On Saturday 1/20/2018 The Woman Project was honored to participate in the second Women’s March, in Providence Rhode Island. Our collaborator Emily Boucher gave an impassioned speech about The Woman Project; using art as activism and the state of reproductive freedom in Rhode Island.
Days before the forty fifth anniversary of Roe V Wade; making abortion a right of women and privacy of our bodies, Emily touched on the threat to reproductive rights in our country under President Trump. In order to protect the health care rights of women in RI, activists like TWP are working to pass legislation to codify Roe v Wade at the state leveI.
The power in Emily’s words came through in expressing frustrations with Democratic legislators who don’t see a threat, and how TWP offers constituents ways to have their voices heard. She ended her speech with the first public showing of TWP’s Petiotion 2.0, a giant quilted petition where each square is signed by one person, and stitched together to share the voices of Rhode Island citizens who want this legislation passed. The quilt will be displayed at the RI state house during the 2018 session as it grows with more signatures. At the March over 500 squares were signed, bringing our total to over 1000 signatures!
We loved being part of such a powerful moment and we really loved meeting so many new allies! Thank you!
Women’s March Speech, by The Woman Project
Hello, Rhode Island! It is a wonderful privilege to be here today with you. I thank you.
One year ago, we congregated here and we were strengthened by our unity. Since then our unity has been the backbone of our resistance.
My name is Emily Boucher and I am a collaborator from The Woman Project.
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The Woman Project is a young, grassroots, feminist organization in Rhode Island. Our mission is to better the lives of Rhode Islanders by creating collaborative art pieces that allow people to share their voices visually. Art is a powerful tool for social change. We wield it today and invite you all to join us!
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The Woman Project’s first goal is to demand that our reproductive health care rights become legally protected by Rhode Island state law.
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Our right to a safe and legal abortion is currently protected federally by the Supreme Court ruling of Roe V. Wade. However since Trump’s election, we have witnessed an attack on our reproductive freedoms. Women will never be fully free nor equal in our society until we have the legal guarantee that women have the right to control and govern their own bodies. WE CANNOT GO BACKWARDS.
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Here in RI, 63% of citizens are in favor of safe and legal abortion, but our “blue state” currently has no law that guarantees us this right, and draconian unconstitutional laws on the books that should be repealed because they should never come back.t; in fact, (if it wasn’t for the national protection afforded by Roe V. Wade) our outdated Rhode Island state laws would actually jail doctors for performing abortion services! We need a law that codifies Roe V Wade at the state level; a law that will protect us, our rights, our medical privacy, and our freedoms in Rhode Island. This bill is called the Reproductive Health Care Act, and we need your help to get it passed!
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Earlier this year, we looked to our representatives in the State House to pass this bill. Some have been wonderfully supportive, but there are far too many who are silent, or flatly refuse to stand up for our rights. Some have tried to quiet us by saying that if abortion access was to disappear nationally, then, and only then, an emergency hearing would be called. We Rhode Islanders must refuse to let our healthcare be fated to a back up plan. We must be proactive: WE NEED TO ACT TODAY TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS TOMORROW.
You can help us support this bill!
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Today, the Woman Project is ecstatic to share with you one of our newest artistic efforts:
I present to you Petition 2.0!!
Petition 2.0 was created as a visual way to display your voices. Through the work of dozens of volunteers, we have quilted together over 500 squares. Each square represents a different Rhode Islander’s signature, supporting The Reproductive Health Care Act. This Quilt Petition will continue to grow as we collect “signature squares” from across the state. This Quilt Petition will fill the State House, reminding our law-makers that we are unified, determined, and relentlessly demanding that Rhode Island law protect our bodily autonomy.
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Monday is the 45th anniversary of Roe V. Wade. Today begins a week of action celebrating its importance. We invite you to sign a quilt square today back at The Woman Project table, and then consider finding another event during this upcoming week. Events include sewing our quilt, making phone calls, and thanking the legislators who are fighting with us for Roe v. Wade.
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To find out more about these actions and future projects, follow us on social media (The Woman Project HQ on facebook, instagram, and twitter), check out our website (thewomanproject.org), or sign up your email with one of our volunteers here today.
Unity is our strength; more people means more power! The Woman Project wants to continue to offer you opportunities to join the fight, and also help empower you to enact ideas of your own!
Please consider getting involved!
Your voice matters because you matter!
Together, we can do this!
I love you and thank you, Rhode Island!