Weaving Voices for Health and Justice

Background

Weaving Voices for Health and Justice (formerly known as Women’s Voices for the Earth) is a Colorado-based feminist organization that advocates for the regulation of feminine hygiene, cosmetic, and cleaning products to ban the use of chemicals it claims are toxic and harmful to human reproduction. ¹

Originally named “Women’s Voices for the Earth,” Weaving Voices for Health and Justice was founded in 1995 by Bryony Schwan to incorporate feminism into environmental advocacy. It was a result of a conference hosted by Schwan titled “Finding Common Ground: Gender, Justice and the Environment” that discussed how environmentalist advocacy can also address race, class, health, and gender issues. ²

Originating in Missoula, Montana, Weaving Voices for Health and Justice’s early campaigns included opposition to gold mining, calls to regulate pesticide use by government agencies, and calls to regulate container mills to address alleged pollution. It has since expanded to organize campaigns across the United States, focusing on toxins in feminine hygiene products that it claims are also environmental hazards. ²

In 2021, the then- Women’s Voices for the Earth published its 2022-2027 strategic plan that announced it would prioritize the identity politics concept of “intersectionality.” ² Subsequently, it rebranded and changed its name to “Weaving Voices for Health & Justice” in 2025. ³

Advocacy

Legislation

Weaving Voices for Health and Justice operates a legislation tracker that tracks state-level bills that would restrict the usage of select chemicals in feminine hygiene, cosmetic, beauty, and cleaning products. It argues that chemicals such as parabens, PFAS, toluene, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are toxic, associated with breast cancer, and affect women’s reproductive health. ⁴

At the federal level, as of 2026 Weaving Voices for Health and Justice was tracking the Safer Beauty Bill Package and the Menstrual Equity for All Act. It supports the bills as it claims they address women’s issues and are particularly beneficial for ethnic minority women. ⁴

Weaving Voices for Health & Justice campaigns for the Safer Beauty Bill Package due to their provisions that would ban chemicals such as parabens, toluene, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and an additional two chemical classes that could be used as replacements in cosmetic and beauty products. It also supports the bills as the legislation would provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with $30 million to regulate the use of synthetic hair braiding and to oppose the use of allegedly toxic products, claiming it would protect ethnic minority women. ⁴

The Menstrual Equality for All Act, introduced by Representative Grace Meng (D-NY), would include funding for menstrual products under Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), increase funding for menstrual products under the Social Services Block Grant, and would prohibit state and local taxes on menstrual products. ⁴

Greenpeace Litigation

In 2019, natural gas producer Energy Transfer filed a lawsuit against environmental organization Greenpeace alleging that delays caused by the protestors resulted in $300 million in increased costs. The lawsuit accused Greenpeace of promoting false information about the pipeline being on tribal land and for “inadequately” consulting tribal leaders which led to the disruptions caused by the protestors. ⁵

In response to the lawsuit, Weaving Voices for Health and Justice co-signed a letter written by Greenpeace claiming that the lawsuit was “an abuse of the legal system and a blatant attempt to silence legitimate work” to support environmental causes. It added that the protestors in question were led by indigenous leaders instead of Greenpeace and claimed that the protestors were not affiliated with Greenpeace. Additionally, it claimed that if the protestors are held liable, then future environmentalist protests would be deterred. ⁶

Fact Sheets

Weaving Voices for Health & Justice publishes “fact sheets” on vaginal health, cleaning products, fragrance products, salon products, and general chemicals “to avoid.” The fact sheets claim to provide information on what products are safe to use and what chemicals can cause harm. ¹

One of its fact sheets, titled “Focus on Cleaning Products Specifically Targeted to and Used by the Latinx Community,” criticizes Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, Fabuloso, Fragranzia, Suavitel, and Excelente for allegedly targeting Latino consumers. It argues that the brands are racist, sexist, and classist for allegedly targeting ethnic minority women and purportedly pressuring them to believe that wealth is connected to cleanliness and that cleanliness has particular fragrances. The fact sheet adds that the chemicals used to produce fragrances commonly contain toxic chemicals and disrupt reproductive health. It also advocates for regulations on cleaning products and for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to regulate the use of the products. ⁷

Leadership

As of 2026, Debra Erenberg was a co-executive director of Weaving Voices for Health and Justice. From 2018 to 2024, Erenberg worked as strategic director for the Cancer Free Economy Network. She also worked as the national field coordinator for the 2017 People’s Climate March, director of state affairs for Justice at Stake, and as director of affiliate development for NARAL Pro-Choice America. ⁸

As of 2026, Amber Garcia was a co-executive director of Weaving Voices for Health and Justice. Previously, Garcia organized Latino voter mobilization campaigns for Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) and has organized campaigns that support increasing the minimum wage and permitting illegal immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses. ⁸

Financials

In 2024, Weaving Voices for Health and Justice reported $665,562 in total revenue and $954,314 in total expenses, including $746,976 in salaries and compensation of its employees. ⁹