ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE

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ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE (ACCESS RJ) funds abortion in California. ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE was "formerly known as" Women's Health Rights Coalition.[1]

The Women's Health Rights Coalition was founded in 1974 as the Coalition for the Medical Rights of Women.

ACCESS was founded in 1993..."As ACCESS’ work developed throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the organization began taking a leading role in uniting reproductive rights and social justice groups through the Campaign for Access and Reproductive Equity leading to redefining ACCESS as a Reproductive Justice (RJ) organization."

Vision

Excerpt from the ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE website:[2]

"At ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, we envision a future where all people in California have the freedom and resources necessary to make empowered and dignified decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, including the decision to have an abortion, without shame or stigma and regardless of their race, religion, immigration or economic status. We are building a future where Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and queer communities trust themselves; are trusted; and have the social, political, and economic power to sustain their communities and to build the families they desire – chosen and biological."

History

"ACCESS received our first hotline call in September 1993. With a few phones, a handful of volunteers, and binders of referrals, we began challenging the barriers to reproductive health care, whether that meant providing a woman with basic information about her menstrual cycle or offering rides so women could get to their abortion appointments. Since then, ACCESS has grown into an organization that serves 48 counties in northern and central California, is multicultural, multigenerational and bilingual, and serves as a leader in state advocacy efforts.
We are also proud to be part of a long and distinguished history of activism for women's health and rights. Originally a project of the Women's Health Rights Coalition, today ACCESS is an independent nonprofit organization carrying on the spirit of WHRC.
The Women's Health Rights Coalition was founded in 1974 as the Coalition for the Medical Rights of Women, a network of activists and health care professionals whose campaigns combined legal action, public policy development, self-help groups, and public education to create lasting changes in women's health care. Although CMRW focused primarily on California's health practices and policies, many Coalition accomplishments became national models or affected federal policies.

[...]

"CMRW also sponsored other committees, including ones on Occupational Health and Safety, Low-Level Radiation, and Over-the-Counter Drugs. Some CMRW publications, such as the "Natural Remedies for Pregnancy Discomforts" brochure written by the Over-the-Counter Drug committee, are still distributed by the State of California.
In 1986, CMRW disbanded as a formal network, with the Committee to Defend Reproductive Rights remaining as the only active committee. CDRR continued to use the Coalition's name and 501(c)3 status for fiscal sponsorship.
In 1993, a new project was invited to join the Coalition for the Medical Rights of Women. This project was ACCESS, which continued for over a decade as the only active project of the Coalition. Through a toll-free hotline, volunteer network and abortion fund, ACCESS works to ensure access to the full range of reproductive health services, including abortion, for every woman and girl.
In 1996, CMRW changed its name to the Women's Health Rights Coalition in an attempt to broaden its scope beyond medical issues and recognize a more comprehensive definition of women's health and rights. Over the years, WHRC has been involved in several advocacy and public education projects, all of which have been inspired and informed by the needs we see through our work at ACCESS.
The California Hospital Abortion Access Campaign, a collaboration between WHRC and the California Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League (CARAL), researched and exposed the lack of accessible hospital-based abortion services in California in our report, Holes in the Safety Net.
Medical Students and Abortion Education: Who Decides What You Will Learn? is a booklet written by WHRC and distributed by Medical Students for Choice, aimed at educating and inspiring medical students about threats to reproductive rights, particularly the lack of trained abortion providers.
The Library ACCESS Project was a campaign to make information about abortion available to women and girls by placing donated copies of The Abortion Resource Handbook in public libraries throughout northern and central California.[3]

Staff and Board

From the ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE website as of June 19, 2024:[4]

Love Letter to Abortion Providers

ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE was a signatory on an open letter posted by the Abortion Care Network's Nikki Madsen and Erin Grant posted at Ms. titled: "A Love Letter to Abortion Providers: We Appreciate You—Today and Every Day" dated March 10, 2023. Excerpt:[5],[6]

"In honor of Abortion Provider Appreciation Day, March 10, Abortion Care Network has authored a love letter to abortion providers. The letter was signed by 112 abortion rights organizations wishing to express their deep gratitude for abortion providers, who have worked to make abortion and reproductive healthcare access a reality for people across the country despite unending obstacles.
On the first Abortion Provider Appreciation Day since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it is more important than ever to honor the heroic efforts of abortion providers fighting to give agency and autonomy to people in their communities.

2022 990 Form

According to the 2022 990 ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE Form[7] the following individuals were ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE "Key Employees and Officers":

ACCESS RJ - Strategic Plan FY22-FY26

From the ACCESS RJ - Strategic Plan FY22-FY26:[8]

"ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE is proud to have developed a strategic plan for the first time in over 10 years. The organization has gone through a great deal of transition and this strategic plan will serve as a roadmap toward achieving the ACCESS vision. This process was challenging but it has been a rewarding experience to work together to develop a sustainable plan for the organization that will lead to expanding access for our communities and building power as we fight for Reproductive Justice.

Strategic Planning Committee:

For The Culture Team:

References

  1. ↑ Guidestar ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE (accessed June 20, 2024)
  2. ↑ Mission and Values (accessed June 19, 2024)
  3. ↑ history (accessed June 19, 2024)
  4. ↑ ACCESS RJ Staff (accessed June 19, 2024)
  5. ↑ A Love Letter to Abortion Providers: We Appreciate You—Today and Every Day (accessed May 10, 2024)
  6. ↑ Signatories A Love Letter to Abortion Providers: We Appreciate You—Today and Every Day (accessed May 10, 2024)
  7. ↑ 2022 990 ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE Form (accessed June 19, 2024)
  8. ↑ PDF Strategic Plan ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE (accessed June 20, 2024)
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