In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda

The group developed and published a comprehensive agenda document that includes policy recommendations to “right historical wrongs and address institutional racism, anti-Blackness, and white supremacy that continues to cripple our nation and is literally killing Black people.” ² The policy recommendations extend beyond abortion advocacy to include many left-of-center issues that are perceived to have an impact on Black women.

Background

In 2014, the left-leaning Black women’s activist organizations Black Women for Wellness, The Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, SisterLove Inc., and SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW joined together to form In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, with a focus on addressing issues associated with Black women including abortion access. Since its formation, the organization has expanded to include Sisterreach, Afiya Center, and Women with a Vision. ³

Left leaning policies supported by In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda extend beyond abortion access to include reducing perceived racial disparities in maternal and infant healthcare, free access to birth control, expanded youth sex education, and decriminalized prostitution. The group’s agenda expands into broader policy areas, recommending the elimination of the Electoral College as it is purportedly “rooted in slavery,” defunding the police, providing reparations for Black descendants of enslaved persons, establishing a universal basic income program, making child tax credits permanent, canceling up to $50,000 in student load debt, and implementing the Green New Deal. ²

Programs

In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda worked with more than 30 Black women’s organizations and pro-abortion activists to develop the “Black Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda,” which includes policy recommendations to “right historical wrongs and address institutional racism, anti-Blackness, and white supremacy that continues to cripple our nation and is literally killing Black people.” ²

In October 2020, In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, as a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, signed a letter urging the Senate not to confirm then-Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. ⁴

In September 2021 CEO and president Marcela Howell attended a White House roundtable to discuss the impact of overturning the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision and offer recommendations for steps the federal government can take to ensure access to abortions. ⁵ Howell is in favor of sanctuary cities for abortions. ⁶

Along with 19 other organizations, CEO and president Marcela Howell wrote a letter to President Joe Biden to advocate for policy changes as a result of the Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision and attended a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris to advocate for abortion in September 2022. ⁷

The Next Generation Leadership Institute is a paid two-year fellowship offered to students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to provide training in advocacy and community organizing. ⁸

Partners

In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a partnership of eight activist organizations: Black Women for Wellness, The Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, SisterLove Inc., SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, Sisterreach, Afiya Center, and Women with a Vision. ⁹

The group is a member of the left-leaning  “anti-oppression” coalition Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD). ¹⁰ The committee that directs the DFAD includes leaders from the left-wing organizations William J. Brennan Center for Justice, Black Voters Matter Fund, Center for American Progress, Common Cause, Democracy 21, People for the American Way, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU). ¹¹

The group is also a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a left-of-center legislative advocacy organization which is made up of over 200 left-wing organizations that lobby on legislation and Presidential appointments. ¹²

Financials and Donors

The 2020 tax return for In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda reports $3,840,315 in revenues and $3,856,096 in expenses. ¹³

The organization receives donations from large left-of-center foundations, including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Ford Foundation, NEO Philanthropy, Network for Good, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Oak Hill Fund, and Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. ¹⁴

In the 2020 tax return In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda has listed donations totaling over $980,000 to Black feminist pro-abortion activist organizations SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, Women with a Vision, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Black Women for Wellness, The Black Women’s Health Imperative, Sisterreach, SisterLove Inc., and the Afiya Center. ¹⁵

Leadership

Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda president and CEO Marcela Howell has been an activist for more than 35 years. Previously she was a vice president for Advocates for Youth and a consultant for Communications Consortium Media Center. She is the author of Walk in My Shoes: A Black Activists’​ Guide to Surviving the Women’s Movement. ¹⁶

Ebony Baylor joined the group in December 2022 as vice president of government affairs. Previously Baylor was a deputy director for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and a director for the National Urban League. ¹⁷