Moving Beyond Brogressives: Ensuring Economic Justice Includes Reproductive Justice
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Thursday, Jul. 14 3:30 PM (Eastern)
Ends: Thursday, Jul. 14 4:45 PM (Eastern)
It’s 2016, so why are we still seeing male dominance within the progressive movement? It’s not uncommon to see issues of particular importance to women—especially reproductive health, rights, and justice—sidelined as “social issues” while the progressive agenda is defined by economic issues that are framed as somehow separate. Yet reproductive and sexual self-determination are core economic issues, as is freedom from identity-based discrimination. In this panel, we’ll talk about why the progressive movement can and must move beyond brogressives, mansplaining and unhelpful comments targeting activists who speak up on Twitter and how we can work toward greater inclusion and an agenda that offers meaningful opportunity to everyone.
Moderator
Erin Matson
Erin Matson is Co-Founder and Co-Director of Reproaction. A longtime organizer, writer, and leader for women’s equality, she previously served as Action Vice President of the National Organization for Women as well as Editor at Large for Rewire. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, and serves on the board of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Foundation.
Panelists
Gregory Cendana
Strategist, politico and coalition builder Gregory Cendana is the first openly gay and youngest-ever Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and Institute for Asian Pacific American Leadership & Advancement. He also serves as the Chair of National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, as Treasurer for the Labor Coalition for Community Action and is the youngest General Board member of the AFL-CIO. Gregory has been named one of Washington DC’s most influential 40-and-under young leaders, one of the 30 Most Influential Asian Americans Under 30 & the “Future of DC Politics”. Previously, he served as President of the United States Student Association (USSA), where he played an integral role in the passage of the Student Aid & Fiscal Responsibility Act and Healthcare & Education Reconciliation Act. In his spare time, Gregory enjoys singing karaoke, choreographing dances and trying to cook. Be a part of his journey by following him on twitter at @GregoryCendana.
Other sessions: Uniting and Mobilizing Communities of Color, Millennials and Working People in 2016 [Sponsored Panel], Model Minority Mutiny: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Center Our Racial Identities and Solidarities, How to Have a Conversation About Race Without Everyone Running Out of the Room
Imani Gandy
Imani aka Angry Black Lady is a recovering attorney turned women’s rights activist and journalist. She is currently Senior Legal Analyst at RH Reality Check where she writes about reproductive rights and reproductive justice, develops policy resources related to federal and state anti-choice legislation, and co-hosts RJ Courtwatch, a legal podcast. She is the publisher of Angry Black Lady Chronicles (ABLC), which won the 2010 Black Weblog Award for Blog to Watch and the 2012 Black Weblog Award for Best Political/News Blog. She is also the co-host of This Week in Blackness Prime.
Her work has been featured at The Grio.com, AlterNet, and she has appeared on various progressive radio talk shows and podcasts, including Alternet Radio Hour, Politics and Reality Radio, The Bob and Chez Show, and the Hal Sparks Radio Program.
Atima Omara
Atima Omara directs the Candidate Engagement program for #VOTEPROCHOICE(VPC) that provides strategic guidance and support to VPC endorsed candidates at the state, local, and judicial level to win elections and build a prochoice majority in government. She is also the Founder and President of Omara Strategy Group, a consulting practice she founded with the goal of building political power for women, people of color, LGBTQ and other historically marginalized communities through winning political campaigns and strengthening advocacy organizations.
Atima has worked for a Governor and has served as staff for over 9 federal, state, and local political campaigns including working for labor unions and PACs focused on organizing immigrants and people of color and as well as electing and organizing women. She has spent the last 15 years working to engage women, communities of color, and youth in the political process.
Atima is the Immediate Past President of the Young Democrats of America. When elected in 2013, Atima became the first African American and fifth woman President of the Young Democrats of America (YDA) in its 83-year history. She served as President from 2013-2015, the nation’s largest youth partisan organization. As President of YDA, she grew membership, oversaw the first national Lobby Day in a decade and increased work with allied organizations. Atima has also previously served as Vice President of the the Reproductive Health Technologies Project. She has held board leadership roles with Planned Parenthood Metro Washington, the DC Abortion Fund, and the National Organization for Women. She just finished serving as Board Chair of the Planned Parenthood Metro Washington Action Fund that covered most of the Northern Virginia area including the District of Columbia and Southern Maryland. For her work, Ebony Magazine listed her as 2013 “Power 100” and Jet Magazine listed her as 2013’s “40 under 40”
Erica Prosser
Erica Prosser is Vice President at Wildfire Contact and also serves as senior communications strategist for Reproductive Health Technologies Project (RHTP). For over 15 years as a polling, direct mail, and media consultant, Erica has developed successful strategies for advocacy groups, political committees, ballot initiatives, labor organizations and for candidates at every level across the country. She also served as campaign manager for a DCCC red-to-blue campaign in the 2014 cycle. Erica has worked with several major Democratic consulting firms and organizations, including as a Senior Political Analyst for nearly 8 years with Lake Research Partners, a leading national public opinion and political strategy research firm, Communications Director for Annie’s List, one of Texas’ largest political organizations, and as a senior consultant for political media and communications firm Message, Audience and Presentation where she was lead on public affairs work around reproductive justice and women’s health issues.