Amplify Issues - Reproductive Health

Planned Parenthoods Funding Demystified

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:06:00 -0500

Recently, people have had a lot to say about Planned Parenthood, specifically their government funding. During debates at the federal government and state government levels, there has been a lot of misinformation spread about Planned Parenthood and how public funding is used. This misinformation has come from various organizations which have publicly stated their goal is to “defunding Planned Parenthood.” The Expose Planned Parenthood Coalition includes many of these organization, such as Live Action, the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women for America and LifeNews.com.

To help clear the air I have responded to several statements made about Planned Parenthood and its use of government funding.

”Are we really supposed to believe that a billion dollar organization that takes nearly half a billion dollars from taxpayers doesn’t use that money to support the 332,278 abortions it performs?” Source

Yes, Planned Parenthood does receive federal funding
It is true that a large portion of Planned Parenthood’s budget comes from government health services grants and reimbursements from federally funded health insurance programs, mainly Medicaid. This makes up 46% of Planned Parenthood’s revenues. Keeping in mind, over 80% of expenses go directly to providing programs and services to clients.

There are strict rules on public funding and abortion
There are strict government regulations on public funds and abortion care
Those who oppose Planned Parenthood half-answered their own question in another article by stating “federal law prevents tax dollars from directly funding abortions.” This is because of the Hyde Amendment.

The Hyde Amendment was first introduced shortly after the legalization of abortion, and has been added every year following to different appropriation bills (bills that define government spending). The Hyde Amendment mainly impacts Medicaid, a joint program between the federal and state governments to offer health insurance for low-income people. Each state’s Medicaid program is different. I was once told if you have seen one Medicaid program, you have seen one Medicaid program.

Under the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid recipients only have coverage for abortion care in cases of rape, incest and life of the mother. Because of these regulations, low income women have much less access to abortion than women with private insurance. The original sponsor of the Hyde amendment was not coy about this effort, and even stated in 1977, "I certainly would like to prevent, if I could legally, anybody having an abortion, a rich woman, a middle-class woman, or a poor woman. Unfortunately, the only vehicle available is the…Medicaid bill."

In addition to Medicaid, Planned Parenthood also receives funding under the federal Title X Family Planning Program. This program is dedicated to “solely providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The Title X program is designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low-income families.” Essentially, it helps low-income women access family planning services. This funding cannot be used for abortion, but can be used to provide non-directive information about abortion, and abortion referrals.

In conclusions, there are some rare cases where federal funding can be used for abortion care or to provide information about abortion.

“I believe my Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee should review the findings of this report and possibly hold a hearing on why taxpayers are funding Planned Parenthood with its record of abuse and violations of state laws.” Rep. Cliff Stearns

Planned Parenthood has a track record of abiding by funding rules and regulations
Ok, so now that we know there are strict regulations related to public funding, the question should be asked: Does Planned Parenthood follow those rules? Representative Cliff Stearns sure doesn’t think so.

Rep. Stearns is the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee. He is on the record opposing the allocation of any federal funds to Planned Parenthood He is stanchly anti-choice, and his current attack on Planned Parenthood is a politically motivated investigation of billing and referral practices. He has requested an audit of Planned Parenthood’s documents covering a 20-year period of time, and demanded detailed information about billing and referral practices.

The reality is that the federal government and state governments already regularly audit Planned Parenthood. These audits are publicly available and have never identified misuse of funds. Representative Henry Waxman has stated, “We are committed to strong congressional oversight. But we are opposed to investigations that appear to be designed to harass and shut down an organization simply because Republicans disagree with the work that it does.”

“There is nothing that prevents Planned Parenthood from using these hundreds of millions of tax dollars to free up other funds for abortions” source

Public funding does not “free up” money for abortion care
The reality is that Planned Parenthood is a safety net provider, like free clinics and public health department clinics. Planned Parenthood health centers ensure that all people have access to services, regardless of their ability to pay. Planned Parenthood’s commitment to serving all people is the reason why they receive federal funds. It has nothing to do with “freeing up funds” to pay for abortion.

