A beautiful portfolio called “This is an Emergency” arrived in the mail the other day. As someone who talks with women every day about abortion and works nationally in the reproductive rights movement, looking at artistic expressions about reproductive justice is a real treat. Earlier this year the Abortion Care Network sponsored a Reproductive Rights Poetry Contest–the winner reading her poem “Women vs Ernie” was the hit of their conference.
One criticism of our movement is that it has been “professionalized” by large organizations, at the expense of grassroots, individual action. But lately, individuals, helped by the internet and social media, are launching all kinds of projects to take on anti choice legislators or organize support for reproductive justice. The “Repeal Hyde Art Project” is another great example that has engaged people in expressing their realities through art. (See Facebook page)
And, our very own ACP Board member, Heather Ault, has trail blazed using her art to educate, empower, and inspire people to work for reproductive justice. Her first project “4000 Years for Choice” created beautiful posters about 4000 years of women and men trying to control their fertility. Now she is experimenting with memes in beautiful graphics on her facebook page by the same name.
All of which leads me to say that “Creativity will save the day!” We need new voices. We are desperate for many more access points for people to support reproductive justice. We are starving for people’s creative energies. It may be that the only thing that will save us IS creativity.
That’s why the Abortion Conversation Project has decided to offer financial support for small creative projects. We want to offer seed money but also our support and engagement in promising, innovative grassroots projects. We know that there are many ways to have conversations about abortion and we need all of them!