Reproductive Justice Task Force
Last Modified:
History & Background
Our mission is inspired by the concept and history of Reproductive Justice and activism as created by Black feminists in 1994. We support the definition of Reproductive Justice offered by Sister Song on their website https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice.
Reproductive Justice is the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.
FCCPR Statement on the SCOTUS Abortion Decision, Reproductive Justice and the Separation of Church
Current Work
We aim to work together with other like-minded organizations in the River Valley of Western Mass. and beyond to support reproductive justice for pregnant people and parents through legislative action, informational campaigns, political demonstrations and fundraising to support access to abortions for all who need them. We also advocate for the educational and social supports (sex education, contraceptive access, and medical care) necessary for reproductive justice for all, regardless of income or race, as well as for the rights of working parents to paid parental leave, childcare and other social supports (housing, schooling, adequate income) necessary to raise healthy children. We have a list serve for those interested in reproductive justice issues. At present we sponsor a monthly Zoom meeting open to all interested. Please contact us for further information or to join our task force.
Upcoming Events
Save the Date: Book Event: Sunday, March 29, 2026, 2-4 pm, Mt. Toby Friends Meeting House, 194 Long Plain Rd., Leverett MA
We are excited to present a discussion and book-signing event featuring Loretta J. Ross and Marlene Gerber Fried, two longtime leaders in the reproductive justice movement. They will be discussing and selling copies of their new book, Abortion and Reproductive Justice: The Essential Guide to Winning Rights (University of California Press).
The authors are known to many as scholars and teachers connected to Hampshire and Smith Colleges who are also activists for reproductive justice. Marlene Fried is one of the co-founders of the National Network of Abortion Rights Funds, and Loretta Ross is a co-founder of Atlanta-based Sister Song Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective. They are also both authors of other books on reproductive rights.
The book has been praised by Ms. Magazine as “required reading for anyone dedicated to bodily autonomy and sovereignty,” and brings together critical perspectives on abortion within a broader reproductive justice framework—centering the lives and leadership of people most impacted by systemic inequities.
The event is sponsored by the FCCPR Reproductive Justice Task Force. Co-sponsors include Amherst Feminist Generation, Western MA CODEPINK Women for Peace, the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, the Abortion Truth Campaign and the Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies department at UMass Amherst.
Past Projects and Events: See description of the RJ Task Force and past projects in this link:
How to Get Involved/When We Meet
Meetings of the Reproductive Task Force held online through Zoom, usually once a month on Wednesday evenings.
To receive an invitation to join our next Zoom meeting, please email RJTF@fccpr.us
Contact
To find out more about the Reproductive Justice Task Force of FCCPR, email rjtf@fccpr.us