“It is time to defund Planned Parenthood. In a time of economic crisis with debt spiraling out of control, nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayer funds could be put to better use. The abortion industry doesn’t need our money, and the American people are tired of their tax dollars being used to subsidize the abortion industry.” Source

During an economic crisis is the most essential time to invest in organizations like Planned Parenthood
It is true that during difficult economic times for our country, government agencies as well as individuals should review their spending practices and look for ways to save. This does not mean cutting all programs, regardless of their economic impact. Instead, the government needs to continue to fund programs that have positive social and economic impacts in the long run. For example, as more and more women become uninsured or underinsured, the need for an organization like Planned Parenthood increases. In addition, programs that ensure women have access to birth control save the federal government money in the long run. For every 1 dollar spent on family planning services, 4 dollars is saved in Medicaid (source).

Accordingly, some states have expanded their family planning programs as a cost-savings initiative. Last June legislators in Washington State did just this, and it is estimated that this expansion will save their state 3.85 million dollars by preventing unintended pregnancy. Washington State Senator Karen Keiser stated that, “this is a commonsense bill that saves our state money during these tough economic times by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies Washington pays for. This bill not only helps women plan their families, it’s one of the smartest fiscal decisions we could make.”

Stand Up for Birth Control: Create a Valentine's Day Ruckus!

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:30:00 -0500

This week alone, you've sent more than 3,500 letters to President Obama and Congress asking them to fight back against attacks on birth control insurance coverage. And they have heard you loud and clear.

This morning, President Obama reaffirmed that women will be able to access no-copay birth control. If your employer has decided not to provide contraceptive coverage on religious grounds, insurance companies will be required to provide no-copay birth control coverage to you directly. While the Catholic Health Association has already come out in support of this solution, Republicans in Congress are only increasing their efforts to roll back birth control access.

Today's announcement is a clear victory for women's health, but the fight is far from over. It's going to be tough, but you have the power to make politicians in Washington back down from their continuing attacks on birth control. We all need to step up to the plate on this one.

That is why, during the week of Valentine's Day, we're asking you to help show support for birth control on your campus or in your community by joining the Birth Control for Us campaign and creating a Valentine's Day uproar!

TAKE ACTION: "Twitter Storm" Congress with #BC4US valentines.

Step 1: Click here to download and print your valentines (or make your own!)

Step 2: Take a picture of yourself holding your valentine

Step 3: Post them on our Facebook Page or email them to bc4us2012@gmail.com (*)

Step 4: Tweet these pictures to ".@SpeakerBoehner" and your Senators and make sure to include the hashtag #bc4us. To find your Senators on Twitter, click here.

So get out there and let's start a Valentine's Day ruckus!

*by sharing your photos via our Facebook Page or email, you give permission for these photos to be used for any Advocates for Youth materials, including but not limited to websites and printed publications. All photos must be of people age 18 or older.

A Politician's Guide to "Compromise" (on Birth Control)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:29:00 -0500

Here's a handy infographic and timeline about social conservatives' ever-ambitious War on Contraception. Help us spread the word — post this on your Facebook profile and elsewhere!

Click the preview below to see the image in full:

The Fight Millennials Never ExpectedBirth Control

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:11:00 -0500

As a child of the 80s, I realize there are many fights I’ve been lucky enough to miss because of the throw down activism of generations of women before me. From the right to vote to Title IX to Roe, women have been paving the way so that my generation and those that follow are not treated differently simply because we have vaginas.

But low and behold, in 2012, we are revisiting a fight that few of my generation ever thought we’d have to engage in: the fight over birth control.

