Resilient Sisterhood Project Inc

THE RESILIENT SISTERHOOD PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER WOMEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT REGARDING COMMON BUT RARELY DISCUSSED DISEASES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT THEM. WE APPROACH THESE DISEASES AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES THROUGH A CULTURAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS, AS WE BELIEVE THAT POOR KNOWLEDGE OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IS PRIMARILY RELATED TO HEALTH, RACIAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:THIS CORE PROGRAM TACKLES ISSUES IN REGARD TO EQUITABLE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, IN-DEPTH EDUCATION ON THE AFOREMENTIONED DISEASES, UNDER-DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, THE IMPACT OF CHRONIC STRESS/RACISM ("WEATHERING"), HIGH RATES OF MORBIDITY/MORTALITY IN PREGNANT BLACK WOMEN, MEDICAL PRACTICES DISCOUNTING BLACK WOMEN'S PAIN LEVELS/CONCERNS, RISE OF DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL/CHEMICAL TOXINS, EARLY ONSET OF PUBERTY, FOOD INJUSTICE, AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. SISTERHOOD EMPOWERMENT CIRCLE:BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BACKBONES OF THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THIS PROJECT MOBILIZES BLACK WOMEN AND ALLIES ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO CRITICALLY EXAMINE STRUCTURED INEQUALITIES THAT MAKE US AND OUR YOUNG GIRLS MORE VULNERABLE TO CHRONIC DISEASES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - AS WE SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPLORE OUR RESILIENCY AND STRENGTHS. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:THIS RSP PROGRAM EDUCATES COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE HISTORICAL LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE AND THE LINK BETWEEN IT AND ITS DELETERIOUS EFFECTS ON WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. U.S. WOMEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT HAVE PERSISTENTLY HIGHER RATES OF HORMONE-RELATED DISEASES AND OTHER REPRODUCTIVE CONDITIONS THAT MAY BE CAUSED OR EXACERBATED BY CHEMICAL EXPOSURE. PART OF THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM RACIALIZED BEAUTY NORMS THAT DRIVE WOMEN AND GIRLS TO PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY MARKETED TO THEM THAT CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS. ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE INCLUDE EXPOSURE TO: TOXINS AND OTHER HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS (EDC), AND FOODS LADEN WITH CHEMICALS.INCARCERATION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:PRISONS ARE SITES OF REPRODUCTIVE VIOLENCE AS WELL AS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INEQUITIES. THIS PROGRAM EXAMINES THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF CURRENT AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE U.S. PRISON SYSTEM. MOST OF THE WOMEN ARE OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE AND LARGELY FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. INCREASING NUMBERS OF THESE WOMEN AND GIRLS REPRESENT A GROWING PROPORTION OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN THE U.S. CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. ART AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE:THIS PROGRAM USES ART AS A CATALYST - AND DRAWS ON THE SANKOFA PRINCIPLE OF LOOKING TO THE PAST TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT. THROUGH CURATED ARTWORK, WE TELL THE STORIES OF HISTORICAL INJUSTICES, BUT WE ALSO HONOR OUR ANCESTORS AND SHOW THE EMPOWERMENT OF BLACK WOMEN OVER TIME. CONSISTENT WITH THIS VISION, WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, INSPIRE INTROSPECTION, AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM. MANY OF THE PIECES WE HAVE COMMISSIONED SHED LIGHT ON PAST MEDICAL MALFEASANCE AND THE HISTORY OF PSEUDOSCIENCE USED TO JUSTIFY THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY AND THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF RACE.REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND IMMIGRATION:THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO ADDRESS HARSH ANTI-IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT DOCUMENTED AND UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT WOMEN OF COLOR OFTEN FACE ACCESSING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES. THIS LEADS TO SIGNIFICANT HEALTH DISPARITIES AND ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES.