina Activists On Why Kavanaugh Is So Dangerous.”.” Remezcla. Sept. 27, 2018 https://remezcla.com/features/culture/reproductive-justice-advocates-on-why-kavanaugh-is-so-dangerous/.
3. “What We Do.” California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://californialatinas.org/about-us/what-we-do/.
4. “What We Do.” California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://californialatinas.org/about-us/what-we-do/.
5. “Herstory.”  California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://californialatinas.org/about-us/herstory/.
6. “What We Do.” California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://californialatinas.org/about-us/what-we-do/.
7. “Expanding Our Choices.”  Women’s Foundation California. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://womensfoundca.org/expanding-our-choices/.
8. Carmon, Irin. “California’s Quiet Reproductive Rights Revolution.” MSNBC. March 4, 2014 https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/california-reproductive-rights-revolution-msna279481.
9. [1]  Carmon, Irin. “California’s Quiet Reproductive Rights Revolution.” MSNBC. March 4, 2014 https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/california-reproductive-rights-revolution-msna279481.
10. Carmon, Irin. “California’s Quiet Reproductive Rights Revolution.” MSNBC. March 4, 2014 https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/california-reproductive-rights-revolution-msna279481
11. [1] Reichard, Raquel. ““Our Bodies Are At Stake”: 7 Latina Activists On Why Kavanaugh Is So Dangerous.” Remezcla. Sept. 27, 2018 https://remezcla.com/features/culture/reproductive-justice-advocates-on-why-kavanaugh-is-so-dangerous/
12. Reichard, Raquel. ““”“Our Bodies Are At Stake””: 7 Latina Activists On Why Kavanaugh Is So Dangerous”..” Remezcla. Sept. 27, 2018 https://remezcla.com/features/culture/reproductive-justice-advocates-on-why-kavanaugh-is-so-dangerous/.
13. [1] Tefu, Bo.  “Advocates To Gov. Newsom: Racial Disparities Are A Public Health Crisis.” The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint. June 21, 2021 https://sdvoice.info/advocates-to-gov-newsom-racial-disparities-are-a-public-health-crisis/.
14. Tefu, Bo.  “Advocates To Gov. Newsom: Racial Disparities Are A Public Health Crisis.” The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint. June 21, 2021 https://sdvoice.info/advocates-to-gov-newsom-racial-disparities-are-a-public-health-crisis/.
15. “Laura Jiménez.” California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Accessed March 28. 2022. https://californialatinas.org/people/laura-jimenez/.
16. California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/262213868/202023219349316232/full.
17. California Latinas For Reproductive Justice. Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/262213868/202023219349316232/full.
18. “California Latinas For Reproductive Justice – For Support Of Policy-Relevant Research On Latina Reproductive Health Issues.”  Hewlett Foundation. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://hewlett.org/grants/california-latinas-for-reproductive-justice-for-support-of-policy-relevant-research-on-latina-reproductive-health-issues/.
19. “Expanding Our Choices.” Women’s Foundation California. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://womensfoundca.org/expanding-our-choices/.
20. “Reproductive Health, Rights & Justice.”   Grove Foundation. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://grovefoundation.org/programs/reproductive-health-rights-justice/.