When I was deciding what college was best for me, I looked at schools based on the types of degrees they offered, the quality of the faculty, the professor-student ratio, financial aid availability and more. I ended up attending Georgetown University because of its School of Foreign Service and the Jesuit ideal they espoused of “men and women for others.” While I, a spiritual yet unreligious student, was concerned about going to a Catholic school, I was reassured that the University did not push its faith on its students; it was only there if we wanted it. In fact, in my four years there, the closest thing to Mass I attended was the Convocation.

What I didn’t realize was that while Georgetown prided itself on diversity and inclusion of many faiths and beliefs (we had a rabbi and imam on campus as well), it nonetheless imposed its faith on female students by denying them access to birth control in its student health plans. Condoms were also not to be distributed on campus, except in our free speech zone, or “Red Square,” and by the rogue group H*yas for Choice (not officially affiliated with the university, hence the * that came from a lawsuit).

While students (Catholic and non-Catholic alike) at Georgetown have been fighting back against these restrictions for years, the fight has now gone national as the Catholic Bishops have decided that religious-affiliated employers and universities should be able to impose their interpretation of a religion on their employees’ and students’ health insurance.

To follow most of the media’s coverage on this, you’d think that the Obama administration is force-feeding the pill to Catholic Bishops when in fact, not only do actual churches NOT have to cover contraception, but you, as an employee or student at a religious-affiliated institution, don’t have to access this benefit.

Health insurance exists because it’s incredibly expensive to buy anything out of pocket-including contraception. Birth control can cost around $50 a month. About half of women struggle to pay for what can total $600 in a year. Making contraception accessible means that women are more likely to use it. Shocking, I know. And considering the fact that half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended and we have the highest teen birth rate in the developing world, you’d think access to contraception would be something we’d all agree on (especially those who fight to take away access to abortion services AND complain non-stop about low-income women accessing services like welfare, food stamps and WIC).

When I was at Georgetown, I had friends on the student health plan who were sexually active and went without contraception. After working with students at Boston College, I learned of a phrase that their sexual health group spent their time fighting against, “pull and pray” as in “pull out and pray you don’t get her pregnant.”

Because that’s what happens when you take away access to contraception.

Just because you attend school or work at a religious-affiliated institution does not mean you have to comply with the belief system of that institution. On the college-level, many of these schools brag about their religious diversity as a way to recruit new students-especially student athletes. Could you imagine what would happen to Notre Dame’s football team or Georgetown’s basketball team if they insisted that all students be Catholic? Yeah, right.

The thing is that the media is making this a much bigger deal than it actually is. Just because the Catholic Bishops are pissed does not mean every other Catholic or person of faith is pissed. In fact, new polling data show that the majority of Catholics support the Administration’s decision. When will the media highlight that?

Or what about the fact that in December the House held a hearing on this issue and a representative from the Catholic Healthcare Association had to admit that some of its hospitals already cover contraception.

At my alma mater, while students are denied contraception through their health plans, employees are not.

And in 2009, almost 90% of students at Boston College (70% of whom identify as Catholic) voted to make birth control prescriptions available from their student health services.

The point is, to Americans and especially young Americans, this decision is a big deal in the right direction. To listen to the Catholic Bishops as if they represent the views of all Catholics or people of faith is absolutely absurd.

Like I said before, I’m a child of the 80s. I in no way thought that birth control would be my fight and frankly I’m pissed as hell that it is. I don’t want the next generation of women to have to check into whether contraception is available or not when applying to the college or job of their dreams. It’s 20-freaking-12. We should be long over this fight, but please believe that young women will not back down.

Weekly Round-Up: 1/30- 2/4

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:10:00 -0500

Each week, I’ll be posting a list of the most news-worthy and/or inspirational, informative, well-written, thought-provoking, and/or unique posts of the week. While every post and every contributor is valuable to our community, these are the blogs that I feel are must-reads.

