The South Coast Equity Coalition recently received a grant from Seeding Justice to lead Reproductive Justice efforts in Coos and Curry Counties. We will be working with community partners such as Coos Hispanic Allies, Southern Oregon Coast Pride, Northwest American Indian Coalition and United Way of Southwestern Oregon in order to dismantle barriers to affirming healthcare and equitable access to reproductive healthcare that continue to plague Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Under-resourced and Queer communities. The scope of work for our Reproductive Justice Project are: Conduct a series of community listening sessions utilizing a mixed method of collecting data to capture the stories of those most impacted by limited or non-affirming resources. Prioritize community development by providing education opportunities for community members and service provider to deepen their knowledge on topics like anti-racism, gender affirming care, cultural humility, and how to embed equitable policies and procedures in efforts to fully meet the needs of each community member. Resourcing of BIPOC & Queer community members looking to pursue education in the medical field. Crafting Internships for community members that teaches community engagement tools, intentionally supporting diverse populations, along with development opportunities for deepening knowledge around Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility. Offering Community Care Scholarships for students with the aim of providing additional support needed due to barriers like housing, meal vouchers, and/or financial aid while working to achieve educational goals. Utilize data collected from our community listening sessions as a tool to inform policies, practices and procedures on a regional and statewide level that advance and create access points to equitable Reproductive and Gender Affirming Health Care. For more information about the South Coast Reproductive Justice Project visit southcoastequity.org or email equity@unitedwayswo.org.
