Community Mobilization

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Increasing Latina Visibility in the Reproductive Justice Movement

We educate and develop leaders to build regional networks of activists that inform and support our national policy agenda. Our Community Mobilization Program is centered around our LOLA Training Series and our Latina Advocacy Networks.

Latinas Organizing for Leadership and Advocacy trainings (LOLA)

Our LOLA trainings seek to build a group of Latina leaders, strengthen the voices of Latinas and enable them to be seen as a powerful group who can influence policy decisions that directly impact our lives, our families and our communities. We welcome activists from varying levels of social justice experience, LOLA is designed to be a space where we can share our experiences, learn new skills, and strategize around reproductive justice campaigns.

Specific training components include:

  • Latina Reproductive Health & Rights
  • Organizing 101: Introduction to Social Change Theory & Strategies
  • Building a Latina Movement
  • Communicating for Reproductive Justice
  • Starting a Reproductive Justice Campaign

Latina Advocacy Networks (LANs)

What is a Latina Advocacy Network (LAN)?
The National Latina Advocacy Network is an association of regional Latina Advocacy Networks (LANs) developed in coordination with NLIRH to advance reproductive rights on a local and national level. The National LAN serves as our main way to mobilize Latinas and involve them in national campaigns.

 

How are Latina Advocacy Networks established?
Most LANs are established with a Latinas Organizing for Leadership and Advocacy (LOLA) training. These trainings bring together Latina(o)s who have an interest in reproductive justice and a desire to engage in local grass-roots organizing and national advocacy campaigns.

 

Where are the Latina Advocacy Networks?
We currently have LANs in New York, Illinois, New Mexico, Texas, Minnesota, Florida and Pennsylvania.

 

Who can join a LAN?
LANs are founded by dedicated Latina activists living in the same area, many of whom have attended our LOLA trainings. Group membership is open to all activists, and we welcome and a diverse set of experiences.

 

What kind of activities have LANs done in the past?
Each LAN gets to decide what events and campaigns they want to participate in, and what makes sense and addresses the needs of their community. NLIRH provides materials and support.

Past events:

  • Workshops on Emergency Contraception
  • Rallies & Marches
  • Tabling at Health/Cultural Fairs
  • Cafecitos (informal discussions at coffee shops)
  • Informational Phone lines
  • Advocacy Campaigns (letter writing, lobbying)

New York City, NY LAN
Established in September 2004 with the first LOLA training, the NYC LAN has been involved in a variety of activities including EC workshops, pro-choice marches and rallies, and most recently a 2nd Anniversary Event: Organizing for Reproductive Justice. For more information about the NYC LAN or to join their list serve, please email Miriam@latinainstitute.org.

Chicago, IL: Latinas Organizing for Reproductive Equality (LORE)
Established in January 2005, the group has reached out to the Chicago community through monthly cafecitos (coffeehouses) and now a bilingual phone service. Their most recent event was History thru Voices, which discussed the Hyde Amendment and reproductive health care access. For more information about LORE, email LatinaLORE@gmail.com or call 312-479-2464.

 

Philadelphia, PA LAN
This group is our newest LAN, established in April 2006. The group’s first event as a LAN was participating in La Feria, a Puerto-Rican cultural festival in Philadelphia. For more information about the Philadelphia LAN, please email Miriam@latinainstitute.org.

 

Miami, FL: MI-LOLA (Miami International Latinas Organizing for Leadership and Advocacy)

 

Rio Grande Valley, TX:

 

Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN: MN LOLA

 

Houston, TX LAN

The Southwest Partnership

The Southwest Partnership is a joint effort by Choice USA and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health to build a diverse base of young leaders in the reproductive justice movement in the Southwestern United States (CO, NV, AZ, NM). Our goal is to develop the leadership skills of activists in the region so that they can launch reproductive justice campaigns based on multi-issue and multi-racial organizing efforts.

 

Las Vegas, Nevada: Pleasure Education Resource of the Vegas Valley (PERVV)
This group of activists focuses their efforts on sex-positive, pleasure education work. Past projects have included a community forum about reproductive justice, workshops at festivals and a Pleasure party. For more information about PERVV, email Melody Nelson.

 

Denver, Colorado: Luz Reproductive Justice Think Tank
The Luz Reproductive Justice Think Tank is a coalition of young women and transgender people of color and their allies from a variety of social justice movements who work to incorporate reproductive justice into their activism.  Working across intersecting issues, the Luz Think Tank focuses on information sharing and skills building.  In its structure and approach, the Luz Think Tank strives to model equality, inclusion, and social change.  This group presented at the International Peace Jam this fall, teaching youth about reproductive justice and activism. For more information, visit their website.

 

Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Latinos for Reproductive Rights
Established in the fall of 2005, the New Mexico group has since been involved in the Young Women’s Southwest Collaborative, as well as our National Advocacy Weekend. The most recent event was a candle light vigil to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment. For more information about the New Mexico LAN, please email Miriam@latinainstitute.org.

 

Last Update 3/5/08