January 30- February 4

Stats this week: 27 posts by 22 writers

Sommers in WaPo: Wrong about the CDC and wrong about enthusiastic consent- by AFY_EmilyB

Inside this post:

Christina Sommers recently criticized the CDC’s (accurate) definitions of rape and enthusiastic consent. What’s problematic with her viewpoint is that it is 1) dismissive of people who have been raped after they were knowingly or unknowingly using alcohol or drugs, and 2) it ignores the wants of those who do not want to participate in, or further participate in, any form of physical intimacy.

National Strategy for Black Gay Youth in America- by i_speak_out

Inside this post:

The National Youth Secretary for Youth Pride Services talks about a new project to survey “what it is like to grow up being black, gay, and young in today’s society.”

Think Before You Leap- by Amara-NycoleYouthResource

Inside this post:

Hear from a peer educator teaching high school students in North Carolina about sexuality, healthy relationships, and how to become peer educators themselves.

[More]

My thoughts on the anniversary of Roe V. Wade

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:08:00 -0500

1.Elect prochoice candidates.

Reproductive rights impact the economy, educational attainment and public health of our country. It is a cornerstone of the American dream for not only women, but all people. It is not a single issue, it is essential for the betterment of all people. Therefore, we must promote candidates that support reproductive justice.

2.Elect women. Women, run.

If we want the issues that most intimately impact women to be addressed, the perspectives of women need to be brought to our legislative bodies. This is like diversity 101 people. I love my prochoice men and will do everything I can this year to re-elect Sherrod Brown in Ohio, but that does not negate the need for women elected officials, include state and federal legislators and judges.

This rings true for other communities as well. For the advancement of people who are transgendered, queer, disabled and so on we need to people from these communities. I feel Harvey Milk sums this up best.

3.Move away from abortion as a partisan issue through election reform.

Abortion will remain a partisan issue until we reform our election systems throughout the country. Abortion is a deeply personal issue, and therefore politically is divisive. There really is not a political party that champions reproductive justice, so voters are left to choose between a party that rabidly attacks reproductive justice or another that passively lets reproductive justice crumble. An election system that allows for more discourse and less talking points would spur not only better legislative outcomes from reproductive justice, but all issues added in government.

Some starting points to improve our election systems includes the use of independent commissions to draw district lines, better campaign financing regulations and ending burdensome regulations on voters (voter ID bills, and other attacks we have seen this year).

4.Make spaces for young people to grow as leaders in this movement.

“Establishment” prochoice organizations need to make space for young people to become leaders in the movement. Young people (not just young women) bring fresh energy, innovation, and perspective to the movement. If we want to win this war, we need to continuously work to expand to ensure there are leaders for the movement for generations to come. Shelby Knox explains this philosophy well in her post honoring Gloria Steinem.

Shelby Knox's wonderful blog.

5.Seeing reproductive justice as more than access to abortion.

This weekend I watched the film, “The Business of Being Born,” a documentary about home births and the “business” of child birth. It really opened my eyes to how little freedom women have when it comes to the birthing process. It reminded me that reproductive justice is broad, and impacts all people. If you choose to delay becoming a parents, avoid becoming a parent, or become a parent (birthing a child, adoption) you should care about this issue. Wait, that is everyone. Point made.

Komen cancelled PP grant, but not Penn State's?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:05:00 -0500

Huh. So, Komen said they ended their relationship with Planned Parenthood because it was under investigation, and their new policy says they can't give grants to organizations under investigation.

Mother Jones points out: Penn State is also under investigation — for improperly handling reports of the rape of multiple children. Yet Komen has taken no steps toward revoking their grants.

Guys, it's almost starting to seem like Komen's whole "under investigation" policy was only a pretext for punishing Planned Parenthood — like Komen has an anti-abortion agenda of some kind!

We stand with Planned Parenthood. Click here to add your name to the Declaration of Support.

