The Womxn Project is TWO!
(January 2019)
The Womxn Project (TWP) is a non-profit organization in Rhode Island focused on building a strong, feminist, community-based movement to further human rights of Rhode Islanders by using art and activism to advance education and social change. TWP stirs social awareness and invites political action to inclusively further women’s rights through creative advocacy campaigns and collaborative art projects. In a world where there is so much work to be done in the fight for equality of human rights, we have decided to stay focused on one BIG, bold goal. We are harnessing the energy of the 71% of Rhode Islanders who believe in the right to abortion to pass the Reproductive Health Care Act (RHCA).
The RHCA will ensure legal protection for access to abortion care in Rhode Island. We know that this is not only a fundamental step in the long-term goal of more equitable rights in our state, but it is also critical given the national political climate. As health disparities continue to persist for people living on the margins and the legal right to abortion is under attack, reproductive freedom is beyond threatened. We must take steps NOW to secure this right and pass the Reproductive Health Care Act.
The Womxn Project Manifesto, “Where Art Meets Activism”
We love art and creativity.
We believe that art and creative work have the power to affect political discourse and effect change.
We are feminists who believe in intersectionality and are:
– Pro-womxn (all womxn identified people)
– Pro-control (we are only fully free if we have control of our bodies)
– Pro-social justice (we are only fully free if we have social justice for all)
– Pro-racial justice (we are only fully free if we have racial justice and equality for all)
– Pro-environment (we are only fully free if we have a habitable and healthy planet to live on)
We are committed to collaborating with creative women to organize visual spectacles that have the power to incite lasting positive political and cultural change for our fellow citizens, our country, and the generations that will come after us.
ARTIVISM
At the TWP we understand this: Art is powerful. Art is uniquely human, communicating human experience, thoughts and ideas.Throughout the history of art, artists have entered into the realm of activism by creating artwork that addresses political, cultural and social issues relevant to their time and place.
Lewis Hine’s photographs were the catalyst for ending child labor practices in the United States, the AIDS quilt brought attention to the AIDS epidemic helping to move the conversation about AIDS from the margins to the mainstream, street graffiti helped to spur on the Arab spring, The Guerilla Girls bring attention to sexism in the artworld. Art has been and continues to be a powerful means for communicating political and social dissent to people from diverse backgrounds and making real change happen.
TWP employs the deliberate partnering of art and activism to bring about political or social change. We call it artivism. Our goal is to use artvism to create a society where no human being is denied their fundamental reproductive rights.
