Reproductive justice is a term that has assumed renewed importance to student lives following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Intersecting social justice and reproductive rights, the term has become especially important as women across the nation have their rights stripped away. SisterSong, a national organization that works improving the systems that impact the reproductive rights of marginalized communities, defines reproductive justice as the “human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and part the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.”

For students looking to understand this topic and get involved, Case Western Reserve University is hosting an event next week called “The Essentials of Reproductive Justice: Access, Autonomy, Action.” The event, happening next Tuesday, Oct. 11 in the Tinkham Veale University Center, is intended for CWRU students to gather a better understanding of reproductive justice and how our own reproductive rights and healthcare can be impacted.

This event is the result of the collaboration between Flora Stone Mather Center for Women, the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence and the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities. The top priorities for planners of the event were diversity and representation, which allows the event to spotlight ways various factors, including sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, employment, disability, financial status and residence, can impact reproductive rights and healthcare.

Notably, the impact these categories have in various healthcare fields has been unrecognized for decades. 

With CWRU working to gather information and resources for students, this event aims to broaden our understanding of the issues, and to create a network of support for those who need it. The event will happen in Tink, spanning all three upstairs ballrooms, each with resources that discuss a different facet of reproductive justice.

The first ballroom, labeled “Conversations on Reproductive Justice,” will be used as a conversation space, featuring various speakers throughout the day to discuss many topics relating to reproductive justice. Topics will include an overview of reproductive justice, historical context and birth practices, a discussion of ethics and autonomy in reproductive rights and an outline to engaging in reproductive justice conversations. Questions are welcome and encouraged.

The second ballroom is a learning room about “Reproductive Justice at CWRU,” and will spotlight how students over time at CWRU have come to understand social justice and reproductive rights. Be on the look out for their narrative exhibit containing nearly 100 student-selected articles from The Observer.

The third and final ballroom,  titled “Resources for Reproductive Justice,” will be an action room detailing resources to support reproductive justice and opportunities for student voices to be heard. There will be stations to write our elected representatives and to register to vote, just in time for Ohio’s voter registration deadline.

Up to date and specific information can be found on the Women’s Center’s CampusGroups page. For those interested in volunteering at the event, you can email RJustice@case.edu. The event will be live-streamed as well for those who cannot attend in-person and will be available for later watching.

If this event interests you, be sure to be on the lookout for other events hosted by one of the three centers, including those for Domestic Violence Awareness and Advocacy Month.