We are all grieving and outraged at another brutal and unnecessary police shooting. The death of Daunte Miller after a traffic stop is yet another horrific example of the violent effects of racism and systemic oppression.
We can mourn and grieve, but we must also make sure that we are doing all that we can to dismantle white supremacy. We must ensure that Black Lives not only matter, but that Black folx can live with safety and dignity.
The Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC is holding a protest tomorrow, Wed, April 14 at 6pm on the State House steps. Let’s join them. Details on their page.
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TOMORROW, TWP and The National Women’s Law Center are hosting Testify 101, a virtual workshop that will teach you how to effectively advocate for policies important to you and your community through written and oral testimony.
REGISTER HERE
We will be testifying tomorrow, April 14 (yes, we know a lot is happening tomorrow) in support of H5929, which supports and provides reimbursement for prenatal Doula services, including for low-income Rhode Islanders who use Medicaid.You can help support this important legislation by:
- Sending a letter of support to [email protected]
- Posting on social media to show your support for the bill using #RIleg and #H5929.
Sample Message/Post: I’m pushing for swift passage of H5929. Black mamas are 4x more likely to die from pregnancy complications. This bill would improve birth outcomes and support maternal health. It’s a critical first step! Part of advancing racial justice is closing gaps in care that Black womxn need. Note that the Doula bill is being heard during Black Maternal Health Week (this week). You can learn more by checking out #BMHW21 and also by being part of the efforts to advance coverage for doula services to improve maternal health!
Together, we keep working to advance racial and reproductive freedom so that we can all manage our health, live with safety and dignity, and work towards liberation for all Rhode Islanders. Thank you for your efforts and let’s keep it up!
Oh, and one last thing, thank you to our Board members for testifying last week to shut down a slew of insulting and harmful attacks on abortion access. We are also grateful to the many people who sent in letters of opposition, made calls, and spoke out with us on social media to make it clear that these bills were out of touch with our state’s values. The House Judiciary committee voted to hold the bills for further study.