Making an Impact at Women With a Vision

June 30, 2022

Kelly Jackson, School of Liberal Arts, ‘23

Women With A Vision, Inc (WWAV) is a community-based nonprofit that seeks to serve through harm reduction and public health frameworks. It was founded in 1989 as a response to the HIV epidemic and its disproportionate impact on communities of color. Since its inception, Women With A Vision has expanded to provide care and education on reproductive justice, sex work, practicing safe sex, and decriminalization. In 2017, Women With A Vision became a partner organization of In Our Own Voice, a national Black reproductive justice organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black RJ organizations across the country. In Our Own Voice and Women With A Vision work within a Black Feminist framework to advocate for social change in order to achieve autonomy for all peoples, specifically Black women and femmes, surrounding their sexual and reproductive health. This is not only done through activist projects but it is also achieved through harm reduction by providing necessary resources, such as Plan B and contraceptives.

Women With A Vision also would like to emphasize the importance of family planning and community care as access to reproductive care is limited or prohibited. When organizing on issues surrounding reproductive justice, and currently, in political debates over abortion access and care, it is important to adopt a Black reproductive justice framework. An intersectional mindset is imperative as different systems of oppression overlap to create a complex, restrictive environment that makes it difficult for communities of color to seek out or receive healthcare. In this vein, Women With A Vision also would like to lift up our advocacy focused on decriminalization. This is done through legislative activism and integrated voter engagement as well as community support and outreach through programs such as the Syringe Access Program and our Narcan Training Program. If you would like to learn more about Women With A Vision, please visit our website www.wwav-no.org.