RRFP is for Black Liberation

Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project
posted by | 253.80sc
June 05, 2020

**If you are a Black person reading this, feel free to skip to the bottom for care resources.**

 

Blue and red text on a black background. Text reads, \

 

We are in a time of unrest, restlessness, and rebellion. It felt like the world stopped when the Pandemic changed how we did just about everything and took over 300,000 lives (and counting) around the world. We re-learned what we always knew.

Black people disproportionately were affected and dying from the virus -- not because they are predisposed to unhealthy lifestyles, but because of a myriad of issues all with a foundation in white supremacy: 

 

  • Bias in caretakers and providers
  • Blatant disregard or indifference to complaints of Black people in medical settings
  • Weathering (the effect of living in a racist society on the body, causing the predispositions to disease and chronic illness) 
  • Intergenerational trauma living in our DNA
  • Crowded housing in segregated neighborhoods
  • Parental Mortality Rate: We knew before the pandemic Black parents were 243% more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than white parents for the same reasons

 

We are dying, we are surviving, we are fighting to thrive. We are ancestors and future ancestors, here and now, in this moment of unrest and rebellion. Around the world, people are acting in solidarity with Black people and against white supremacy and its violent tools. This is about more than the murders of an unarmed George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor sleeping in her bed, Nina Pop, or Ahmaud Aubrey going for a run. It is about hundreds of years of anti-Black racism and the expectation to continue to accept the abuse. It’s about every life known and unknown, the ones caught on video and not, the communities and families who have lived in the shadow of police violence and white supremacy for as long as the history of this country. 

 

It’s about being able to 

...go for a run

...go to the store late at night

...ask for help

...be in our beds

...drive a car

...do our deliveries

...play at a playground

...breathe

Not live in fear that anything can get us killed because we are Black

 

We say no more and never again.

 

Our struggle is not a separate one. Lack of access to abortion care and all forms of reproductive oppression are VIOLENCE. The state militarizing our streets and perpetrating violence against folx is UNACCEPTABLE. The indiscriminate violence against Black cis and trans women, Black children, Black cis and trans men, and Black gender nonconforming folx is UNACCEPTABLE. 

 

 

We want to remind you that the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project is a not a pro-choice organization, but a Reproductive Justice organization. Reproductive Justice was created by Black women and is defined by SisterSong as the human right to have children, not have children, and to parent the children we do have in safe and sustainable communities. Safe and sustainable means communities without police. We stand firm and unwavering in support of the protests for Black liberation. We stand firm and in solidarity with ALL forms of protesting for Black liberation.

 

We are calling on those who support RRFP to act with us in support -- especially white people and non-Black people of color. The work of dismantling white supremacy requires you all to redistribute money, leverage your power, and have hard discussions with friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances. Work on your own biases and the ways in which you uphold white supremacy. We all do not matter until Black people matter. We challenge you to reconsider the language you use, whose voices you amplify, and how much space you take up. We challenge you to redistribute your resources, redistribute your access, and redistribute your positions of power to Black people. Lean hard into your discomfort. We Black people know what we need better than anyone. If you’re with us, you will push yourself to do better NOW.

What can you do?

1. Redistribute resource$ directly to Black people. Address the evils of stolen people and stolen labor by putting money directly in the hands of Black people, period. 

Pay our Black Staff, The Northside Fabulous City Girls:

graphic of the Northside Fabulous City Girls, the all Black staff of RRFP. They all look great and are smiling in their glamour shots, with a sparkly background and illustrated diamonds and crowns around them. text reads, "fabulous northside city girls."

List of More Black Folks in Richmond to Send $$$

 

2. Build deep relationships with your community organizations. 

Black-led & Black Liberatory Richmond Groups to support:

Regional/National groups to know: 

  • Southerners on New Ground: Black-led southern LGBTQ+ liberation
  • For The Gworls: directly supports Black trans people
    Cashapp/Venmo/Paypal: Forthegworlsparty
    Cashapp/Paypal: FTGmedicalFund

  • BEAM: Black Emotional And Mental Health Collective
  • Movement for Black Lives: Black-led movement wide strategy for Black liberation (sign the petition!)

3. Always Look for More Ways to Help: 

 

4. To Black folks, *** caring for yourself and your loved ones ***

Care Resources:

If you are in Richmond: 

https://www.LyraParker.com  is offering free chair massages to Black folk

Everywhere:

We are blessed with a rebellious community who will live their values into the streets and through their actions. Thank you for all you do in service to Black liberation. See you on the other side.

With care, anger, grief, joy, and more --

The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project

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Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project

Main Funding Line (toll-free): 1 (888) 847-1593

Español Funding Line (toll-free):  1 (888) 847-1593 ext. 105
Inmate Rights Funding Line (toll-free): 1 (888) 847-1593 ext. 106 

 

Main Email: hello(at)rrfp.net
Intake: intake(at)rrfp.net
Billing: billing(at)rrfp.net

Mailing Address: PO Box 7389, Richmond, VA 23221

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