The Movement Stands Strong

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:31:00 -0500

By now many of you have heard about the decision of the Susan G. Komen Foundation to discontinue more than $600,000 in annual funding for cancer screenings and prevention services at Planned Parenthood. The decision was clearly political, motivated by pressure from the anti-choice movement to sever ties from Planned Parenthood. The Komen Foundation put politics above women’s health and we, as a movement, have responded. From Facebook posts, to constant Twitter updates to an outpouring of donations to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings at local clinics, our movement continues to show is resilience and commitment to putting people’s lives first. We have proven that we will continue to do what is right and defend access to reproductive health services.

The outpouring of grassroots anger at this decision and the energy directed at defending Planned Parenthood has been immediate, powerful, and inspiring. One longtime activist said it best. If you agree, sign on and share it:

This is for all the anti-choice, anti-women people out there.

Listen up.

You can spend every minute of every day trying to force the rest of us to live by your ideology. You can go after federal funds for health care and pressure private organizations like the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to stop funding breast cancer screenings for poor women. You can try to make it impossible to get birth control.

But you know what you can't do? You can't win. You can't break us. Planned Parenthood isn't just a family of organizations. It's a movement. It's women and men of all ages who believe that health care — including reproductive health care — is a basic human right. We are millions strong. We are everywhere. We act, we give, and we do whatever it takes to make sure that Planned Parenthood is there for the women, men, and teens who rely on them.

Know this: When you go after Planned Parenthood and the people they serve, you go after ME. I stand with Planned Parenthood. I stand with them against anyone who wants to stop women from receiving the health care they need. I stand with them today, tomorrow, and for as long as I need to.

CLICK HERE to stand with Planned Parenthood and add your name to the declaration of support.

Here at Advocates for Youth, we stand with Planned Parenthood in the fight to provide all people, especially young people, access to basic reproductive health care services.
I hope that you will join us.

Julia Reticker-Flynn
Youth Activist Network Manager
Advocates for Youth

VIDEO: former Irish President Mary Robinson Speech at PAI Side Event

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:59:00 -0500

The Honorable Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Chairperson of the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health was Guest of Honor during the side event hosted by Population Action International entitled Healthy Women, Healthy Planet: Women's Empowerment, Reproductive Health, & Climate Change. Mrs. Robinson is one of the active world leaders in the forefront advocating for gender equality, women's rights, and sexual and reproductive health of young people.

You can also check the video on this link: www.youtube.com/watch

Show Some Love for Young Parents in New Mexico

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:30:00 -0500

by Denicia Cadena, Young Women United
Photos provided by Gabriella Lemas-Sanchez

On Tuesday, January 24th Young Women United rocked the New Mexico Capital with Show Some Love, a day of action for young parents. Our message echoed through the roundhouse: young parents deserve respect, trust, and recognition. With over 50 young parents from across New Mexico, this day was about centering the voices of young families and their allies in pushing for change. YWU has always understood that negative and inaccurate descriptions about young parents and their children have a harmful impact on these families. Too often, young families living under stigma and shame don’t have the resources they need to thrive.

Young parents want our state to know--our families deserve better than this. As a step forward, young mamas from many parts of New Mexico collectively wrote a legislative memorial to establish a NM Day in Recognition of Young Parents. YWU is also proud to support ACLU of New Mexico in their memorial, which will establish a task force to assess and eliminate barriers that pregnant and parenting teens face in completing their educations. Read the memorial here.

Show Some Love built momentum for these memorials and created a space for young parents to speak up and speak out. Our press conference pulled a captive audience to hear these parents share the strengths of their families. Our legislative visits connected these young people to some of the state’s most powerful legislators.
[More]

What's Roe got to do?

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:34:00 -0500

This blog was originally posted for ACRJ.

“I want you to cuddle me while I fall asleep. That’s what mommies and daddies are for.”

I kept my daughter, Maddie, home from preschool yesterday to see if we could kick her persistent cold. All morning I had juggled streaming Netflix with phone meetings. Now I was trying to convince her to take a nap while I began drafting a blog piece on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, writing in my head until I could get her settled and return to my computer.

