Black Women For Wellness Action Project

BLACK WOMEN FOR WELLNESS ACTION PROJECT'S (BWWAP) ADVOCACY WORK SPANS A RANGE OF ISSUES, REFLECTING OUR COMMITMENT TO REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE. WHETHER WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE BEAUTY PRODUCTS SAFER FOR WOMEN AND BABIES, OR ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT IMPACT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE BLACK WOMEN LIVE, OR ROOTING OUT RACIAL BIAS IN OUR EMPLOYMENT AND HEALTHCARE SECTORS, WE ARE CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATING FOR THE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF BLACK WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HOLD AND PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENTS TO IDENTIFY, MOBILIZE, AND ENGAGECOMMUNITY ACTIVISTS:-BWWAP PARTICIPATED IN AN ONLINE TOWNHALL FOR 2,000 PEOPLE ON THE INTERSECTION OF REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE AND BLACK LIVES MATTER.-BWWAP LED A LETTER ON BEHALF OF BLACK RJ IN ESSENCE IN RESPONSE TO THE JUNE UPRISINGS, EDUCATING READERS ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE.-BWWAP PRODUCED A SHORT SPECULATIVE FICTION ON THE HORRORS OF ANTI-ABORTION CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS AND RAN A SIMULTANEOUS AD CAMPAIGN, PARTNERING WITH COURAGE CA.-BWWAP DESIGNED ADS WITH MESSAGES ENCOURAGING BLACK WOMEN TO VOTE. ADS WERE PLACED ON BUSES, METRO STATIONS, DIGITAL, AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO REACH AUDIENCES IN LOS ANGELES, THE BAY AREA, STOCKTON, PALMDALE, AND FRESNO. WE REACHED 4.9M PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND 787K MORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH 11K COMMENTS AND OTHER ENGAGEMENTS. 294K PEOPLE WERE REACHED VIA DIGITAL ADS IN STOCKTON, FRESNO, PALMDALE, AND LA, WITH 1605 ENGAGEMENTS.-BWWAP HOSTED 3-4 ONLINE EDUCATIONAL FORUMS PER WEEK DURING AUG, SEPT, OCT AND THE BEGINNING OF NOV (SOMETIMES 2X/DAY!) TO DISCUSS TOPICS INCLUDING BALLOT MEASURES, WHERE/HOW TO VOTE, AND VOTE-BY-MAIL. EACH EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 700-1,000 PARTICIPANTS.-BWWAP RAN A WEEKLY SERIES OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS IN THE FORM OF ONLINE CONVERSATIONS ON A RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING CLIMATE JUSTICE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS.BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR OFFICES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ANDPARTNER ORGANIZATIONS:-BWWAP PARTNERED WITH BWOPA AND OTHERS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A BLACK WOMEN TO THE U.S. SENATE. BWWAP LED THE DRAFTING OF AN OP-ED, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND GENERAL MESSAGING AND TALKING POINTS.-BWWAP PARTNERED WITH COURAGE CA, CA NARAL PRO-CHOICE, CA LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS TO CONDUCT GOTV EFFORTS IN 2020.-BWWAP WORKED WITH COURAGE CA AND THE WORKING FAMILIES PARTY TO ENGAGE A RANGE OF LEADERS IN ONLINE EVENTS, INCLUDING THE SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SENATOR HOLLY MITCHELL, AND HOLLY HANDCOCK.CONDUCT DIRECT AND GRASSROOTS LOBBYING ACTIVITIES WITH THE PURPOSE OF ADVANCINGBLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH:-BWWAP SPONSORED AND PASSED SB1237 TO EXPAND ACCESS TO MATERNAL CARE BY INCREASING ACCESS TO NURSE MIDWIVES. THIS BUILT ON OUR 2019 BILL TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ABORTION. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICES OF ASSEMBLYMEMBERS BURKE AND DODD AND SENATOR MITCHELL TO ADVANCE THIS BILL, AS WELL AS COLLABORATED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CA NURSE MIDWIFE ASSOCIATION.-BWWAP SPONSORED AND PASSED AB2762 TO BAN 12 OF THE MOST TOXIC CHEMICALS IN BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY MARKETED TO BLACK WOMEN. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF ASM. MURATSUCHI, AS WELL AS OUR CO-SPONSOR PARTNERS CALPIRG, THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP, AND BREAST CANCER PREVENTION PARTNERS.-BWWAP SPONSORED AND PASSED THE CA FRANGRANCE AND FLAVOR RIGHT TO KNOW ACT, SB312, TO REQUIRE INGREDIENT DISCLOSURE IN FRAGRANCES AND PERFUMES. TO DO SO, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF AUTHOR SENATOR LEYVA.-BWWAP LOBBIED CA BUDGET CMTE MEMBERS, LEADERSHIP, AND GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO PROTECT FUNDING FOR SEVERAL PROGRAMS IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19 BUDGET CUTS. THIS INCLUDED THE BLACK INFANT HEALTH PROGRAM, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR REDUCING DEATHS OF BABIES OF COLOR.-BWWAP STAFF COMMUNICATED WITH GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S OFFICE SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN JUNE-SEPT, URGING HIS DECLARATION OF RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. BWWAP STAFF COORDINATED A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S STAFF AND SEVERAL COALITION PARTNERS TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE.-BWWAP STAFF PRODUCED REPORT TO INFORM POLICYMAKERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ADVOCATES ABOUT HOW BEST TO SUPPORT PREGNANT PEOPLE DURING COVID, INCLUDING BIRTHING DURING COVID-19 MEASURES.