This month we want to highlight the work of groups raising awareness, supporting survivors, and providing resources to end human trafficking.

RAINN is a national organization that has been helping victims since 1994. They have 24/7 free and confidential support in English and Spanish, where you can call, chat, or text to get help and they can connect you to local resources. If you do not need that support you can take trainings, educate yourself on statistics, and they have a Grassroots Advocacy Guide for Impacting Sexual Violence Laws and information on connecting with your state’s Coallition to End Sexual Violence, which every state has. If you are a survivor or want to help please visit them and get involved. 

You can learn more at RAINN.Org 

Visit the Guide rainn.org grassroots-advocacy-your-guide-to-impacting-anti-sexual-violence-laws/

Contact for immediate support

Call 800.656.HOPE (4673)

Chat at RAINN.org/hotline

Text HOPE to 64673

“Remember! Celebrate! Act! – A Day On, Not A Day Off!”

Every year since 1983, on the third Monday of January, we as a nation have observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day, known as MLK DAY.

MLK Day this year is Monday January 19th. On August 28th, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream” Speech to 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. On the third Monday in January we honor the life and legacy of not only this man, but of the message that still speaks today, and the countless lives that have been harmed by racist ideology and actions. We need to remember the truth of our history and not let days like these pass by unnoticed. 

Four actions you can do today! 

1- Read MLK’s “I Have A Dream” full speech and transcript, the national archives full transcript is attached and on the website. 

2 - If you have social media, share how it made you feel, what you learned, or an excerpt that was meaningful to you. You can make a post about MLK day asking others to read his speech and study the Civil Rights movement. 

3 - Study American Civil Rights History. Pick up a book, watch a documentary, search online, and follow Black creators who share Black history like Ashley The Baroness. 

4 - Show up! There are many scheduled events, look through the calendars to find one near you!

Resources

"I Have A Dream" Transcript, National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/files/social-media/transcripts/transcript-march-pt3-of-3-2602934.pdf

MLK facts, quotes, history and more: https://www.mlkonline.net

Ashley The Baroness: https://youtube.com/@ashleytheebarroness?si=wWsmvbNVzJ7pRg0X

Women's Rights are Human Rights

March is Women's History month. While we have made progress, we are not yet across the finish line. We decided to hold our event on March 8th for International Women's Day to honor each other, the meaningful work we do, and the vital contribution of women to society. In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women's History Month in perpetuity (1). That means forever and we have no intention of giving it up. Women are getting louder and we will not be silenced. We are embracing our anger no matter how "un lady like" it is. Our anger is valid, our pain is valid, and our lives are valid. For many this month reminds us of our shared harm and inspires acts of solidairty. For others it is a reminder than women working together create change - and that scares them. We will love not hate and we will nurture not exploit. We all deserve human diginity. This month (and all year long) we encourage embracing humanity and learning about women's history. Furthermore, we ask that you study up and take action. Please listen to this share from KoreanVegan (2).

Four actions you can do today! 

1- Ask yourself; 

• What the world would look like if every man who said they value women, support women's rights, and are protectors called congress to defend women's access to voting? 

• What if they all demanded accountability for "the files"? 

• What if they all held other men accountable for abuse? 

• What would that world look like? What if women did this for each other at an even larger scale than we are now?

2 - Understand Matriarchy V. Patriarchy

• Patriarchy is a ladder with men at the top

• Matriarchy is NOT a ladder with women at the top.

• Matriarchy is a CIRCLE with protectors on the outside and protected on the inside. 

• We protect and nurture those more vulnerable than ourselves. 

3 - Learn what abortion care actually is! 

• Did you know that a miscarriage often requires abortion care to remove necrotic material in order to keep the mother alive?

• Did you know medical conditions like pre-clampsia, cancer treatment, and epilepsy may mean a pregnancy cannot make it to term without the death of mother, child or both?

• Did you know women who have miscarried are being forced to carry necrotic (dead) tissue in their body until they are septic enough to die before receiving medical help because they and the medical staff may face a life sentence or death sentence if they provide care? 

• Did you know children's bodies may not be able to carry a pregnancy to term without resulting in life threatening complications or death? Did you know pregnant children are overwhelming impregnated by significantly older men and experience a lack of consent and abuse?

• If you are more offended by these questions than their answers, we encourage you to research them, accept the facts, and do something about it. 

4 - Stop raping us! Stop abusing us! Stop Killing us!

• In the U.S. a woman experiences physical abuse every 9 seconds, amounting to nearly 3 women killed by an intimate partner daily (3)

• Protect women and children. Do not stay silent or turn the other cheek. Intervene when harm is being done. Prevent harm from happening. Take de-escalation trainings and learn how to step in as a protector. 

• Review the Racial and Sexual and Sexual Violence Pyramid shared in February's drop down tab.  https://pcar.org/resource/racial-sexual-violence-pyramid

• Acknowledge that women of color experience more systemic harm than white women. 

Resources & Citations

(1) https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/womens-history-month-history/

(2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNPvEHPm5zw

(3) https://rainn.org/get-informed/facts-statistics-the-scope-of-the-problem/

StateCourtReport helps you find information about your states constitution and data 

• https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/states-abortion-bans-when-does-medical-emergency-trigger-exception 

Pro Publica reports on maternal mortality rates and shares stories of women harmed by lack of medical care and freedom

• https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-tierra-walker-preeclampsia

Abortion Every Day shares reliable information on abortion care, what it is, and what happens when women can't access it

• https://jessica.substack.com/p/resources

Data on Infant Death and Maternal Mortality 

• https://www.prb.org/news/abortion-bans-linked-to-sharp-rise-in-sepsis-infant-death-and-maternal-mortality-new-research-shows/

Gender Equity Policy Institute provides research on gender inequity

• https://thegepi.org/publications/

• https://thegepi.org/maternal-mortality-abortion-bans/