I was distractedly making coaxing sounds and bargains with her—yes, you can nap in the living room….no, you can’t drink milk on the couch--but I wasn’t really paying attention. I was mostly thinking about what I wanted to say about Roe, abortion, and reproductive justice when she cut through my mental chatter with, “cuddling—that’s what mommies and daddies are for.”

I have had two abortions—one when I was 21 and another when I was 30. Each was both clear and complex in its own way, and each brought its own complicated feelings and waves of relief.
[More]

Trust Women Week: Bianca's story

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:14:00 -0500

EDITOR'S NOTE: Trust Women Week overlaps with the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and reasserts our firm commitment to reclaiming the future of reproductive decision-making in 2012. Throughout the week, Amplify will be honoring women's experiences and voices by featuring a different story from The 1 in 3 Campaign January 21-27.

1in3Campaign - Bianca from biancalaureano on Vimeo.

Media Justice Mash-Up: Roe v. Wade Anniversary Edition

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:10:00 -0500

by Bianca Laureano

This week marks a fantastic anniversary as I’m entering the 100th post for the Media Justice column. I plan to do a few series highlighting some of my favorite pieces, ones that I’m most proud of, that still invoke something magnificent and specific for me, and that I just really dig. I’d like to start with a mash-up of posts that I’ve written that centers and discusses abortion. As this is the 39th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Trust Women Week, and a week where we will be featuring testimonios from people about their experiences with abortion for the 1 in 3 Campaign, I think this mash-up fits well.

What Did The Doula Do?
The first time I shared my experiences being an abortion doula was in the article What Did The Doula Do? I was inspired by the conversation that actor Taye Diggs had on the Jimmy Kimmel show where he discussed the birth of his most recent child and how he and his wife worked with a doula. Unfortunately, the video of their interview is no longer available online, but their conversation started a public discussion about doulas and the type of work we do. Many folks only know doulas to work with people who are pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term. What I and many other abortion doulas do is be present for the person who is terminating their pregnancy. We offer support, pain management, comfort, and compassion to people who are making a very difficult decision. There are some folks who think this type of care is not care, and they are entitled to their opinions and I hope that if they ever find themselves feeling isolated, judged, shamed, that they too have someone who can be compassionate, kind, a witness and sit with them as they heal.

La Femme Fetal
One of the first columns I wrote about abortion and how it intersected with media justice was called La Femme Fetal. It was almost 2 years ago today that this column was published and it discussed one of the only songs in the Hip-Hop genre that discussed abortion from a pro-choice lens. The song “La Femme Fetal” by Digable Planets is one of the only songs, still today, that speaks to the compassion people making one of the hardest decisions in their life need. In this post I reflected on my contribution to the question “what does choice mean to me,” and my activism within the field of reproductive justice and the legacy of Rosie Jimenez. The song “La Femme Fetal” is now 19 years old and we still remain without a similar contribution to this genre. Do you know of others that exist today? If so, please share them!

Reflecting on No Easy Decision
When MTV (finally) did a show (not series) on young women who had abortions they called the show “No Easy Decision.” This show was the first of its kind on the network and gave a different perspective to their hit shows 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and Teen Mom 2. There was a lot of talk about the series, many efforts to support the testimonios of those young people who shared their experiences. I also had some doubts about the show as Dr. Drew was going to be the facilitator. I shared those concerns in this post where I reflected on the show. I had to admit that I was impressed with the show, the quality and lack of judgmental rhetoric and language that was present as the young people spoke. It’s a show that I’d like to see become a series where the voices of other youth can be shared and we may begin to have a better understanding of the complexity that comes with being a young person, reproductive health, access to quality care, and access to services.

Abortion and the Sons of Anarchy
If you have not seen the Sons of Anarchy I still don’t know what to tell you about yourself. In this post I discuss one of my favorite television shows Sons of Anarchy, what stereotypes I had about the show prior to watching and why I’m now in support of the series. This show is really part of a ground-breaking series where multiple perspectives we often rarely hear are shared. One of the first (and only?) times a character chooses to terminate a pregnancy, seeks support, receives support, and follows through with the procedure occurred during the third season of Sons of Anarchy. This post discusses that representation and how it was created on screen to be extremely effective and realistic. I can’t recall another television show that has had a similar storyline. Often the character changes their mind, or miscarries, or something happens where the termination does not occur. This was not the case for this episode and I am very grateful for this narrative being shared.

Online Course: Sociology of Human Sexuality Part 3
You may have read along when I was posting on the course I was teaching last summer (a total of 5 parts). This section was the discussion on pregnancy options and abortion. We had a birth and postpartum doula join us in class to discuss what type of work they do with pregnant people. We then had a section on abortion where the history of how abortion became legal in the US was provided, along with an understanding of the laws in the US that may be state specific, and a discussion of what research has shown about the health and well-being of people who terminate a pregnancy. I remember this class and this summer very fondly. The students are amazing intellecutals and just brilliant people overall. I was very humbled and honored that students self-selected to share with the group their own personal experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, and abortion. It is times like this when I’m so thankful and happy to be a part of a community of people who find comfort in the class and learning space we create together.

I’m also extremely honored and thankful for remaining with you over these past years and interacting with readers at Amplify. It’s been more than I could have imagined and so enjoyable! Thank you all for reading, tweeting, sharing, and leaving comments. Thank you for seeing me.

VIDEO: Interview with Climate Change Advocacy Child Sensation Mokgadi Seemola

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:42:00 -0500

The Girl from Limpopo, that is how I remember Mokgadi Seemola, the 16 year-old girl from the Limpopo Province, South Africa. A member of the UNICEF GEB/BEM, she gave a powerful voice for the children and young people at the COP17/CMP7 in Durban, South Africa. During the Inter-generational Inquiry held last December 1, she silenced UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres and the rest of the Inter-generational Inquiry Panel when she delivered a powerful message extolling world leaders, climate negotiators, and observers to think for the future of the children of the world. At the end of her speech, she received minutes of standing ovation from Figueres and the Panel and the people inside of Levubu River Room at the DEC, ICC Durban.

It was wowing and an astounding speech! I have to admit I was somehow regretting that I was not able to do that when I was 16 years old. Where was I when I was at the same age as her? In school. There were no opportunities that was given to us back then. I am happy that Mokgadi and the rest of the UNICEF Girls and Boys Education Movement (GEB/BEM) and the child and youth delegates of party members are more fortunate that they were able to attend the COP to be able to make the voices of children and young people be heard by party members. Indeed they are the conscience of the climate negotiations. The sad outcome of the negotiations will greatly affect the children and young people of today and tomorrow.

It is also important to note that the youngest delegate to the COP17 is a 12 year-old girl from India. Surprise! Her fellow child delegate shared how they were selected by their government to attend to the climate negotiations. According to the young boy, a nationwide competitive examination was initiated by the Government of India. Out of the examinations, four were selected to come to Durban and join the rest of the Indian Government Delegation that included their Minister of Environment, Her Excellency Jayanthi Natarajan. On the side note, an interesting trivia about Seemola is that she and COP President Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane came from the same Province of Limpopo, South Africa.

Just I may add, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, the Minister of Health is also from Limpopo. But most significantly that I have discovered in my research, Limpopo is also the home of the Rain Queen, the traditional ruler of the Balobedu People's of the former Kingdom of Modjadji. She is believed to have possessed the power to produce rain for her people and the land she possesses.

In an article by Prominent People (www.prominentpeople.co.za/modjadji-queen.aspx):

Queen Modjadji is a direct descendant of the once powerful royal house of Monomotapa, which ruled over the Karanga people in Zimbabwe in the 15th and 16th centuries. Rider Haggard's classical novels King Solomon's Mines and She drew the world's attention to the legendary Rain Queen of the Balobedu Peoples.

The Kingdom of Modjadji situated in the Limpopo Province comprises of a rural community of over 150 villages. The Balobedu Kingdom has got a population of more than a million people. Apart from her ruling duties, Modjadji has got the duty of providing her nation with rain.

Many legends are told about the origins of Queen Modjadji. According to one of the most acceptable versions an old Karanga chief from the Kingdom of Monomotapa (south-eastern Zimbabwe), was told by his ancestors in the 16th century that he must impregnate his daughter, Dzugundini. This would bestow on the princess rainmaking powers, which would expand the wealth of his kingdom. This princess was called Modjadji or "ruler of the day".

Early In the 19th century Modjadji's tribe, known as the Balobedu, moved further south into the fertile Molototsi Valley, where they founded present day Ga-Modjadji.

According to custom, the Queen must eschew public functions. She communicates to her people via her male councillors and indunas, village headmen. In November of every year she directs the annual rainmaking ceremony at her royal compound in Khetlhakone village. The queen never marries, but she bears children by her close relatives. She is cared for by her 'wives', which are sent from the many villages in Ga-Modjadji. When she is nearing death, she appoints her eldest daughter as her successor and then she ingests poison.

For centuries many tribes have respected the Queen's powers. Even Shaka Zulu sent his top emissaries to request the Queen's blessings. With the influence of Christian missionaries, many of these traditional customs have been discontinued. In June 2001 both the ruling Queen and her eldest daughter passed away.

Many have already become famous with the advent of new technologies and rise of social networking and video-sharing sites. Most prominent among the new wave of YouTube sensations are Rebecca Black (who hates Rebecca Black?), Justin Bieber (I still like your old hairdo my dear), Marie Digby (know her?), Charice Pempengco (Pyramid, Note To God, Telephone with Lea Michelle in Glee, Oprah, Ellen, etc.), and of course Maria Aragon (you made Lady Gaga cried with your Born This Way rendition. Proud to be Pinoy!). I hope Mokgadi would also be noticed by the world as a child wonder with a promising future if only we come together and secure the future of her and the children like her.

You can also see the video on this link: www.youtube.com/watch

Join the Trust Women Week Virtual March

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:25:00 -0500

Our Youth Activist Network Manager Julia just sent out this call-to-action. Will you take a minute and join our virtual march for women's right and lives?

Dear Advocate-

From January 20 to 27, Advocates for Youth is joining the first-ever Trust Women Week, an online mass mobilization for women's lives and rights. This unique collaborative campaign is working with MoveOn.org and more than 50 organizations across the nation, including coordinating partner, the Trust Women/Silver Ribbon Campaign, to let legislators know that reproductive health, reproductive justice, and reproductive rights are at the top of our agenda and should be at the top of theirs, too. In this collaborative national action, messages from "virtual marchers," as the online participants are known, will be packaged and delivered directly to members of Congress, governors, and state legislators to underscore that Americans trust women to make their own decisions about their bodies and their lives.

Your Voice Counts! CLICK HERE to join the TRUST WOMEN WEEK Virtual March for Women's Lives and Rights.

Trust Women Week overlaps with the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and reasserts our firm commitment to reclaiming the future of reproductive decision-making in 2012. For the next seven days, we will be honoring women's experiences and voices by featuring a different story from the 1 in 3 Campaign. As you may know, the 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to the full range of basic health care, including abortion.

Please join us in this collaborative week of action by sharing stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign on Facebook and Twitter — and by joining people from across the country for the Trust Women Week online march. One million participants are expected to join in this virtual freedom march, and a real-time online map will show the location of the virtual marchers.

Join the march TODAY! Add your voice to the TRUST WOMEN WEEK Virtual March.

I just joined the march! Will you?
Julia